Sourdough starter

It is very simple to make your own sourdough starter. All you need is time and patience.

Prep Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr

Course: Baked Goods

Cuisine: All

Keyword: bread, sourdough bread, sourdough starter

Servings: active sourdough starter

Calories: 812kcal

Author: Sune Trudslev

Equipment

Ingredients

bread flour
wholegrain rye flour
water

Instructions

Start by putting 100 grams of rye flour and 150 grams of water in a glass container
Mix thoroughly so all the flour been hydrated
Put somewhere warm to the next day (in a window in the sun or near a heater)
The follow the routine beneath until you have an active sourdough starter. You know it is active when it grows to at least double size over four to eight hours after you've fed it

Daily feedings

Mix the sourdough starter
Measure out 50 grams of sourdough starter in a fresh, clean glass container
The starter that's left over should be thrown out, at this point it may contain bacteria that you don't really want to eat.
Add 100 grams of bread flour and 100 grams of water and mix thoroughly. Close the container. You can seal it if you want. Store somewhere warm (about 25°C/77°F)
Repeat every day until your sourdough starter is bubbly and grows predictably. Normally it takes six to seven days

Notes

Every day when you are about to feed the starter, you might see a brownish liquid on the top of it. Just stir it back in.
The starter should smell sour, it doesn't mean it has gone bad.
Any mold or mildew on top of the starter means it has gone bad. There is no way to save it.

Nutrition

https://foodgeek.dk/en/make-your-own-sourdough-starter-recipe/ - Sourdough starter

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why should I use rye flour?

The reason you need to start the sourdough starter with rye flour is because there is more “food” for the yeast to eat. You can substitute with whole-wheat flour or bread flour, if you don’t have rye. It may take longer for your starter to get active though.

My sourdough starter is dead. It was super active, but now nothing happens. Should I start over?

It is very common that the starter will seem dead after a couple of days. Don’t get discouraged. Just keep the schedule. Feed every day.

I keep feeding, but nothing happens. What’s wrong?

An incredibly important factor in starting a sourdough starter is temperature. If your kitchen is around 20°C/68°F it will slow down the process significantly.

The starter works best between 25°C/77°F to 28°C/82°F. So put it somewhere warm. On top of the fridge or in a window with sunlight are good choices. If you have an oven where you can turn on the light without turning on the oven, that could be an option too.

Can I seal the glass?

Yes, it won’t hinder the growth as long as you open the glass every day (which if you follow the recipe you will do).

My starter was made with the glass jar sealed, but if it worries you, put the lid on top without sealing.

I started a starter but I need to leave for a few days. Can I put it in the fridge?

No, you have to constantly feed it to get it started. You can start putting it into the fridge after it grows every time after you feed it. That should be after the “dead period” mentioned above.

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