How to Make a Sourdough Starter
Have you been feeling the urge to create a beautiful artisan loaf of bread with your own hands? Or maybe you are finding yourself wanting a more nutritious and gut-friendly bread option for your family? No matter your motives, I can teach you how to make a sourdough starter that will be the base for so many future recipes!
Equipment
- large glass jar
- Mixing bowl
- wooden spoon or spatula
- rubber band or dry erase marker
Ingredients
- 113 grams Organic All-Purpose Flour
- 113 grams water filtered
Instructions
- Day 1: Combine 113 grams (1 cup) organic all-purpose flour with 113 grams(½ cup) of room temperature water. Store this mixture in a one quart glass container. Cover the container loosely and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
- Day 2: Most likely, no activity will be occurring at this point. It is possible to see a bit of bubbling or growth. Regardless of the level of activity, we are now ready to do our first discard and feeding. Remove half of the starter, which is 113 grams or ½ cup. Feed the starter with 113 grams each of flour and lukewarm water. Stir it up, cover loosely and let it sit for another 24 hours.
- Day 3: The starter may be showing a little life at this point: bubbling, growing and smelling a little funky. Now it is time to begin feeding the starter twice a day, ideally every 12 hours. Just like the previous days, half of the sourdough starter must be discarded and then 113 grams of flour and lukewarm water added back in. Stir and cover the starter. If the starter has not been growing or bubbling, repeat day 2.
- Day 4: Weigh out 113 grams of starter and discard the rest. Feed the starter 113 grams each of water and flour. Place a rubber band around the vessel at the level of the starter. This will measure the growth activity of the starter and act as a gauge for the level of activity.
- Day 5 & 6: Repeat the feeding and discarding for two more days. The starter will become very bubbly and have a fruity, acidic aroma. It will rise in the vessel after feeding, then gradually shrink down a bit when the activity slows and it needs to be fed again. Only use it for baking when it is at peak activity, nice and bubbly.
- Once your starter is active, begin a maintenance schedule of feeding and discarding every twelve hours (ideally) when stored on at room temperature, or every week when stored in the refrigerator. The more you feed and discard, the faster it will consume the nutrients and grow! The fridge can help to keep it manageable when you aren't actively baking.
Notes
TOP TIP
Be patient! There are many factors that can speed up (or greatly slow down) a sourdough starter! Keep repeating the feeding and discarding process until you see activity. I also have a troubleshooting section at the bottom of this post if you need extra help!WHEN IS MY STARTER READY TO BE USED?
If your starter doubles (or triples!) in volume within 4 to 8 hours after a feeding, it is ready to go. It is so satisfying, and incredibly messy, when I find my starer has spilled out of the container like a yeasty little volcano. In a perfect world, I want to use my starter 4 to 8 hours after it's been feed or when it has doubled. This will absolutely make the tastiest crusty bread with a soft and airy texture. Every time I feed my starter, I place a rubber band around the vessel it is in to mark its height. This helps me watch it's growth and see when it has doubled in volume and is ready to be used. If your starter is not doubling within 4 to 8 hours of feeding it, you should spend a few days focusing on growing the culture back to optimal health by feeding and discarding regularly. Typically I can repeat this routine for 2-3 days and my starter will become very active and happy.TROUBLESHOOTING SOURDOUGH STARTER
While sourdough starter can be a rewarding and versatile ingredient in bread baking, it is not without its challenges. Understanding and troubleshooting common sourdough starter problems can help you maintain a thriving and active culture. One issue that may arise is a sluggish or inactive starter, which can be due to insufficient feeding or improper storage conditions. To revive it, try discarding a portion of the starter and feeding it with equal parts flour and water at regular intervals until it becomes active again. Another common problem is a sourdough starter that smells unpleasant or exhibits off-putting colors, such as pink or gray. This can be a sign of contamination or imbalance in the microbial community. In such cases, it is recommended to discard the affected starter and begin a new one using fresh flour and water. I get several messages from newbies asking me if their starter is okay because it has a liquid on top. Sometimes the liquid looks like clear water, other times it is yellow or gray. This liquid is a fermented alcohol called hooch and simply means that the starter consumed the nutrients in the flour and is very, very hungry. It can be poured off or stirred back in, then continue feeding and discarding as normal. Finally, a starter that consistently fails to rise or produce a good leavening effect may lack the strength and vitality of active yeast. Boost its vigor by feeding it with whole grain flours, reducing the hydration level, or adjusting the feeding schedule.Nutrition
Calories: 10kcalSodium: 6mgCalcium: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!