SOURDOUGH STARTER RECIPE

What is a sourdough starter?

Sourdough starter is a culture of natural yeast. Similar to the cultures of bacteria and yeast used to make beer, kefir, or yogurt. 

When making bread, a baker will add sourdough starter to a dough which takes the place of commercial or active dry yeast. The starter helps the bread to rise and ferments the flour and water to create the sour taste. 

Because the fermentation process takes longer to occur in naturally leavened bread, this gave rise to the creation of instant or active yeast which can cut down on the process by more than half the amount of time. However with most things in life, you can’t rush perfection and the taste one achieves through the process of natural fermentation is worth the wait.

How do I make a sourdough starter?

Before we begin the recipe, it’s important to note that baking is often considered a science because of the necessity for precise measurements. So while it’s entirely possible to make amazing bread using volume based measurements (i.e cups and teaspoons); by using a scale and weighing your ingredients you more precisely measure your ingredients since all flours weigh differently. This removes a variable of uncertainty and will allow you to replicate or alter your results more easily. 

The Recipe:

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Sourdough Starter

While there are a million different ways to make starter, this recipe is a no b.s. straightforward method that is guaranteed to work. Also it only involves two ingredients, flour + water.

Prep Time5 days d

Cost: $5

Equipment

• Mason Jar (or other non reactive container)
• Culinary scale

Ingredients

• 500 g White non-bleached all purpose flour Whole wheat flour works as well (or a combination of the two)
• 500 g Filtered water

Instructions

Day One

• Combined 100g flour + 100g water in a glass or non-reactive container (mason jar, glass cup, or non-reactive bowl)
• Stir until all flour is incorporated (about 60 sec.) and cover with loose fitting lid, kitchen towel or plastic wrap. **Natural (or wild) yeast requires oxygen for fermentation so the lid doesn't need to be secured tightly
• Leave container in a warm place in the kitchen – above the fridge works well

Day Two

• **** after the first 24-hours the mixture will look very familiar. Not enough time has passed to really develop any fermentation ****
• This does not need to be extremely precise – Throw away about 90% of the contents of the jar, leaving about 20g (couple tablespoons)
• Add new 100g flour + 100g water to the same jar and combine (about 60 sec.)
• Leave container in a warm place in the kitchen

Day Three

• ****after 48-hours the mixture may smell ever so slightly fruity as the fermentation process is just beginning****
• Repeat day two instructions

Day Four

• ****after 72-hours the mixture should have a few bubbles which is a sign that the natural yeast are becoming more active. The mixture should also smell fruity/sour/funky.****
• Repeat day two instructions

Day Five

• ****at this point (96-hours) have passed and your starter should be active. You will notice that in the hours after you feed your starter (add flour + water) the mixture will rise and look fluffy and active.****
• Repeat feeding instructions. This will be done daily to maintain the health of your starter. Alternatively you can place the starter after feeding in the fridge, only requiring feeding once a week.

Notes

Can I use other flours?

Yes, in fact I use about 20% rye flour when I feed my personal starter. Their is a benefit to using whole wheat flours since they have a higher protein content and help make your starter more active. I would just suggest that once you start feed your starter routinely, try and keep consistent your blend of flours. 

Do I have to feed my starter every day? 

Yes. In fact many bakers suggest feeding your starter more than once a day ideally. However, for the amateur baker, this may not be practical for your schedule or budget. Therefore, I would suggest you leave your starter in your fridge during the week and pull it out a few days before you actually want your bread. 

Yeast acts like molecules, when subjected to a warmer environment they move faster and are more active. That is why we place the starter in a warm place (ideally between 75-80 degrees) where the yeast can quickly ferment. The downside here is that the nutrients run out quicker. If we do the opposite, turn the temp down and place the starter in the fridge. The yeast will take longer to use the available nutrients in the flour and water and therefore require less feeding.

What is the difference between Levain and Starter?

Levain is starter…. Let me explain. Levain simply refers to starter that has been recently fed in preparation for making bread. Usually it’s a larger feeding than normal. 

What does hydration mean when describing sourdough bread?

Hydration of the dough refers to the percentage of water in proportion to the amount of flour. For example, if a recipe calls for 1000g of flour and 750g of water, this bread would be at 75% hydration. It is important to note that all percentages in baking (hydration, salt, starter) are all taken as a percentage of flour used. For example, if that same recipe called for 20% starter, we would assume that means 200g starter. 

What does the ratio mean when talking about starters or levain?

Usually you see ratios describing the proportion of starter:water:flour to make the levain required in a recipe. For example if a recipe calls for 100g levain measured 1:2:2. That means that the recipe would call for 20g starter, 40g water, and 40g flour