Is your sourdough starter acting a little "off?" Sluggish perhaps?
Here are 5 ways you can give your starter that little extra boost it needs to be healthy and thriving again:
Give your starter some more oxygen.
This is one of the simplest ways to boost your sourdough starter. A few ways to do this are:
1) make sure you are not screwing the lid to your starter jar on tight. Instead, gently sit the lid on top, or use a paper towel secured with a rubber band.
2) stir your starter between feedings.
3) give your starter a good stir right after you feed it - don't be afraid to over mix it.
Feed your sourdough starter with a little rye flour.
Your sourdough starter will love a little rye flour added to it for a few feedings. Try replacing 1/2 of your normal flour with rye for a few days, then go back to regular feedings.
Keep your sourdough starter warm.
This should be easier as we approach spring/summer months, but if you tend to keep your house cooler, find your sourdough starter a nice, warm spot. Starters thrive in temperatures between 75F-82F.
Feed your sourdough starter more often.
Rather than feeding it once a week or once a day, try feeding your sourdough starter 2 (or even 3!) times daily for a few days.
Feed your starter less water.
Rather than feeding your sourdough starter a 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 ratio, try feeding it a 1:1:.75 or a 1:1:.50 ratio for a few feedings to create a stiff starter.
And if all else fails, try to refresh your sourdough starter completely. (Remember, starters are resilient, so DO NOT throw it out unless you see mold).
Refresh your sourdough starter by:
Removing 10g of your sourdough starter and placing it into a nice, clean jar (I would recommend throwing away the rest at this point).
Feed your 10g of starter with 25g of bread flour and 25g of filtered water, stir it very well, remembering that you want as much oxygen as possible.
Cover loosely and leave for about 6 hours - you should start to see some bubbles happening.
After the 6 hour mark, add an additional 25g bread flour and 25g of filtered water, stirring really well again. Cover loosely and leave for another 6 hours.
After 6 hours, throw away (I know, so sad) about half your starter so there's 50g left in the jar and feed as you normally would - I suggest 50g of bread flour and 50g of filtered water. From now on, feed normally.
And if that doesn't work, I can't help you! :) Kidding. I have a very healthy and active sourdough starter available for purchase here - you'll have a happy starter again in just 3-5 days.
Further Reading:
Upcoming Events & Classes:
Stormhouse Brewing Local Market - you can find me here from 4-8pm on Saturday, May 25th. I'll have all of the sourdough goodies.
In-person Sourdough Classes - perfect for beginners:
Friday, June 14th 1-2:30pm
Sunday, June 23rd 2-3:30pm
Register here.
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