In this article we will discuss how to create and maintain your own sourdough starter. While there are many options and techniques out there, this is ours.
Keeping a sourdough starter healthy and ready to bake is all about maintaining the right balance of flour, water, and warmth. Here are the key steps to ensure your starter remains strong and active:Regular Feedings
Consistency: Feed your starter regularly to keep the yeast active. If you're keeping it at room temperature, feed it once a day. If you're storing it in the fridge, you can feed it once or twice a week, but bring it to room temperature and feed it at least 1-2 times before baking.
Choose the Right Flour(s) and Making your “Starter Feed”
We keep a large container of our starter feed premixed so it is easy to feed and maintain. Our traditional ratio:
- 75% Unbleached Bread Flour: Always use unbleached flour - bleached flour can affect the health of your starter.
- 20% Whole Wheat Flour: Using whole wheat and/or rye flour (see below) can help boost the activity of your starter because these flours contain more nutrients that yeast and bacteria thrive on. You can mix it with white flour if you prefer, but incorporating some whole grains can be beneficial.
- 5% Rye Flour: See above. Using a little rye flour will make your starter so happy.
Tools: Feel free to start with what you already have siting around your kitchen. Below, we recommend our favorites that we use every day in our bakery.
- Container with top - You want something with some room to grow. We love the German company Weck and we aren’t alone. They make glass jars that are a work of art and pretty tough. We do not use the gasket to allow for that breathability. But really any jar or container that is food safe with a loose lid will work well.
- Spoon or stirring implement - anything works here. We love these jar spatulas by OXO because they can get into the corners of our jar and help clear off the sides of the jar.
- Water – warm, but not hot, preferably filtered, but we don’t judge. Brita Pitcher or Brita XL Pitcher available on Amazon.
- Flours - Ideally a nice bread flour but technically any wheat-based flour will work here. Buy the best flours you can afford. We use King Arthur and love them. We regularly use a blend of bread (75%), whole wheat (20%), and dark rye (5%) flours to feed our starter.
- Scale - you can wing it and just measure by volume, but if you are serious about bread you will need a kitchen scale. We have had mixed results with battery operated scales, and eventually purchased a commercial plug-in scale from Amazon to accommodate the weight of the large batches we were baking. But if you’re only baking a few loaves at a time, a small battery-operated scale should be fine. This scale by OXO is perfect for making smaller batches of bread, fresh coffee, and general kitchen use. The KD-8000 by My Weigh is perfect for larger batches of bread. We currently use both of these scales in our kitchen daily.
Water Quality
Non-Chlorinated Water: if possible, use non-chlorinated water - chlorine in tap water can harm the friendly bacteria and microorganisms in your starter. If you're using tap water, consider letting it sit out, covered but vented, for 24 hours to dissipate the chlorine, or use filtered or bottled water. Distilled water is not recommended. We recommend: Brita Pitcher or Brita XL Pitcher available on Amazon.
Temperature Control and Storage
Room Temperature: A warm environment (around 70-75°F or 21-24°C) is ideal for your starter to grow and stay active. If it’s too cold, the yeast will be sluggish; if it’s too hot, the yeast may die. Frequent bakers may notice changes in their starter with varying room temperatures, so adapt accordingly.
Fridge Storage: If you’re not baking often, storing your starter in the fridge slows down its activity, reducing the need for frequent feedings. Just make sure to take it out and feed it a few times before baking.
Maintain the Right Hydration
- Starter Hydration: Most sourdough starters are kept at 100% hydration, meaning equal parts water and flour by weight. If you prefer a thicker or thinner starter, you can adjust the hydration, but consistency helps with predictability.
Use a Clean Jar
Cleanliness: Keep your starter in a clean container. Glass jars with a breathable lid or a cloth cover are ideal. We suggest a two pack of Wick 750ml jars. You can rotate and keep them clean.
Look for Signs of Activity
Bubbles: A healthy starter should show bubbles within 4-6 hours of feeding.
Doubling in Size: Your starter should double in size within about 4-6 hours after feeding when kept at room temperature.
Smell: It should have a tangy, slightly fruity smell. If it smells like rotten or unpleasant, it may need more frequent feedings or could have gone bad.
Discarding (Optional but Helpful)
Regularly Remove Some Starter: To keep the yeast population balanced and prevent your starter from growing too large, you should discard a portion (usually 50%) before feeding. This keeps the starter manageable and the balance of wild yeast and bacteria healthy.
Article: Sourdough Discard Recipe Ideas (coming soon)
Ready for Baking
Peak Readiness: Your starter is ready for baking when it’s at its peak activity. This usually happens about 4-6 hours after a feeding when it’s bubbly and has doubled in size.
Float Test: To test its readiness, take a small spoonful of starter and drop it in a glass of water. If it floats, it's ready to use in your dough.
With these steps, your sourdough starter will stay healthy, active, and ready to bake delicious loaves of bread!