How To Make A Sourdough Starter -

Equipment

Wood spoon
Glass container with a loose-fitting lid

Ingredients

Organic all purpose flour
Filterered water (chlorine-free)

Instructions

Day 1: Creating the Initial Mixture
- Start by combining equal parts organic whole wheat flour and filtered water in your glass jar or container. Depending upon the type of flour you are using you may need to use more or less flour or water. I found the perfect ratio to be about 1/3 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water.
- Stir well until all dry ingredients are fully hydrated and there are no lumps.
- Put your loose-fitting lid on or cover loosely with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, allowing for airflow while keeping out contaminants.
- Leave the mixture at room temperature (around 70°F) for 24 hours.
Day 2: Discarding And Feeding Your Starter
- After approximately 24 hours, inspect your mixture for any signs of fermentation such as bubbles or a slightly yeasty aroma.
- Discard about half of the mixture, leaving roughly half behind.
- Add an equal amount of fresh organic whole wheat flour and filtered water to your remaining mixture. Again I found the perfect ratio to be about 1/3 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water. Stir vigorously until smooth.
- Cover again with your lid or a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for another 24 hours.
Days 3 to 7: Regular Feedings
- Repeat Step 2 daily for approximately one week, discarding half of your starter each time before feeding it with fresh flour and water. During this time feed it the same amount of flour and water you have previously been feeding it.
- Observe the consistency, aroma, and activity of your starter. It should gradually become bubbly, double in size, and develop a sour smell.
- Maintain a consistent feeding schedule every 24 hours to ensure a healthy development of wild yeast and lactobacilli.
Day 7: Testing Your Starter
On day 7 you should have a healthy thriving starter but to ensure you do you can perform a float test. A float test is where you put a spoonful of your sourdough starter into a bowl of water to see if it floats. If your starter floats then you have a happy healthy starter that is ready to use in your recipes! But if the starter doesn't float then you will need to continue discarding and feeding as you've done on days 2-7. You will continue these steps until your starter passes the float test.
Maintaining Your Starter
- Once your starter is active and ready to use (usually around day 7), you will need to consistently feed your starter every 24 hours. You no longer need to discard half.
- Feedings are a little different after you have finished the 7 days and have an established starter. Instead of discarding half, you will simply add flour and water to your starter. Every feed will be different from this point forward. However much starter you have you will need to add that much flour and water. So if you have 1/2 a cup of starter you will need to feed it at least 1/2 a cup of fresh flour and water. If you have 1 cup of starter you will need to feed it at least 1 cup of fresh flour and water.
- If you do not plan on using your starter for a few days instead of continuing to feed it daily and ending up with a massive starter you can feed your starter and put it directly into the refrigerator. The cool temperature of the fridge will essentially put your starter on pause. When you're ready to use your starter again simply set it on your kitchen counter and allow it to get back up to room temperature. Continue regular feedings once the starter is back to room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 160kcal