Using a simple homemade sourdough starter is a traditional way of breadmaking and a healthful processing of grains, not just a trend. Creating something from scratch is something our culture has lost the art of how to do. Further, it’s hard to imagine how to live with a sourdough starter when you’re not used to baking with flour often. I’m going to simplify the complexity of working with a sourdough starter and show you the simplest way to keep a starter, even for the busy homemaker. Sourdough bread has so many benefits for you and your family, and it only takes water and flour to make. I’ll share a few basics on making a loaf of sourdough bread too, with some sourdough tips and troubleshooting common questions, so you can confidently get to making your first tasty loaves of homemade bread.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Understanding Sourdough & The Benefits
Sourdough bread is a traditional bread-making method that uses natural yeast and lactobacilli to ferment the dough, which basically means you are creating a live yeast culture. In contrast to instant commercial yeast bread, sourdough slowly fermentates and breaks down the grains in the flour for our bodies to better digest. It aids our gut flora with beneficial bacteria and enzymes, making for a holistically healthier person. At first, your sourdough starter is going to be weak, and not very good at cultivating good bacteria to fight bad bacteria, so you need to feed it consistently for about 14 days. However, over time, as you use and feed your starter, with more flour and water, your starter will begin to defend against bad bacteria effectively (even if you forget it for a day). It will even start smelling really nice and yeasty, and look bubbly and active, resulting in even better loaves as time goes on.
Creating Your Homemade Sourdough Starter
Making your own sourdough starter from scratch is so simple.
- All you need is 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of filtered room-temperature water.
- To begin, mix flour and water in a jar to create a simple pancake-like batter consistency.
- Do this once in the morning, and once before bed, discarding everything but a tablespoon left in the jar (even down to a teaspoon is fine though). By day 14 you should see it getting extra bubbly, doubling it’s size!
TIPS
- If you have bought a dried starter, you can add it to the mix to jumpstart your sourdough starter. Just add another bit of water that gives you that pancake batter consistency, and it should be good to go. If a friend shares some liquid starter, you’re set to feed it!
- This 2:1 flour to water ratio is dependent on your flour type. So go with what looks about right for consistency.
- At first, you probably will see a small layer of grey water on top of the starter, that’s called hooch. It’s very normal and expected. Just pour the hooch off and feed your starter.
- It’s important to use a clean spoon when going to mix up your flour and water. Really scrape the inner sides and bottom of the jar, to discourage bad growth from sitting inside your jar. You don’t want to jeopardise the newly developing healthy starter environment with a dirty spoon.
- Feed your sourdough starter with room-temperature water. Leave a glass of filtered water, covered with a lid to keep the dust out, out on your countertop. You could use cold water, but it might take longer for your starter to get active and bubbly. Starters like to be warm, but never use hot or boiling water as that can harm all the good cultures you’re building.
Feeding Your Starter
When feeding your starter, use the same 2:1 flour to water ratio, give or take depending on your flour, getting a pancake batter consistency. Feed your starter once or twice a day to have it bubbly and active for all the recipes you plan to make.
TIPS
- Starters also really do well in warmer temperatures. You don’t want to put it too close to the stove or a toaster oven because that could cook your starter and kill all the lovely culture you’re trying to cultivate. However, near a water kettle, or a warm corner of your kitchen will do just fine.
- Starters love to be reduced to a small amount, even down to a teaspoon, and fed heavily to stay healthy.
- Cover your starter with a breathable bonnet. Some prefer a lid that’s not sealed tight.
- Avoid things that have antibacterial properties, like sunshine or certain essential oils being diffused, which can weaken your sourdough.
- Avoid putting your starter near other cultures, like ferments, or cheeses, which can add to the environment of your starter!
- Your starter might smell sour, or even like nail polish, or just unedible if you are not feeding it often enough. Once or twice a day is good to aim for, especially at first when it’s still cultivating a robust colony of good bacteria.
- Just remember, a happy, strong, bubbly and active starter is a regularly fed starter.
Understanding a basic feeding schedule, keeping your starter at room temperature, away from certain things, and knowing what signs of a healthy starter are key aspects of successful sourdough cultivation.
Q&A: About Sourdough Starters
Taking care of your sourdough starter is crucial to ensuring successful and delicious bakes. By understanding how to troubleshoot common issues that may arise, you can maintain a healthy and robust starter that yields fantastic bread every time.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Lack of Rising
If your sourdough bread is not rising as expected, the culprit may be an underactive starter. To boost fermentation, try increasing the feeding frequency or using warmer water when feeding. You can also incorporate a small amount of whole wheat flour to provide more nutrients for the yeast.
Overly Sour Taste
An overly sour taste in your sourdough bread can result from prolonged fermentation. To balance the flavor, consider reducing the proofing time or adjusting the temperature during fermentation. Additionally, using a smaller amount of starter in your recipe can help control the acidity, and using baking soda to counter the acidity and sourness.
If your starter smells like nail polish, or just unedible, your starter is very hungry, so reduce and feed it heavily to bring it back to tip top health.
Mold Development On Starter
Mold development on your sourdough starter is a sign of contamination. If the mold is only local to one spot, like on top of the starter, you can carefully remove the mold and then reduce starter to a teaspoon in a whole new clean container. To prevent future mold issues, ensure your jar is well-ventilated, the cover to your jar is not contaminated, your water isn’t contaminated, or your starter isn’t near other intrusive cultures, like ferments and cheeses.
Starter Looks Odd
The only reason I would say throw out a starter is if I saw red lines through it (grey blue is probably just hooch, which is fine), or if the whole starter has gone moldy. In most cases, I’d reduce to a spoonful in a new jar, and feed it a couple times, to see how it responds to a healthier environment.
I once placed my starter near a toaster oven warming up some cheese on some toast. It only took a moment to make both my proofing bread dough and starter to smell like cheese! It looked strange and spotty too, so to be safe I threw it all out, and reduced my starter and feed it twice (which did the trick). I only realized it was the cheese until later. I also had to wash all my linens I used around my sourdough too to prevent the same issue again! It taught me just how active those cultures are.
Do I Need A Scale?
Using a scale is definitely the precise method of measuring your flour and water ratios, especially when working with specific grains. I personally do not use a scale, which has made my sourdough baking more realistic for me, especially when getting used to having a sourdough starter around. I have seen some people have their scale-out next to their mixer for morning bread making, and that seems to be a nice system for on-the-fly bakers as well. If you like the particulars, then definitely try it to see your professional-level results! If you’re not a numbers gal like me, know it works out and still tastes great.
What If I Don’t Want To Bake Every Day? (Or Go On Vacation)
Did you know you can put your healthy sourdough in the fridge or freezer,.. for months? Yeah! Just feed your starter, put it in the back of your fridge, and voila! When you are ready to bring your sourdough back out, just discard to a spoonful left, feed it (a few times if it’s been a while, and it’s not showing very active) and get it back into production! It’s that easy!
Taking the time to address these common issues and implement practical solutions will help you maintain a thriving sourdough starter that enhances the flavouir and texture of your baked goods. Remember, a little troubleshooting goes a long way in the world of sourdough baking!
Baking Bread with Sourdough Starter
Making your own sourdough bread is the height of sustainable living, because you don’t need to buy yeast ever again, and who can resist the smell of warm bread? Let’s dive into the process of baking a simple sandwich loaf of bread, without a dutch oven.
Basic Sourdough Bread Recipe (Without A Mixer OR Dutch Oven)
This will yield two loaves. You will need two glass loaf or loaf tins for the oven. In a big bowl add:
- 8-9 Cups of Flour (1010 – 1140 g)
- 1 Cup of Sourdough Active Starter (227g)
- 2 1/2 Cups of Water (625 g)
- 1/2 of Avacado Oil, Butter, OR Coconut Oil (119 g)
- 2 TBSP of honey (43 g)
- 2 TSP of Salt (12 g)
Simple and Least Fussy Breadmaking Instructions
- In a big bowl, mix together ALL INGREDIENTS with wet hands, and let it sit for a couple hours under a damp cloth.
- I like to punch it down, after a couple of hours and work it again with wet hands, stretching and building up that gluten-springy goodness.
- I then divide my dough into two, fold the dough into a log shape, and place my dough to rise again in its own greased loaf pans. I then cover them with a damp cloth, and let them proof up.
- At 375 bake the bread loaves in the oven for 45 minutes. If you are worried about drying out your bread, you could add a pan on a lower shelf and add water to it.
This method is the simplest and least fussy amongst sourdough recipes, but the more you play with your sourdough, trying new things, and learning to understand how things work, you’ll be a pro bread maker in no time!
Check out “How To Bake A Dutch Baby, With Sourdough Discard” post.
Remember, the key to successful sourdough baking lies in practice and experimentation. Embrace the process, trust your instincts, and enjoy the delicious results that come straight from your kitchen to your table.
Conclusion
Sourdough baking from scratch is both healthful and fulfilling work. Remember, patience is key when nurturing your homemade sourdough starter, as it holds the benefits to homemade sandwich breads, artisanal loaves, and favourite dough desserts and meals. Embrace the charming imperfections of sourdough baking when learning what works and what doesn’t, and let your tastes drive what you experiment with. The art of sourdough baking is not just about making bread; it’s about savouring the process and sharing the love that goes into each loaf. So, grab a jar, some flour and water, and enjoy making a sourdough starter part of your everyday kitchen!
Shop This Post
I added a few fun things to get you started on your sourdough starter journey, without a cast iron and mixer. Just your hands, basic ingredients, and my less toxic options if you want to know what I recommend.
Just remember, This page contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cultures for Health Dehydrated Sourdough Starter
Organic 2 Ingredient Bread Flour 5 Pounds
Celtic Sea Salt Fine Ground 8 Ounce
Proofing Set Sourdough Bread Baking Supplies
The Pampered Chef Stoneware Loaf Pan
Anchor Hocking Glass Bread Loaf Pan Set
