Maintaining a Sourdough Starter

If someone has gifted you an established sourdough starter but you’re completely new at this whole thing, then here’s some quick tips to help.

The next day after receiving sourdough starter:

• Store loosely covered at room temperature
• Discard half of the starter*
  • Option 1: Throw it away
  • Option 2: Save it in the fridge for recipes calling for “discard” – like pancakes
  • Why you must discard
• Feed starter with equal parts water and white flour
  • Usually 50 grams of water and 50 grams of white flour – depends what you need for a recipe
  • Weighing is ideal

When you can start baking:

• Starter looks bubbly and doubled in size
  • May take 4-12 hours after feeding
  • Ready to use in any recipe
  • Sourdough bread recipe
• Planning to continue baking?
  • Repeat feed each day
    • *No need to discard more if using some for a recipe
    • Hungry starter – watery and dropped down
• Taking a break from baking?
  • Store in fridge loosely covered as long as needed
  • Take out a day in advance of baking and feed
  • Feel freeze to store in freezer for long term

Other tips:

• If you forget to feed, it can be revived
  • If a crust forms, just throw top crust away and feed
• Use glass to store starter (mason jars work great)
• Pink, orange or fuzzy spots are not okay and you should throw it away
• Most recipes require hours of fermenting so sourdough must be planned out ahead of time

Some recipe ideas:

• Honey wheat sourdough sandwich bread
• A traditional loaf
• Sourdough tortillas
• Sourdough crust pizza
• Sourdough pancakes

Helpful items, but not necessary:

• Sourdough jar, lid, and spatula
• Proofing basket and scorer
• Bread loaf pan

Did I forget something? Let me know your questions!