Keeping Your Sourdough Starter Alive
A starter is a living culture that requires consistent attention to remain vigorous. Once you treat it as a routine task rather than an event, it becomes the most reliable tool in your kitchen.
Consistency is your greatest asset.
Your starter reflects your kitchen's environment; anticipate more rapid activity in summer and slower, sluggish behavior in winter.
- Digital kitchen scale
- Wide-mouth glass jar
- Sturdy silicone spatula
What goes in.
- 50 gmature sourdough starter
- 50 gfiltered water, room temperature
- 50 gunbleached bread flour or rye flour
Feeding by Weight
Never guess your hydration levels. Using a scale ensures your ratio of flour to water remains locked at 1:1, preventing the culture from becoming too acidic or thin.
The method.
Remove the excess
Scoop out all but 50 grams of the mature starter from your jar. Discard the remainder.
Incorporate water
Pour 50 grams of water directly into the jar with the remaining starter. Use the spatula to break up the thick paste until it creates a milky, loose consistency.
Add the flour
Add 50 grams of flour. Stir vigorously until no dry streaks remain and the mixture is uniform.
Clean the edges
Scrape down the inside walls of the jar to keep it clean. This makes it easier to track the rise of the starter later.
Rest and observe
Cover the jar loosely with a lid or cloth. Let it sit at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours until it has doubled in volume and shows small bubbles throughout.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you see a dark, thin liquid on the surface called hooch, your starter is hungry; pour it off and feed immediately.
Place a rubber band around the outside of the jar at the level of the freshly fed mixture to accurately measure how much it grows.
Use rye flour for a feeding if your starter seems weak; it acts as a stimulant for yeast activity.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I keep my starter in the fridge?
Yes. If you bake infrequently, store it in the refrigerator after feeding. It will go dormant, requiring only a weekly feeding to stay healthy.
How do I know if my starter has gone bad?
A healthy starter smells yeasty or slightly acidic like yogurt. If you see fuzzy mold of any color on the surface or smell something putrid, discard the entire batch and start fresh.