I hear some wonder and even some skepticism from people when they find out I made and maintain my own sourdough starter. Most people don’t know much about it and some friends that have tried in the past are quick to tell me that they ended up killing it. Making and maintaining your own starter takes very little time and is actually pretty easy. The best way to take care of your starter is to understand how it works and observe it frequently.
Keys to sourdough starter success:
Your sourdough starter is a culture or collection of bacteria and just like all other organisms your starter needs fuel and a hospitable environment in which to grow. By giving it regular feedings and observing it’s needs you can train it and use it to make great bread.
Key 1: Flour
While you can use any type of flour to feed your starter for beginners I recommend all-purpose flour. This is good for beginners because I have found results to be consistent. If after you have a healthy established starter and you want to switch to a whole grain, rye, or other flour it is as simple as switching the all-purpose for the flour of your choosing.
Key 2: Water
The water you use can effect bacteria growth. Many municipalities add chorine to tap water and depending on the amount of chorine in the water this can hinder bacteria growth. Chlorine evaporates from the water when exposed to air so you can remedy this by using water that has been sitting out for a couple hours or use filtered water.
Key 3: Temperature
Bacteria growth is sensitive to the temperature. I keep a thermometer near my starter and is typically around 69-74°F. Warmer temperatures promote bacteria growth so if you find yours is lagging and think it might be too cold you can try putting it in a warmer place in your kitchen. When I was first making my starter I kept it on the top of the fridge.
Starting your sourdough starter
Equipment
Glass or plastic containers (no metal)
Spoon or spatula
Scale (Reccomended) or measuring cups
Towel or cheesecloth
Ingredients
Flour
Water (Room temp)
1. Mix Flour & Water
Clean your container and utensils and weigh 100 grams of flour and 130 grams of water and combine them in your container. Stir vigorously until batter becomes smooth. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover with towel. Place on your counter at room temperature (70°F – 80°F) and let sit for 24 hours. Preferable out of direct sunlight (I put mine on top of the fridge).
2. First Feeding
After 24 hours you probably won’t notice much of anything. If you look closely, you may begin to see some small bubbles or may notice a mild, sweet smell. This is good, it means the bacteria have started their good work. If you don’t see or smell anything yet, don’t worry, your starter my just be a little slow. This is most likely due to temperature. Don’t mess with your starter just continue to let it sit.
Sometime around days 3-4 you should see bubbles and notice that your starter is larger in volume. It should also start smelling a stronger. Like a stinky cheese.
Now it’s time to feed it. Discard all but 75 grams of your starter and add to it another 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water and add them to your starter and stir until smooth. Scrape down the sides, loosely cover with towel and return it to your counter.
3. Training
For each feed from now on add 100 grams of water, 100 grams of flour, and 75 grams of your starter (discarding the rest) and mix well, scraping down the sides and covering it with a towel. You should train/maintain your starter by feeding it every day, preferably at the same time each day. If you feed it in the morning, you can observe your starter you will notice it begin to behave predictably. Over the course of the day you will watch it rise and fall. Just after feedings there is a rush of activity and it will grow considerably (2-3x) in size. This behavior is a good indicator that your starter is healthy and you can begin using to bake!
If your sourdough starter isn’t showing a regular rise and fall behavior continue feeding twice daily until it does. Be patient and continue to feed at regular intervals and your starter will eventually take off.
Now that you are ready to bake your first loaf check out my Basic Sourdough Bread guide and be sure to read my sourdough starter maintenance routine to keep your starter healthy!
