Sourdough Starter
There is nothing better than homemade fresh-baked bread! With live starter in your fridge, you can make sourdough bread, biscuits, muffins, waffles, and so many more baked goods whenever you please!
Sour-leavened bread is a traditional process using a starter culture to ferment the dough. The wild yeast and healthy bacteria in the starter ferment the dough, as opposed to baker’s yeast which is what is used in modern methods. There are also health benefits to sourdough bread, including
The fermentation process breaks down phytates (an anti-nutrient) which in turn makes minerals more available
It has a reduced glycemic load, making it a more blood sugar friendly option
Sourdough contains prebiotics which support gut health
The slow rise of sourdough can make it easier to digest than other bread options
Though it may look like several steps to get your sourdough starter going it is only 2 ingredients and it is very easy to maintain.
I hope you give this a try and have fresh baked sourdough goodies by the New Year!
Ingredients
To begin the starter
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup water
To feed your starter
heaping 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cool to lukewarm water
*I use Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s flours. Do not use bleached flour.
*If your house runs cold, use warm water. If your house runs on the warmer side of the room temp you can use cold water
Instructions
Mix whole wheat flour and water in a large glass bowl, Tupperware, or jar, you want to make sure there is enough room for it to grow. Mix it well so there are no lumps. Loosely cover the container and let sit at room temperature, about 70°, for 24 hours. If your house runs cool, keep it in a warm spot such as near the oven, on top of the refrigerator, or a window that gets a lot of sunlight. I recommend opening a kitchen window for a portion of the day to allow more ambient yeast inside.
The following day it may appear that nothing is going on, or you might see some bubbling. Regardless, discard half the mixture and mix in the heaping 3/4 cup AP flour and 1/2 cup water. Loosely cover again and let sit for another 24 hours.
By the following day (Day 3) you will likely see some growth, bubbling, and/or get notes of a fresh tangy aroma. At this point start to feed it twice a day, roughly every 12 hours or as close to it as your schedule will allow. To feed it measure about 1 cup starter mixture, discard the rest, and mix in the heaping 3/4 cup AP flour and 1/2 cup water, cover and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours, and then feed again.
Repeat step 6 for two more days.
By the 5th day your starter should be doubled in volume and very active. Very bubbly is a combo of noticeably big ones and smaller ones just about to break the surface. It will be much more aromatic and smell sour but in a pleasant way not a rancid way. If the starter is not super bubbly, then continue the twice-daily feedings for another day or so until it is bubbly.
Once active feed one last time- measure just over 1/2 cup starter, heaping 3/4 cup AP flour, and 1/2 cup water. Let sit for several hours to fully activate- large bubbles breaking through the surface.
At this point the starter is ready to use in a recipe. Whenever you use it in a recipe you want to make sure there is enough left over to maintain. If you need to bulk up your starter feed it once or twice without discarding any- that way you will have enough for the recipe and still have leftovers.
Now you are ready to store your starter in its forever home. I like to use a glass jar but pick any container that works for you. Again mix about 1 cup starter with a heaping 3/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup water let sit at room temp for a few hours.
Store in the refrigerator and feed about once a week, with the same method and portions you used to get it going. Bulk up as needed/ when recipes call for it.
Things to know
Sourdough starter is resilient so if you forget to feed it now and then it will survive, it just may take a few feedings and a longer time to reactivate it.
Grey liquid may form on top of the mixture- this is natural, harmless, and what contributes to the sour taste. You may toss it at feedings or choose to mix it in, depending on your taste preference.
If a pink liquid forms on your sourdough starter at any point that is a sign it has gone rancid or is infected with bad bacteria. If this happens discard the entire thing and start again.
Yeast thrives in warmer temperatures, the colder it is the slower it grows. That is why if your house runs cool it is important to use warmer water, this will get things going faster.
Some recipes call for active/fed starter others call for discarded starter. Active/fed starter is after it has been fed and there are obvious signs of bubbling. Discard starter is what you would throw away when you are feeding it.
