Starting and Feeding Your Sourdough Starter
- Alysha Jordbro
- Jul 23, 2023
- 3 min read
Are you ready to jump into your sourdough journey? If you don't have a friend or family member to gift you some active starter, no worries, it's very simple to start your own. All you need is a jar, whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, water, and a kitchen scale.
What is a sourdough starter?
Sourdough starter is a bubbly active culture made of fermented flour and water, and it will help you make the most delicious bread with only a few ingredients and not much effort.
Why you'll love sourdough
Once you try homemade sourdough bread you will not want to go back to store bought, its that simple. You may also love it for the fact that it only uses a few ingredients and you know exactly what your family is eating, and its very easy to add your own touch of flavour like cheese, garlic and even chocolate!
Sourdough Starter Recipe
Ingredients
Water
Whole wheat flour
Tools
Wooden or silicone spatula
Tip: use an elastic band or a dry erase marker after you've fed your starter so you can see how much its grown
Day 1:
On day one mix 60 grams of whole wheat flour with 60 grams of warm water in your jar with a wooden or silicon spoon until well mixed and just place your lid on top without screwing it closed. Let it rest for 24 hours in a warm spot (like in your microwave or above your fridge).
Day 2:
On day two remove (discard) about half of the starter you have and you will again add 60 grams of whole wheat flour and 60 grams of warm water. Mix until combined and place your lid on top without screwing it on and place in your warm spot for another 24 hours.
You may or may not have noticed bubbles on the top of the starter before you fed it, either is ok.
Day 3, 4, 5 & 6:
On day three to six repeat the same process on day 2 except you can start using unbleached all purpose flour.
Remove/ discard half of your starter and feed with 60 grams flour and 60 grams warm water. As your starter develops bubbles will form on the surface and through it and it will rise. When the starter falls it means it's time to feed it again.
Day 7:
On day seven your starter should be developed! It should be doubling in size a few hours after you feed it and it should have a sweet smell, and not smell like gym socks. It should also have a fluffy texture kind of like a melted marshmallow.
Your starter is now ready to use to bake! Check out my artisan boule loaf recipe to get started.
The very last step is to name your starter, mine is named Dough Biden, so hopefully when it is passed down to my grandchildren they can know it was started while Biden was president.
Please share your starters name!
Now what?
So now that you are ready to bake you also have to keep your starter alive. You will have to feed it daily if you are baking regularly and keeping it on your counter or weekly if it is in your fridge. If your starter is not strong your bread will not rise.
Feeding routine:
Remove/ discard half the starter
Add equal parts flour and water
Cover loosely and store at room temperature. It should double in size and have lots of bubbles.
When it falls its times to feed it again
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