What is a sourdough starter?
A Sourdough Starter, composed of flour and water, is a leavening agent that uses naturally occurring yeast and bacteria to make baked goods rise. It's most commonly used in sourdough bread, but you can also use a sourdough starter in place of yeast or baking soda to make incredible pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, muffins and cookies - you can purchase my Digital Recipe book here, it has some of my favorite Sourdough Recipes.
How does sourdough starter work?
Sourdough starters begin working when you mix liquid and flour -this activates the friendly bacteria and wild yeast living in both your flour and your surrounding environment (crazy to think about, right?). Once activated, these microorganisms produce carbon dioxide bubbles, which make your bread rise! Science. Additionally, they generate flavor-rich lactic and acetic acids in your bread.
Because it is an entirely natural process, sourdough starters take longer to leaven bread than store-bought yeasts - this is a huge reason people are intimidated and turned off by making sourdough.
The extended fermentation time improves the flavor and texture of the bread. Additionally, due to the natural fermentation process, bread leavened by a sourdough starter is incredibly good for your gut.
What equipment is needed to make a sourdough starter?
Non-Reactive Container - A non-reactive container is essential for storing your sourdough starter. I recommend using a non-reactive container made of see-through material (I prefer glass) so you can observe your sourdough starter’s growth. Also, make sure to select a container that provides enough space for your starter to expand. I love these Weck Jars.
Kitchen Scale - You need a scale to ensure accurate ratios - especially when first starting out. Measuring cups leave too great a margin of error.
Sourdough starter ingredients:
Flour - you can use all kinds of flour (whole wheat, bread flour, rye etc.) but remember, each flour reacts differently. Flour contains wild yeast, which is vital for giving your sourdough starter life.
Water between 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit creates a welcoming environment for good bacteria and wild yeast to live and grow, I also recommend filtered water (free of chlorine).
How to store a sourdough starter:
With the proper storage and a little T.L.C., your sourdough starter will live inevitably. You can store your starter at room temperature or in your refrigerator. Regardless of where you store your starter, you'll need to continue to feed it. I recommend storing it somewhere warm on your counter if you plan to use it frequently (feed daily), but if you don't plan to use it often, store it in an air tight container in the fridge (feed weekly).
How do I know when my starter is ready to use?
A sourdough starter is ready to use when it's reached its peak. Meaning, it has doubled in size 5-8 hours after being fed. To track this, you can place a rubber band at the level of your starter after you feed it. Five hours later, check to see if the rubber band is now at your starter's midpoint.
Your starter should also have bubbles on top and around the sides.
I realize this may all seem complicated, but cultivating a sourdough starter is a long-term investment that will pay off for years to come! You can use it to make everything from Sourdough Bread to Sourdough Bagels (my personal favorite).
If it still seems too intimidating, my very active (dehydrated) sourdough starter, Ro is for sale on my Etsy Storefront.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Looking forward to spreading love, one loaf at a time in 2024.
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