Sourdough Starter
Sourdough Starter
Making your own sourdough starter is simply a matter of flour, water, and a little patience. Over several days, the mixture begins to capture natural yeast and good bacteria, eventually becoming bubbly and active enough to bake with. If you’ve never made sourdough before, this is a simple place to start.
Ingredients
- 50 grams flour
- 50 grams water
Notes
Ingredients
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Room-temperature water, preferably filtered
What You'll Need
- 1 clean glass jar
- Kitchen scale
- Spoon or small spatula
- Loose-fitting lid or jar cover
Day 1
Add 50 grams flour and 50 grams water to your jar.
Stir until there are no dry spots. The mixture should look like a thick batter.
Cover the jar loosely. You don't want it airtight. Leave it at room temperature for about 24 hours.
Day 2
You may see bubbles already, or you may see absolutely nothing. Both are normal.
Discard all but 50 grams of starter.
Add:
- 50 grams flour
- 50 grams water
Stir well, loosely cover, and leave at room temperature for another 24 hours.
Days 3–7
Every 24 hours, repeat the same process:
Keep 50 grams starter, then feed it 50 grams flour + 50 grams water.
Around days 2–4, your starter may suddenly become very bubbly and active and then seem to slow down. Don't worry. This early burst of activity doesn't necessarily mean it's ready to bake with yet.
Continue feeding it once a day.
How Do I Know When It's Ready?
Your starter is ready when it consistently becomes bubbly and doubles in size within about 4–8 hours after feeding. It should have a pleasantly tangy, yeasty smell rather than an unpleasant or rotten odor.
For some starters, this happens around day 7. Others can take 10–14 days or even a little longer, especially in a cooler kitchen.
Once Your Starter Is Established
If you bake frequently, you can keep your starter at room temperature and continue feeding it regularly.
If you only bake occasionally, store it in the refrigerator and feed it periodically. Before baking, bring it out, feed it, and give it time to become active and bubbly again.
Jessica's Note
Don't overthink your sourdough starter. I think that's what makes sourdough intimidating for so many people. It's flour and water, and sometimes it just needs a little more time. Your kitchen, temperature, flour, and even the time of year can change how quickly it becomes active. Watch your starter more than you watch the clock.
A Few Beginner Tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Measuring by weight makes feeding your starter much easier and more consistent.
- Mark the jar after feeding. A rubber band or dry-erase marker makes it easy to see how much your starter has risen.
- Don't panic if it smells strange at first. A young starter can go through several different smells as it develops.
- A little liquid on top isn't necessarily a disaster. It can be a sign that your starter is hungry.
- If you see fuzzy mold or unusual pink/orange discoloration, discard the starter and begin again.
- Be patient. Seven days is a guideline, not a deadline.