The Sourdough Series: The Starter

Welcome back to the Sourdough Series!

The kickoff to this series is going to be all about the starter, convenient right? A sourdough starter is something you need to be able to make any sourdough baked good, it is truly the most important thing during your sourdough journey. Now I am nowhere near an expert, but I want to start by sharing some basic facts and knowledge about a sourdough starter and sourdough in general. This is only what I have learned so far through my own research and has worked for me so far. I am definitely still learning and what I have done is not perfect, but we’re here to learn together! 

A sourdough starter is essentially just a combination of equal parts flour to equal parts water that is left to ferment and creates an active culture of bacteria and yeast. Within the context of sourdough, fermentation is a process where the natural bacteria and yeast found in the environment, flour, and water break down the glucose (aka sugar) found in flour which then produces carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and acetic acid. The carbon dioxide is the gas that helps create the bubbles you see in an active sourdough starter and helps baked goods rise. The lactic and acetic acids are what gives sourdough products that slightly tangy flavor and smell. When you are creating your own sourdough starter, it is really just combining flour and water together, allowing the natural bacteria and yeast in the environment to ferment, and feeding the starter with fresh glucose (aka flour) regularly to help it stay happily fermented. Once you have a healthy, active starter you then use the starter as your rising agent (as opposed to other baked goods that use commercial active dry yeast), which gives your baked goods that delicious airy, fluffy texture. 

Not only does the sourdough starter help with rise and flavor, but it also increases the nutritional benefits of many breads and baked goods. First off, the process of fermentation helps decrease phytic acid, which is an acid commonly found in plant-based foods including grains. Phytic acid binds to important minerals found in products like grains, such as potassium, phosphate, magnesium, and others, which prevents our bodies from being able to absorb those minerals when we break down grains for digestion. Fermentation can help deactivate these acids, allowing those minerals to be more readily available for absorption by our bodies. The fermentation process can also make grains easier to digest because the bacteria and yeast do a lot of the breaking down for us. For example, the bacteria and yeast breakdown gluten which is why many gluten intolerant people can eat sourdough bread comfortably. Additionally, the sourdough starter also contains prebiotics from the whole grains in flour, and produces probiotics through fermentation which both help to support gut health. Prebiotics are a type of fiber found in many plant-based products that feed the good bacteria in your gut, and probiotics are a type of bacteria that help balance your gut microbiome. Oh, and one more thing! Sourdough products also have a lower glycemic index when compared to non-sourdough products due to the fermentation process breaking down carbohydrate molecules. Carbohydrates that are lower in glycemic index do not spike your blood glucose levels when compared to high glycemic index foods. Have I convinced you yet?

Okay, back to our sourdough starter. As I mentioned in the introduction post of this series, I was just as shocked as you were to discover that ANYONE can make a sourdough starter. Now, is it easy? Not always. Does it take some time? Absolutely. Can it be frustrating because of all of the trial and error? Yup. BUT, once you get your sourdough starter going, it is smooth sailing from then on as long as you are a responsible sourdough parent and feed your sourdough child on a regular schedule. And the deliciously amazing things you can create AND the incredible health benefits are so worth it, I promise. 

There is a wealth of knowledge out there about how to start a sourdough starter. Quite honestly, I found it extremely overwhelming. There are many different ways to start one and everyone has their tried and true methods that work well for them. BUT, there are a lot of factors to consider outside of just a recipe, which is why a random recipe you find online might not work for you (and this happened to me many times). Factors like the temperature of your home, the type of flour you use, and the bacteria in your water can all play a role in the success of your starter. That’s why a lot of this is trial and error. Hell, I tried 3 different recipes and ended up just doing a random combination of all of them until something stuck. With determination and a little bit of love, I got there. I now have a very healthy, happy starter that makes the most delicious bread and baked goods I’ve ever had. Is he perfect? No, absolutely not. But I am learning everyday and he just keeps getting stronger with some time and experimentation. The beauty is, once you have an active starter it is actually very hard to kill it and 9/10 can be revived. The only thing that can truly kill a starter is mold, so sadly if you see any mold you do have to make a whole new starter. But like I said, as long as you feed your baby he will be okay. And yes, I am calling my starter a he and yes I highly recommend naming your starter because they will essentially become a part of your family with the amount of time you spend with it. Mine’s name, as you see in his beauty headshot, is Richard III. Richard because he was made out of rye flour, and III because unfortunately Richard I and II did not survive when I started this journey. So first step, come up with a name and this will start your special bond.

Next, I am going to share a little more about Richard and Richard II to show you first, that I am human and mess up, and second some things I learned along the way that may help you. Here we go:

Richard:

For the first Richard, I used the recipe and method I learned from the bread baking class I took. I used rye flour to start my starter because I learned that flours with more whole grains (such as a rye or regular whole wheat flour) help produce more bacteria and yeast. I combined 100 grams of rye flour with 100 grams of warm water (about 70-75 degrees) in a large mason jar with a twist on lid. *NOTE: Weighing when using sourdough, or any baked good for that matter, is extremely important and I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to ensure accuracy.* I learned to let your starter ferment at a warm temperature and a trick is to leave it in your oven that is turned OFF but keep the oven light on. So, once I combined the flour and water, I closed the lid and put him in the oven with the light on to ferment for 24 hours. Here is how the days went (P.S. it should take about 7 days to make an active starter):

• Day 1: I created Richard, closed the lid, and let him sit in the oven for 24 hours.

• Day 2: When I opened the jar, the smell was putrid (this is normal, don’t worry, it’s actually a sign of fermentation which is good!). So Richard smelled like dirty gym socks and this was his first feeding day according to the recipe. Feeding entails discarding (or removing) a certain amount of the starter to both keep the level of your starter manageable and refresh the bacteria and yeast to keep it healthy. Once you discard some, you then feed your starter with equal parts water and equal parts flour. The process of feeding both refreshes the bacteria and yeast, and then gives that bacteria and yeast something to break down (the glucose from flour) to stay active and bubbly and produce the carbon dioxide and acids. So the recipe and ratio I used was discarding 100 grams, then feeding with 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water. I read that it is best to feed with all-purpose flour because all-purpose contains more glucose for the bacteria and yeast to feed on. I used a wooden spoon to mix it together until there were no clumps and used a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. Once he was fed and cleaned up, I closed the lid and popped him back in the oven with the light on to rest for another 24 hours.

• Days 3-7: This is when it kicks up to 2 feedings per day with about 12 hours between each feeding. The schedule I chose was feeding at 8am and again at 8pm. So, at every feeding I would discard 100 grams, then feed him with 100 grams of all-purpose flour and 100 grams of water that was between 70-75 degrees F. After the first feeding on day 3 I started to see him rise almost to double, have lots of bubbles, and begin to stink less and less. These are all good things! The rising means CO2 is being produced and the better smell means a healthy amount of lactic and acetic acids are being produced. But, it was after Day 6 I started to notice that he was overflowing (making a complete mess of my oven and kitchen) and he became super watery and lost all bubbles. I was so discouraged that I tossed him in the trash and wanted to retry. 

What went wrong you ask? I am still not 100% sure to be honest, but here are a few of my theories. First, I used a container that was WAY too small. Next, I read that they actually need some oxygen so using a screw on lid isn’t the best idea. Then I read that the ratio might be off causing him to be too watery. Lastly, I also read it’s a good idea to alternate between using all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour for feedings to both give enough glucose from all-purpose, but also supply more bacteria from whole wheat. So, thus was born Richard II. I won’t go into as much detail on this one as I followed the same feeding schedule but a different recipe. Here is what I changed:

Richard II:

• I used rye flour and water to start him again as I found that it worked to kick off the fermentation. But, the new recipe I was trying combined 60 grams of flour to 60 grams of water instead of 100 in hopes this would help prevent the overflowing situation. I used a much bigger mason jar with a screw on lid, but did not screw the lid all the way and kind’ve just placed it on top of the jar to let some oxygen in. I placed him in the oven with the light on again to ferment for 24 hours, but this time placed him on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow.
• The new recipe I used said not to feed on Day 2 so essentially I let him ferment for 48 hours.
• Days 3-7 were the two-a-day feeds, so I fed with all-purpose flour in the morning and then whole wheat at night. By day 5 he was again extremely watery with no fermentation. So, what do I do? Throw him out with frustration and start again.

I almost gave up after Richard II, not going to lie. But, I was determined so I dug into more research. What I found? It’s very normal for the fermentation process to slow down on days 5 and 6, causing your starter to not look as active and even watery. I also found out that it can take more than 7 days, and that’s perfectly okay too. You know you have an active starter when they are bubbly, rising about double about 2-6 hours after feeding, have a thick pancake batter consistency, smells sweet, and passes the float test (when you place a dollop of starter in a glass of water and it floats). You can imagine how pissed I was to find out it was normal for fermentation to slow on these days and that I should’ve just kept trucking. So, here is your sign to keep trucking even if it doesn’t look right on these days. Keep going until you have a starter that looks like what I described above and you will be golden. So, onto Richard III and he was the one I persisted with and look at him now, he is a thriving happy starter.

Richard III: 

I went back to the original recipe ratios I learned from my bread baking class because I didn’t think the 60 grams was working for me and I saw more activity with Richard than Richard II.

• Day 1: I combined 100 grams of rye flour with 100 grams of 75 degree water in a large jar. I read that using a tea towel over the opening is more effective at providing enough oxygen but avoiding any debris from entering, so I placed a tea towel over the top of the jar and secured it with a rubber band. I placed him in the oven with the light on for 24 hours and put him on a cookie sheet underneath to prevent any cleanups if he spilled over.
• Day 2: He was the stinkiest I ever smelled so I was super excited (weird I know but it’s a sign of fermentation and a sign that he needs to be fed). So, I only fed him once at 8am on this day, discarding 100 grams then adding 100 grams of all-purpose flour and 100 grams of 70-degree water. I popped him back in the oven to rest for another 24 hours with the tea towel.
• Day 3-7: I discarded and fed with all-purpose flour at 8am then discarded and fed with whole wheat flour at 8pm. I followed the 100:100:100 gram ratio for all feedings and made sure to always keep him in the oven with the light on to ensure he was at a constant temperature. On days 3-5 I saw a ton of activity. He was rising to more than double, then would fall right before his next feeding to show that he needed to be fed. You can tell if your starter rose and fell by paying attention to where the line of mixture reached to. By day 6, he was again super watery and flat with no bubbles but never overflowed so the size of the jar was perfect. I persisted and continued with the regular feeding schedule through day 7. By day 8…he was perfect. He was a thick pancake batter consistency with bubbles throughout and he had a sweet, tangy smell that was no longer vial. I tested him by placing a little spoonful in a cup of water and he floated! So, Richard III stuck around and he thrives more and more everyday!

Maintaining Your Starter:

Once you have your happy, active starter you can now decide on your regular feeding schedule. If you are someone that is going to be baking every single day, you can keep your starter on the counter covered by a tea towel and feed it once a day. I recommend feeding approximately 2-6 hours before you plan to bake so the starter is at its peak activity (where it’s doubled in size and super bubbly). If you ever get to a point that you notice it’s becoming too watery, not as many bubbles, or starts to overflow because you aren’t using as much as you’re feeding, it’s okay! Discard all of your starter until you only have 100 grams of starter left in the jar. Then feed it and let it rest and monitor changes. You can do this as often as you need and it is actually recommended to keep a steady, maintainable amount of starter in your jar at all times to keep the cultures happy and the amount manageable. 

Now, if you’re like me and only bake once per week or sporadically, you can keep your starter in the fridge. Keeping your starter in the fridge slows down the fermentation process so you only have to feed it once per week or whenever you want to use it. If you store it in the fridge, just be sure to cover the jar with an airtight lid instead of the tea towel you use for counter storage. Whenever you want to use your starter, first take him out of the fridge about 2-4 hours before feeding (or the night before works too) for him to come to room temperature. Once at room temperature, discard and feed using the normal ratios and let him ferment for 2-6 hours or until he is active, bubbly, and risen. Once he’s active, he’s ready to use! If I plan to use it again in the next few days, I will just keep him on the counter and do daily feeds. Once I know I won’t be using it for a bit, I will discard and feed him right before putting him back in the fridge with the lid on. If you don’t use it on a weekly basis or just don’t plan to bake, just be sure your starter is fed once per week on a regular schedule. You don’t need to bring the starter to room temperature for these feeds, only if you plan to use it. 

Now, I know this was a LONG post. I wanted to pack in as much knowledge as possible to help you get started on your journey. I wanted to show you the mistakes I made, things I found out along the way, and how to take care of your starter once it’s active and ready. I’m sure I missed some things and there might need to be more posts to come, but here is my starter experience. A quick disclaimer that everyone’s starter experience will be different. My experience is most definitely not the only or best way, and quite honestly it might not work for you. If you’re struggling, do more research and just keep making small tweaks until you find something that does work. I want to leave you with a few tips and tricks that may help:

Some Tips & Tricks I have Learned:

• A 64oz wide mouth mason jar is what I used for Richard III and it worked great for me
• Start your starter with rye or whole wheat flour to kickstart the fermentation. Alternate feedings between all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour.
• Use room temperature water for feedings (about 70-75 degrees F.)
• Only use weight to measure, don’t use volume
• The temperature of your house matters. Once you have your active starter, the time it takes for your starter to become active and bubbly before a bake can highly depend on the temperature of your home. Expect it to become active more quickly if it’s warm or take longer if it’s cold in your house.
• If your starter seems off in any way, it’s okay! It’s really hard to kill an active starter. Try discarding all but 100 grams and feed it with 100 grams water and 100 grams flour.
• You can feed your starter more to accommodate a recipe. If a recipe calls for a lot of starter, just be sure to follow the 1:1 ratio but the amounts can be adjusted accordingly. 
• If you see a grey liquid on your starter, don’t fret! It’s called a hooch and is just a sign that your starter needs to be fed. Remove the liquid when discarding and feed normally.
• If you see any mold, sadly your starter has died. Please don’t try to revive him.
• If the container for your starter is nasty, you can transfer them to a clean container. I bought 3 64oz. mason jars for this reason, but I don’t do it often. They like a stable environment so don’t feel like you have to change the container if you don’t really need too.
• When in doubt, look it up! These are the incredible resources I used and still use for my starter and sourdough bakes:
  • Farmhouse on Boone 
  • Little Spoon Farm 

I hope this post was helpful and inspired you to want to start your sourdough journey. It may seem daunting (and I’m sure my long a** post didn’t help), but trust me it’s so much fun and the reward is even better.