Simple, Homemade Sourdough Starter Recipe (2024)

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What is special about sourdough starter?

Making a sourdough starter transforms water and flour into a roaring jar of wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. The starter attracts wild yeast from the environment as well as the wheat you give it. This lends a unique “sour” flavor to the bread, as well as a crispy crust and fluffy air pockets.

Why shouldn’t metal bowls or utensils be used when making sourdough starter?

Metal reacts with the acidic chemicals in sourdough starters, causing them not to rise properly, and the sourdough could actually absorb the toxins in metals, transferring them into the food. Stainless steel is fine to use as long as it doesn’t have a metal coating.

What should a healthy sourdough starter look like?

Look at how it’s developed to check whether you have an active starter; it should have doubled in volume as you’ve fed it. The surface should also be quite frothy and slightly foamy.

What happens if you leave the sourdough starter too long?

If you forget about your starter for a long period of time, it will grow mold or show signs of being overtaken by nasty bacteria. Mold may appear in a variety of shades and is typically fuzzy in appearance. An orange or pink tint or stripe indicates bad bacteria.

How can I keep my sourdough starter alive?

If you do a lot of baking, it can be left at room temperature and fed daily. If you’re only planning on baking once in a while, it can be stored in the fridge and fed weekly.

What’s the brown liquid on top of my sourdough starter?

This harmless brown liquid is called “hooch” and is the liquid result of alcohol forming as the starter ferments. It’s also a sign that your starter is getting close to feeding time. Simply dump off the liquid and start feeding.

How do I substitute instant yeast for sourdough starter?

100 g of sourdough starter = 7 g instant yeast (1 package). If the recipe calls for 7 g of instant yeast, add 100 g of sourdough started and reduce 50 g of flour and 50 g of water. Keep in mind that the rising times will be longer, almost double compared to the original recipe.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Resting Time 7 days d

Total Time 7 days d 15 minutes mins

Servings 12 tablespoons, ¾ cups (180g)

• ▢ ½ cup (60 g) whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1¼ cups (300 ml) warm water
• ▢ 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

Day 1– Make the Starter

• Add ½ cup (60g)whole wheat flour with ¼ cup (60 ml g) warm water 75℉ (24℃) to a sterile 1 gallon (3.75 liters) glass jar, mixing with a stainless steel or wooden fork until smooth. Lightly cover the jar, letting it rest in a warm spot in the kitchen at approximately℉ (24℃) for 24 hours.

Day 2 – After 24 Hours

• You’ll notice tiny bubbles appearing on top of your starter, which means you’re off to a good start. The bubbles mean it's starting to ferment. Nothing else is needed for the next 24 hours; just leave it lightly covered in the same warm spot.

Day 3 – It's Feeding Time

• To get started, remove and discard half the contents in the starter, so you’re left with 4 tablespoons (60 g). At this point, the texture of the starter will be very elastic or stretchy. Use a stainless steel or wooden fork to mix in ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour with ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water, mixing until smooth. Lightly cover the glass jar, leaving it in the same warm spot in your kitchen for another 24 hours.

Day 4, 5 & 6 – Repeat

• Repeat the feeding steps of discarding half and mixing in ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour with ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water every 24 hours of these three days. The goal is to have your starter double in size; this is how you know it's ready to use.

Day 7 – Time to get started

• By this day, the starter should have doubled in size, with both large and tiny bubbles throughout the whole starter. You're now ready to get started baking some beautiful bread.

  Note: If the starter has not doubled in size by day seven, repeat the feeding steps, leaving it for another day or two if needed, until it has doubled in size.

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