Original URL: https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2019/03/beginner-sourdough-starter-recipe/ Retrieved on: Mon, 23 Mar 2020 19:05:44 +0000

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Sourdough Starter RecipeAnyone can make this Beginner Sourdough Starter Recipe at home! All you need is our, water, and a little bit of patience.The best part? The process is mostly hands off! Before you know it, you’ll have your very own bubbly, active starter ready togo.

What if I told you, there’s an easy way to create a sourdough starter…

Would you believe me?

Here’s the thing: creating one from scratch is not hard to do. But for whatever reason, it seems incredibly scary, especially forbeginners.

First: no one really knows what the heck a sourdough starter even is. Wild yeast? Levain? WHAT?!

Second: once you realize a starter is a living culture (yes, it’s alive, like a pet!) it freaks people out and makes you wonder“How on Earth am I going to keep this thing alive?”

Third: no two starters are alike. They might look similar, but each one has their own unique personality and will behavedifferently in baking.

Plus, it doesn’t help that there are several ways to make a starter, with methods that include raisins, potatoes, pineapple juice-even sugar.

And you know what?

I get it.

There’s just too much conflicting information out there, and like you, I’ve found myself totally frustrated and confused.

Take it from me and my mistakes: there’s hope.

What You’ll LearnIn this tutorial, I’ll teach you how to create a killer sourdough starter with just two simple ingredients: flour and water.

Once your starter is established, it can be used to make all kinds of incredible sourdough bread like, crusty artisan loaves,sandwich bread, bagels, focaccia and so much more. Yum!

How Long Will it Take?The overall process takes about 7 days from start to finish.

However, it’s not uncommon for it to take up to two weeksup to two weeks or more for the starter to become active. It all depends. I know thistimeframe sounds a bit vague, but growing yeast in a jar (that’s basically what you’ll be doing) can be unpredictable at times.

Please be patient if the process takes time for you- it’s normal.

Is it Difficult To Do?Absolutely not!

In short: you’re basically adding our and water to a jar, feeding it with more our and water over time, and then waiting for itto become bubbly and double in size. That’s it. Most of your time involvement is hands-off.

Can I ask you a favor though?

Don’t overthink it.Don’t overthink it.

There’s a lot of information out there, and you will fall down a major rabbit hole if you start poking around. Just stick to thistutorial for now and follow the steps.

Ready to jump in?!

So, What Is A Sourdough Starter?

Simply put: a sourdough starter is a live culture of flour and water.

Once combined, the culture will begin to ferment which cultivates the natural yeasts found in our environment. A smallportion is added to your bread dough to make it rise.

Commercial yeast IS NOT required.Commercial yeast IS NOT required.

Sounds a bit weird, right?

Of course it does. And it should. All you need to know is this: natural “wild” yeast is all around us.

It can be found in a bag of our our, in the air, on your hands… Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there anddoing its thing.

Magical, right?

You Will Need:3/4 L jar (I use this onethis one)

1 bag unbleached all purpose flourall purpose flour60 g (1/2 cup) wheat flourwheat flour

water

Tip: Use regular, unbleached all purpose our for best results- skip organic. Theenzymes are different which can hinder the rising process the rst time around. Iuse either KAF,KAF, Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.Whole Foods. Filtered water or tap water is ne.Use the latter if you know it’s mostly chemical/chlorine free.

DAY 1: Make the StarterCombine 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of whole wheat flour and 60 g (1⁄4 cup) of water in a large jar.

Mix with a fork until smooth; the consistency will be thick and pasty. If measuring by volume, add more water to thin out thetexture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a small cloth, and let it rest in a warm spot, about 75-80 degrees F, for 24 hours.

Tip: Looking for a warm spot? Place your starter on a cookie sheet inside the oven(turned off) with the light on. You can also use a proo ng boxproo ng box set to your desiredtemperature, or a microwave with the door ajar and light on.

Day 2: Got Bubbles?Today, you’re going to check if any small bubbles have appeared on the surface.

Bubbles indicate fermentation, which is what you want!

It’s okay if you don’t see anything; the bubbles might have appeared and dissolved overnight while you were sleeping.

You don’t have to do anything else right now. Rest the starter in your warm spot for another 24 hours.

Day 2 (Con’t): What’s that brown liquid?During the creation process, and even after your starter has been established, a dark liquid might appear on the starter (theimage above shows the liquid in the middle of the starter- it’s usually found on the surface).

This liquid is called “hooch” and is an indication that your starter needs to be fed. It also has a very stinky smell, similar torubbing alcohol or gym socks.

Any time you see this liquid, it’s best to remove it along with any discolored starter present.

Just smell it- it’s gross!

Day 3: Feed your starterWhether bubbles are visible or not, it’s time to start the feeding process.

To begin, remove and discard approximately half of your starter from the jar. The texture will be very stretchy.

Add 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of all-purpose our and 60 g (1/4 cup) of water. Mix with a fork until smooth. The texture should resemblethick-ish batter or plain Stonyfield plain yogurt at this point, so add more water as needed.

Cover loosely, and let rest in your warm spot for another 24 hours.

DAYS 4, 5, AND 6: Keep on Feeding!Repeat the feeding process outlined on Day 3: Remove and discard half of the starter, and feed it with 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of all-

purpose flour and 60 g (1/4 cup) of water.

As the yeast begins to develop, your starter will rise, and bubbles will form on the surface and throughout the culture.

When the starter falls, it’s time to feed it again.

Tip: Place a rubber band or piece of masking tape around the jar to measure thestarter’s growth as it rises.

DAY 7: A Sourdough starter is born!By now, your sourdough starter should have doubled in size.

You should see plenty of bubbles, both large and small. The texture will be spongy, uffy, and similar to roastedmarshmallows (think: s’mores). It should also smell pleasant, and not like stinky gym socks.

If these conditions are met, your starter is now active and ready to use!

Please keep in mind, if your starter is not ready at this point which is quite common (the temperature might be too cold, yourtiming might be off, the yeast might need more time to grow etc.), continue to feed it for one to two weeks or more. Bepatient!

Also, don’t fret if your starter doesn’t look exactly like my pictures above.

Remember what I said earlier? No two starters are alike. My starter is super, super strong and I’ve been keeping it vibrant forforyears.years. It literally bubbles when it hears my voice ;)

As long as your starter is bubbly and it has doubled in size, you’re all set.

Tip: Wondering if your starter is ready to use? Do the oat test. Drop a teaspoon ofbubbly starter in a jar of water; if it floats to the top you can use it.The very last step is to transfer your sourdough starter to a nice, clean jar. In keeping with tradition, you can also name it- andplease do! My starter is called Dillon, after my oldest boy.

Now, are you ready to bake some incredible sourdough bread?

Click here for my Beginner’s Guide!

• • •

A Few Tips For Ongoing Care…So you’ve created a sourdough starter! Now what?Just like any living creature, it must be kept alive with regular feedings to maintain its strength. If your starter is not strong,your bread will not rise. Caring for your starter is much easier than you’d think, and certainly won’t take hours of your time.

1.) how to Feed Your Sourdough StarterYou’re going to repeat exactly what you’ve done on Day #3 in the creation process.Feeding Routine:Feeding Routine:

1. Begin by removing and discarding about half of your starter.2. Replenish what’s left in the jar with fresh all purpose flour and water.3. Cover loosely, and let it rise at room temperature until bubbly and double in size. Once it falls, the bubbles will become

frothy and eventually disappear. Then you’ll know it’s time to feed your starter again.4. Feed your starter everyday if it’s stored at room temperature. If you keep it in the fridge, feed it once a week.

PS: If you miss a feeding, don’t worry- your starter is not going to die. It might look ugly (and smell horrendous) but it usuallyjust needs a few feedings to perk back up.

2.) When Is Your Starter Ready to Use?Your starter is ready when it shows all of the following signs:

bulk growth to about double in sizesmall and large bubbles on the surface and throughout the culturespongy or fluffy texturepleasant aroma (not reminiscent of nail polish remover/gym socks/rubbing alcohol)

If you’re having trouble spotting the signs, don’t forget to place a rubber band around the base of the jar to measure thestarter’s growth. You can also try the oat test mentioned above: Drop a small dollop of starter into a glass of water. If itfloats to the top, it’s ready to use.

3.) Storage OptionsOnce your starter is established, you have two storage options to consider.

At Room Temperature: If you bake often—let’s say a few times a week—store your starter at room temperature. This willspeed up fermentation, making the starter bubbly, active, and ready to use faster. Room temperature starters should be fedone to two times a day, depending on how quickly they rise and fall.

In the Fridge: If you don’t bake that often, store your starter in the fridge, loosely covered or with a lid. You’ll only need to feedit about once a week or so, to maintain its strength when not in use. When you are ready to make dough, feed your starter atroom temperature as needed, to wake it back up.

• • •

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DescriptionLooking for an easy, sourdough starter recipe for beginners? Adapted from Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, follow my no-nonsense guide for practical tips, tricks, and ongoing care- anyone can do it.

Ingredients1x (5lb) bag all purpose our (I use either KAF, Trader Joe’s, or Whole Foods) 1/2 cup (60g) whole wheat our (I use KAFwhole wheat) Water A few things before you begin: For best results, it’s always a good thing to weigh your ingredients inbaking. However, when creating a starter, using measuring cups is ne. Only a small amount of whole wheat our is used tojumpstart the fermentation process. You can nd smaller bags in most grocery stores if you don’t want to commit to thelarger 5lb bag. You will also need one large 3/4 L jar, or something of similar size (I use this one.).

InstructionsDay 1: Make the StarterCombine 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of whole wheat our and 60 g (1⁄4 cup) of water in a large jar. Mix with a fork until smooth; theconsistency will be thick and pasty. If measuring by volume, add more water to thin out the texture. Cover loosely with plasticwrap or a small cloth, and let it rest in a warm spot, about 75-80 F, for 24 hours. *Tip: Looking for a warm spot? Place yourstarter on a cookie sheet inside the oven (turned off) with the light on. You can also use a proo ng box set to your desiredtemperature, or a microwave with the door ajar and light on.

Day 2: Look for BubblesCheck to see if any bubbles have appeared on the surface. If you don’t see anything, it’s okay. The bubbles might haveappeared and dissolved overnight while you were sleeping. You don’t have to do anything else now. Rest the starter in yourwarm spot for another 24 hours.

Day 3: Feed Your StarterRemove and discard approximately half of your starter from the jar. The texture will be very stretchy.

Add 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of all-purpose our and 60 g (1/4 cup) of water to the jar. Mix with a fork until smooth. The texture shouldresemble thick-ish batter or plain Stony eld yogurt at this point, so add more water as needed. Cover loosely, and let rest inyour warm spot for another 24 hours.

*Tip: During the creation process, and even after your starter has been established, a dark liquid might appear on the surfaceand throughout the culture. It has a very stinky smell, similar to rubbing alcohol or gym socks. This liquid is called “hooch”and is an indication that your starter needs to be fed. Any time you see this liquid, it’s best to remove it along with anydiscolored starter present.

Days 4, 5 & 6: Keep on Feeding!Repeat the feeding process outlined on Day 3 (remove and discard half of the starter, and feed it with 60 g (1⁄2 cup) of all-purpose our and 60 g (1/4 cup) of water.) As the yeast begins to develop, your starter will rise, and bubbles will form on thesurface and throughout the culture. When the starter falls, it’s time to feed it again.

*Tip: Place a rubber band or piece of masking tape around the jar to measure the starter’s growth as it rises.

Day 7: A Sourdough Starter is Born!By now, your starter should have doubled in size. You should see plenty of bubbles, both large and small. The texture will bespongy, uffy, and similar to roasted marshmallows (think: s’mores). It should smell pleasant, and not link stinky like gymsocks. If these conditions are met, your starter is now active and ready to use! Please keep in mind, if your starter is not readyat this point which is quite common due to temperature issues (too cold), timing, and other factors, continue the feedingprocess for 1-2 weeks or more. Be patient! *Tip: Wondering if your starter is ready to use? Do the oat test. Drop a teaspoonof bubbly starter in a jar of water; if it floats to the top you can use it.

The very last step is to transfer your starter to a nice, clean jar. In keeping with tradition, you can also name it- and please do!My starter is called Dillon, after my oldest boy.

Storage OptionsIf you bake often, store your starter at room temperature (feed it 1x-2x a day to keep it active). If you plan to bake only once ina while, store it in the fridge to preserve its strength (feed it 1x a week).

NotesHow to Feed Your Sourdough Starter for Ongoing Care

1. Begin by removing and discarding about half of your starter.2. Replenish what’s left in the jar with fresh flour (use all purpose flour) and water.3. Cover loosely, and let it rise at room temperature until bubbly and double in size. Once it falls, the bubbles will become

frothy and eventually disappear. Then you’ll know it’s time to feed your starter again.4. Feed your starter everyday (1x-2x) if it’s stored at room temperature. Feed it 1x a week if you keep it in the fridge.5. PS: If you miss a feeding, don’t worry- your starter is not going to die. It might look ugly (and smell horrendous) but it

usually just needs a few feedings to perk back up.

Keywords:Keywords: sourdough, sourdough starter, beginner sourdough starter