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Sourdough Starter Recipe

This recipe guides you through creating a vibrant sourdough starter from scratch using flour and water. Over several days, with consistent feeding and observation, you'll cultivate a live culture of wild yeasts and bacteria, essential for baking naturally leavened bread with complex flavors and a characteristic tangy profile. Patience is key to developing a strong, active starter ready for your baking endeavors.
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Total Time 14 days
Servings: 1 people
Course: lunch/dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 2094
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 600 g 21 ounces unbleached all-purpose, bread, or whole grain flour (such as whole wheat or rye flour), or a mix
  • Bottled filtered, or de-chlorinated water

Equipment

  • 1 Digital Kitchen Scale Essential for precise flour and water measurements.
  • 1 Large Glass Jar At least 1-quart capacity, clear for observation of activity.
  • 1 Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon For thoroughly mixing ingredients and scraping down jar sides.
  • 1 Breathable Cover Such as a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or loose-fitting lid, secured with a rubber band.
  • 1 Permanent Marker Useful for marking the starter's height after feeding to track its rise.

Method
 

  1. Day 1 (Initial Mix): In a clean glass jar, combine 50g flour and 50g de-chlorinated water. Mix thoroughly with a spatula until no dry flour remains.
  2. Cover & Rest: Cover the jar loosely with a breathable lid (e.g., coffee filter or kitchen towel secured with a rubber band) and let it rest at a consistent room temperature (70-75°F / 21-24°C) for 24 hours.
  3. Day 2 (First Feed): Discard all but 50g of the starter from the jar. Add 50g fresh flour and 50g de-chlorinated water to the remaining starter. Mix well, cover loosely, and rest for 24 hours.
  4. Subsequent Feedings (Days 3-7+): Repeat the feeding process daily: discard all but 50g of starter, then feed with 50g fresh flour and 50g fresh de-chlorinated water.
  5. Observe Activity: Look for small bubbles forming, a significant rise, and a yeasty or slightly sour aroma developing within a few hours of feeding.
  6. Maintain Consistency: Adjust water or flour slightly if the starter becomes too thick or too thin; it should resemble a thick pancake batter.
  7. Mark Height: Use a permanent marker to mark the initial height of the starter in the jar after feeding, to better observe its rise.
  8. Assess Maturity: A starter is considered mature and ready for baking when it consistently doubles in size within 4-8 hours after feeding and smells pleasantly tangy. This usually takes 5-7 days, but can vary.
  9. Prepare for Storage (Once Mature): Once mature, if not baking immediately, feed the starter and let it become active.
  10. Refrigerate: Place the active starter in the refrigerator with an airtight lid; feed it once a week for maintenance.

Notes

Consistency is key in developing a robust sourdough starter. Always use a digital scale for precise flour and water ratios; consistency should resemble a thick pancake batter. Opt for bottled, filtered, or de-chlorinated water, as chlorine can inhibit beneficial wild yeasts. Maintain a consistent room temperature, ideally 70-75°F (21-24°C), to encourage steady fermentation. Be patient; a healthy starter can take 5-7 days or more to develop. Regularly discard a portion before feeding to manage volume and strengthen the yeast and bacteria population. Observe for consistent bubbles, a significant rise, and a pleasant, tangy aroma as indicators of a vibrant, active starter. Different flours, especially rye or whole wheat, can kickstart activity more quickly.