Description

Learn how to create a lively and healthy sourdough starter using simple ingredients like flour and filtered water. This step-by-step guide details the daily feeding routine needed to cultivate natural yeast and beneficial bacteria, perfect for baking sourdough bread, pancakes, and other fermented treats.

Ingredients

1 cup whole grain wheat flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour, or einkorn flour)
1 cup filtered water

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Instructions

Day One Mixing: Combine one cup of your chosen flour with one cup of filtered water in a bowl. Stir vigorously to ensure all the flour is hydrated and the mixture is homogeneous. Scrape down the sides thoroughly. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours to begin fermentation.
Day Two Feeding: Discard half of the starter mixture to prevent overgrowth and maintain balance. Add one cup of flour and one cup of filtered water to the remaining starter. Stir vigorously to incorporate all ingredients, cover again with the tea towel, and let it rest for another 24 hours.

Day Three to Five Feeding: Repeat the feeding process from Day Two—discard half, add one cup each of flour and water, stir, and cover—once every 24 hours.

Day Six to Seven Feeding: Increase feeding frequency to every 12 hours. Discard half the starter, feed with one cup flour and one cup water, stir well, and cover each time. This accelerates the development of beneficial yeast and bacteria.
Starter Readiness Check: By the seventh day, your starter should be active and bubbly, doubling in size between feedings. This indicates that there is sufficient yeast activity to use the starter for baking sourdough bread, pancakes, or English muffins.

Notes

For occasional use, store your active starter in the refrigerator and feed it once every week or two to maintain vitality while slowing fermentation.
Before using refrigerated starter, take it out a day before and feed it to reactivate the yeast and bacteria for baking.
If you plan to bake frequently (daily), keep your starter at room temperature and feed it with flour and water daily to keep the microbial activity high.
Regular feedings and discarding part of the starter prevent over-acidification and promote a healthy balance of yeasts and bacteria.
Always use filtered water to avoid chlorine or chemicals that might inhibit the fermentation process.

Prep Time: 5 minutes per feeding
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Bread Making
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American