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What is Sourdough Starter?
Sourdough starter is a key component in the process of making sourdough bread. It is a mixture of flour and water that undergoes fermentation, allowing wild yeasts and lactobacilli bacteria to grow and flourish. These microorganisms are naturally present in the environment and the flour used to create the starter.
During the fermentation process, the yeasts and lactobacilli break down the carbohydrates in the flour, producing carbon dioxide gas and lactic acid. This gives sourdough bread its unique flavor and characteristic texture.
Creating a sourdough starter involves combining equal parts flour and water and allowing it to sit at room temperature, usually over the span of several days. As the mixture sits, it becomes populated with the beneficial yeasts and bacteria, which feed on the carbohydrates in the flour. Regular feeding and maintenance of the starter are necessary to keep the yeast and bacteria thriving.
A mature sourdough starter can be used as a leavening agent for breads, pancakes, waffles, and other baked goods, providing a delightful tangy flavor and improved texture compared to commercially prepared yeast.
Ingredients
I believe in using high quality ingredients in all of our food. The extra grocery expense is worth it to keep our family healthy. So, I only use organic flour but if you do not choose to do so, make sure you are using unbleached all purpose flour. I have been using this organic flour that can be found at Walmart and have no complaints.
It is important to use room temperature filtered water. We have the Imperial Berkey that we use to filter all of our water. Certain chemicals which are present in tap water, such as chlorine, may negatively impact this process. If you are on well water, you may not have this issue. The process of creating a sourdough starter is highly dependent on temperature, so you do not want to use refrigerated water or this will really delay the process.
How to Make Your Own Sourdough Starter From Scratch
What you need to get started:
- Medium/Large Glass Jar with a lid (something like THIS or THIS)
- Food Scale (If you don’t have one, get one. Measuring cups are not nearly as accurate.)
- A wood spurtle or spatula for mixing. I made sourdough for years before I got a wood spurtle so this is not necessary but I really do love them for mixing sourdough.
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour (I always use organic)
- Filtered water (I use Berkey filtered water)
Step By Step Guide:
- DAY 1: In a clean glass jar, mix together 120g unbleached all purpose flour and 120g room temperature filtered water. (120g of flour is approximately 1 measuring cup. 120g of water is approximately 1/2 measuring cup)
- Mix well: Use a wood spurtle or spatula to thoroughly combine the flour and water mixture until there are no dry lumps remaining.
- Cover and let it sit: Loosely cover the container with the lid, a clean kitchen towel, beeswax wrap, or plastic wrap. Place it in a warm spot at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
- Wait and observe: Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 24 hours. During this time, wild yeasts from the environment and the flour will start colonizing the mixture, kick-starting the fermentation process.
- Day 2: Feed the starter: After 24 hours, you may notice some activity, such as bubbles forming on the surface. This is a good sign that the yeasts and bacteria are becoming active. Discard about half of the mixture, and then feed it with 120g flour and 120g room temperature water. Mix well. Cover. Leave on your counter for another day.
- Days 3-7: Repeat this process: Every day, repeat the process of discarding half of the starter and feeding it with 120g flour and 120g water. This helps establish a strong and healthy community of yeasts and bacteria. Your starter may begin to stink, do not worry, it is normal and the smell will improve as the starter becomes more mature. Optional: Days 5-7 you may discard and feed twice a day to really encourage your starter’s growth.
- Watch for signs of readiness: As the days pass, you will notice the starter becoming more active, with increased bubbling and a pleasant, slightly tangy aroma. This is a sign that your sourdough starter is maturing and can be used to make bread. If your starter doubles in size in 6-8 hours, this is a good sign that it is ready to be baked with.
- Day 8: Start baking with your sourdough starter: Once your starter is active, you can use it to make delicious sourdough bread or other baked goods. Remember to reserve a small portion of the starter as a “seed” so you can continue feeding and maintaining it for future use.
Remember, the key to successfully making sourdough starter from scratch is patience and regular maintenance. With time and care, you’ll have a flavorful and active starter ready to leaven your homemade bread. Happy baking!
FAQ: Can I use my discard for baking?
I DO NOT recommend using your discard to bake with at this point. It can smell a bit weird before it is a mature starter and I would not recommend eating it. I throw it straight into the garbage. I know it may seem wasteful, but this should be a one time process where you are discarding so much flour. Once it is an active starter there will plenty of opportunity to use every bit in discard recipes like this Sourdough Dutch Baby.
Troubleshooting
Not every starter will develop in the same amount of time. There are several variables such as temperature, flour quality, etc that can effect the amount of time it will take for a starter to be mature enough to bake with.
If your starter is not ready on Day 8, do not worry. You are not doing anything wrong, it is not “dead”, and you do not need to start over. In fact, starting over new would just delay the process even longer. Most likely, your starter just needs more time. Keep repeating the process until your starter has doubled in size.
If you feel that your starter is lagging, around day 5, you can try energizing it a bit by doing twice a day discards/feedings for the last few days. To do this, you would just discard and feed exactly as you have been, but do it twice a day, making sure there is about 6 hours minimum in between feedings.
You want your starter to be similar to pancake batter. If it ever begins to become runny or watery, simply feed it more flour than water. For example, try feeding it 170g flour and 120g water.
If your starter is still failing to become active, you may want to try a higher quality flour. I only use organic. If you have a grain mill, freshly milled will give you the highest quality.
Sourdough Recipes to Try Out
Sourdough Favorites
How to Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch
Equipment
- Large Glass Jar with a lid
- Wood spurtle or spatula
Ingredients
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour (organic is always best)
- Filtered Water (room temperature)
Instructions
- Day 1: In a clean glass jar , mix together 120g unbleached all purpose flour and 120g room temperature filtered water. (120g flour is 1 cup and 120g water is 1/2 cup)
- Mix well: Use a wood spurtle or spatula to thoroughly combine the flour and water mixture until there are no dry lumps remaining.
- Cover and let it sit: Loosely cover the container with a lid, clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Place it in a warm spot at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
- Wait and observe: Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 24 hours. During this time, wild yeasts from the environment and the flour will start colonizing the mixture, kick-starting the fermentation process.
- Day 2: Feed the starter: After 24 hours, you may notice some activity, such as bubbles forming on the surface. This is a good sign that the yeasts and bacteria are becoming active. Discard about half of the mixture, and then feed it with 120g flour and 120g room temperature water. Mix well. Cover. Leave on your counter for another day.
- Days 3-7: Repeat this process: Every day, repeat the process of discarding half of the starter and feeding it with 120g flour and 120g water. This helps establish a strong and healthy community of yeasts and bacteria. Your starter may begin to stink, do not worry, it is normal and the smell will improve as the starter becomes more mature. Optional: Days 5-7 you may discard and feed twice a day to really encourage your starter's growth.
- Watch for signs of readiness: As the days pass, you will notice the starter becoming more active, with increased bubbling and a pleasant, slightly tangy aroma. This is a sign that your sourdough starter is maturing and can be used to make bread. If your starter doubles in size in 6-8 hours, this is a good sign that it is ready to be baked with.
- Day 8: Start baking with your sourdough starter: Once your starter is active, you can use it to make delicious sourdough bread or other baked goods. Remember to reserve a small portion of the starter as a "seed" so you can continue feeding and maintaining it for future use.
Excelente!!!
So how do you maintain a starter once you’ve already made a starter? Do you refrigerate? Do you still have to feed it? How long does it keep?
You can keep your starter in the fridge for long periods of time maintenance free. This is what I do. If you have just used some for baking, you would then feed your starter equal parts flour and water, mix well, and it can keep for up to 2 months with no additional feedings! If kept on the counter at room temperature it would need to be fed every day or so. I don’t recommend keeping it out unless you are using it daily. A sourdough starter can be kept an indefinite amount of time. As long as you continue to feed it there is really no expiration date.