Making a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
You do not need a piece of history to start baking. You only need to capture the natural biology present in your flour and air through simple, consistent maintenance.
Consistency is your main ingredient.
Use filtered or non-chlorinated water to avoid inhibiting the growth of the wild yeast. If your house is cold, place the jar near a warm appliance to speed up the process.
- glass jar with a loose-fitting lid
- digital kitchen scale
- silicone spatula
What goes in.
- 50gwhole rye or whole wheat flour
- 50groom temperature water
Managing the population
Each day you remove half of the starter before adding fresh flour and water. This prevents the jar from overflowing and ensures you are feeding the new culture rather than just diluting the old one.
The method.
Day 1: Initial mix
Combine 50g of flour and 50g of water in your jar. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
Day 2-3: The observation period
You may see a few bubbles. Do not feed it yet. If no activity, wait until the start of day 3 to feed for the first time.
Day 4 onwards: The feeding cycle
Discard all but 50g of your starter. Add 50g fresh flour and 50g water. Mix thoroughly. Repeat this every 12 to 24 hours.
Final stage
Once the mixture rises and falls predictably after every feeding, it is ready for bread baking.
Other turns to take.
Rye Start
Rye flour contains more nutrients for yeast, often resulting in a more active, vigorous starter within 5 days.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Mark the level of the starter on the jar with a rubber band after feeding to track how much it grows.
Small streaks of dark liquid on top are a sign of hunger; feed your starter sooner next time.
If you are not baking daily, move the jar to the refrigerator and feed it once a week.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use bleached flour?
Avoid it. The bleaching process can kill the wild yeast you are trying to capture. Stick to unbleached or whole grain flours.
How do I know if it has gone bad?
A healthy starter smells like vinegar or yogurt. If you see pink or orange streaks, or if it grows fuzzy mold, discard it entirely and start over.