How to make a starter of sourdough
Mix 100g warm (about 100degF), filtered water, 50g whole wheat flour and 50g all-purpose flour in large-mouth glass jars. Cover with a tea towel or cloth secured with rubber bands and let it sit. Mix the starter every day. At least once per day. Your starter should begin to bubble after a few days. Start “feeding” or refreshing your starter every day once it has bubbled. You can also buy sourdough starter from Get Sourdough and have it shipped to your door.
How to Feed Sourdough Starting Recipe
Recycle all but 2 tablespoons of starter to refresh it. Combine the starter with a new batch of 100g each warm water, flour, and mix it again. Repeat the process one to three times per day. Keep your starter in the fridge to make it easier to refresh. Just remember to take your starter out of the fridge at least once per week and to be ready to go the day you intend to bake. You want your starter to be active when it is time to bake.
Sourdough starter are a crucial component of baking. You can use a starter to create delicious recipes. You must take care of it. You must ensure that it is fully charged before you can bake with it.
Rapid growth is the main goal of a super active starter. A healthy starter will be active and able to eat fast as well as bubble up quickly.
It’s best to keep the starter in the fridge if you don’t bake every single day. Make sure you schedule at least one day a week to feed your starter to ensure it stays healthy.
Although guidance can vary, a starter can be kept nourished with a weekly dose of flour. You can give it additional feeds every 4 hours if you forget to feed it for a week. The starter will grow in size for 5 hours, so you’ll be able to tell when it is healthy again. It can then be put back in the fridge, and you can continue the weekly cycle.
- Feeding step-by-step (Weekly)
- Take your starter out of the fridge.
- Mix in any separations at the top.
- Take 30g starter and place it in a bowl.
- Mix 60g of lukewarm (26°C) water into the mixture. This will oxygenate the water and help support the culture.
- 100g organic wholemeal flour from stoneground is a good addition.
- Blend the flour vigorously until it reaches a smooth consistency.
- To allow the gases to escape, cover loosely.
- To allow yeast to begin to feed, leave at room temperature (20-22degC).
- Only one starter pot is required. You can either throw away the rest of the starter, or you can make a delicious recipe from it.
- Place in the refrigerator after 6-8 hours
- Use the starter to bake
- The night before
- The starter should be taken out of the fridge at night before you plan to use it.
- Take out 30g starter, and then follow the above feeding instructions.
- Cover and let rest at room temperature (20-22degC overnight).
The day of the bread
If the starter is well cared for, it should begin to expand and bubble quickly. It may require successive feeds over a 12-hour period if it doesn’t show activity.
It’s ready for baking if the starter doubles in size within five hours. You can also test the starter by adding a teaspoon to some water. The starter solution should float if it is a white starter.
What amount of flour and water should I use to feed my starter?
- This is the equivalent to the starter. 30g is the equivalent of one cup.
- What can I do with the starter’s scrap?
- You can use the discard to make delicious pancakes, waffles and pizza.
- What amount of starter is needed for my recipe?
- Mix together 1 cup starter (230g) if your recipes call for it.
- Original starter 115g
- The flour can be purchased in 115g
- 115g lukewarm
- You can double this amount depending on your recipe.
Tips
Keep some starter for future use. This part should be fed in the same manner as the others and returned to the fridge.
How much flour should I use to make my starter?
You should use high quality organic flour that is free of pesticides and chemical. Unnatural additives can hinder the growth of the sourdough microbes. The starter should thrive on wholemeal flour made from natural stoneground wholemeal flour. The starter can also be fed with white or rye bread flour.
You can find more information about sourdough starters and sourdough as a whole in our sourdough baking section.