Wondering how to feed sourdough starter? Here’s all you need to know about on feeding and maintaining sourdough starter, including how to tell if your sourdough starter is bad.
Got a sourdough starter? If you’re baking sourdough bread at home and suddenly mom or dad to a sourdough starter, the new responsibility might feel overwhelming! Luckily, feeding and maintaining sourdough starter is quite simple. As part of our series How to Make Sourdough Bread: The Simplified Guide, we’re showing you how to feed sourdough starter. A sourdough starter is essential for making sourdough bread. And in order to have bread on the regular, you have to learn to feed sourdough starter to keep it happy and healthy. Keep reading for how to feed sourdough starter, storing and maintaining sourdough starter, and how to tell if sourdough starter is bad.
Watch the video to learn how to feed sourdough starter
But first, here’s our video on the process: watch Alex show you how to feed sourdough starter!
Finding a sourdough starter
A sourdough starter, also called levain, is a fermented dough filled with natural yeast. The starter is used to make sourdough bread rise and give it that characteristic sour flavor. If you’ve ended up here, we assume at this point you already have a sourdough starter on hand.
But if you don’t have a sourdough starter, did you know you can make it at home? Here’s our guide on how to make sourdough starter, complete with all our tips. You also can get a sourdough starter from a friend or purchase it online…but what’s the fun in that? Making sourdough starter takes very little hands on time. It takes 5 days of waiting time before the starter is active and ready to go.
Storing sourdough starter
To store your starter, you’ll need a sourdough starter container. Any covered jar will work, but here’s our the sourdough starter container. Just place the starter right into the container, which is now his or her home. (Note: Over time the starter’s home can become gummy: every week or two, take the starter out of the container and wash the container, then replace the starter and follow the normal feeding instructions below.)
You’ll want to store your starter in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make bread. When you make bread, you’ll feed the sourdough starter the night before (see the recipe below), then return the sourdough starter to the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake again.
Feeding sourdough starter
So, you’ve got a sourdough starter and it lives in its container in the refrigerator. What’s the frequency for feeding sourdough starter?
- You can leave the starter in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days at a time between feedings. We recommend feeding sourdough starter at least twice a week for best results.
- Remember, if you’re planning to make bread on a given day, you’ll feed sourdough starter the night before you bake. So depending on how often you want to make bread, you may end up feeding your starter more often.
- For us, we make a loaf of sourdough bread about 4 times a week, so we feed it 4 times per week (every night before we make bread). If we have a week where we plan to make less bread, we’ll still feed the starter 2 times per week, regardless of whether we’re making bread.
- What are the actual steps for how to feed sourdough starter? Go to the recipe below.
If you’re actively using your starter to make our Sourdough Bread recipe, the instructions in the recipe below will allow just enough leftover sourdough starter to have enough starter for the next day’s bread. If you’re not making bread every few days, you’ll need to discard excess starter as part of the feeding process to keep it healthy and happy.
What is a healthy sourdough starter like? A healthy starter smells funky and fruity, in a good way. It’s a floury paste that’s lightly bubbly. If things start to take a turn, see the Troubleshooting section below.
Troubleshooting your sourdough starter
Every once in a while something can go wrong with your starter. If you don’t feed it often enough, the sourdough starter starts to smell like alcohol. You may also find that the starter loses its vibrancy and doesn’t get too bubbly and active after a feeding. Don’t worry, you can always get the starter to recover. Throw away all but about a teaspoon of the starter and nurse it back to life following the instructions for making a sourdough starter. It should take 5 days or less to be healthy again.
What if I go on vacation?
What if you want to go on vacation: what should you do with your sourdough starter? In our experience, we’ve found that if you’re leaving for over a week, it’s best to discard your sourdough starter and start again with the process of making a sourdough starter. Of course if you have a friend or family member who can babysit your sourdough starter, that’s even better! Actually, in Sweden you can hire a babysitter for your sourdough starter. So maybe it’s not so far fetched!
Alright, if you’ve made it this far you’re ready to learn how to feed sourdough starter. See the recipe below!
Related posts
This post is one of three in our series on making sourdough bread:
Print
How to Feed Sourdough Starter
(64 votes, average: 3.72 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 80 grams starter 1x
Description
Wondering how to feed a sourdough starter? Here’s all you need to know about on feeding and maintaining sourdough starter, including how to tell if your sourdough starter is bad.
Ingredients
- 50 grams all-purpose flour
- 50 grams filtered water (room temperature)
Instructions
- At around 9:00 pm, take the active starter out of the refrigerator.
- Remove and throw away all but about 1 tablespoon of the starter.
- Add 50 grams of purified water and 50 grams of all purpose flour.
- Stir, cover, and leave out on a counter at room temperature overnight.
- The following morning when the starter is active and bubbly and about doubled in volume, use in bread or place it in the refrigerator. (We find that the starter takes about 12 hours in our home to double in size; timing in your home may vary slightly.) If you’re using the sourdough starter in bread, place any remaining starter that you didn’t use in the recipe in the refrigerator until the next feeding.
Notes
Note: Our sourdough bread recipe calls for 80 grams of sourdough starter, leaving 20 grams of starter for the next batch. If you’re using a different bread recipe that calls for more starter, you can add any amount of flour and water as long as the weights are the same.
- Category: Bread
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Bread, Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Starter, Feeding, Starter, Baking,
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
91 Comments
Nadia
March 26, 2019 at 3:31 amHi couple cooks,
I made sour dough using your recipe and the checklist was like super helpful
Thanks alot.
One question though, i didn had bread flour in hand so i used 150 grams of wholewheat and 200 grams of all purpose.
The bread was fine but had a little gummy texture, not chewy but gummmy, what could be the reason?
Bread flour makes that much difference i wonder.
Thanks again
Alex
March 26, 2019 at 12:05 pmHi! Yes, the protein in the bread flour lends a strength and chewiness to the bread that would be missing otherwise!
Angel
January 7, 2020 at 12:05 amSourdough starter at 50% hydration which is a stiff leaven.
It can stay refrigerated for months and do not need to feed every week
Robert D Hill
April 9, 2020 at 3:53 amThat’s my experience as well though my sourdough is a milk one that’s been in my family for about 70 years. My grandma got it from a friend who’s family had it about 60 years. It originally came to Washington state on covered wagon from Arkansas. My grandma (and I) have forgot to feed it for months and it always bounces back quickly.
Kelsey
April 24, 2020 at 12:30 amUhm JEALOUS ROBERT! What a cool story, thanks for sharing!
Shannon
April 12, 2019 at 12:31 pmHow do you share a starter? Do I give them the part I would usually discard?
Alex
April 12, 2019 at 12:35 pmHi! Yes, just feed the part you’d normally discard! You can share with a new friend every day :)
Phoenix Haynes
April 14, 2019 at 12:15 amOkay, two questions:
1. I’m on day 5 of the starter process (so it should be ready to use) but my starter doesn’t seem to be rising and falling much as far as I can tell. Does the float test really work? whats the best way to make sure my starter is active and ready to bake?
2. The starter smells pretty good, no liquid sitting on top, and no rancid alcohol smell, but the bubble are very small/ almost foamy and only on the top. I don’t see any around the sides or bottom of the jar. The starter is also a more liquid consistency than I’ve had with other starters in the past. Almost like crepe batter. Is this okay or should it be more gelatinous ?
Thank you!
Alex
April 14, 2019 at 10:44 amHi!
It sounds to me like maybe you just need one more day. I’d switch to the standard feeding so that you get that thicker consistency. Discard all but about 1 tablespoon of your starter and I would think it will look good tomorrow!
Julie
May 12, 2019 at 12:36 pmHi- first of all, thank you so much for the printable checklist! My starter is looking great and I have all my tools ready to start my first loaf! Question: your recipe says to leave it proofing in the fridge overnight – but can I leave it in the fridge longer – like, 20 hours?? Thank you!
Alex
May 12, 2019 at 8:27 pmHi! It will continue to proof the longer it is in the refrigerator. 20 hours is probably right on the edge of overproofed. If you do this, make sure to have your fridge on the coldest setting!
Alex
May 12, 2019 at 8:38 pmYou could also place it in the refrigerator right after putting it in the basket :)
Ryan
September 16, 2019 at 5:11 amIn terms of going on holiday, I’ve frozen my starter before. When I got back, I simply allowed it to warm to room temperature, gave it 2 days of feeding without going into the fridge and it was right as rain.
If you have a dehydrator, you can also make starter ‘chips’ by spreading it it thin on a piece of baking paper and allowing it to fully dehydrate. Have managed to revive a starter chip after about 3 weeks with no issues. Makes a handy way to share with friends by post.
Ruthanne Mueller
December 11, 2020 at 10:15 pmFor dehydrating starter, maybe take 1 – 2 tbsp to make a chip? And I assume that you mean “after 3 weeks” in the dehydrates state you were able to rehydrate and feed? Could you elaborate as to how you would do that? I have a dehydrator and would like to try it. Thank you
Daniela
October 2, 2019 at 11:00 amHi there,
I just completed the 5 days and the starter is more liquid than thick. It does not smell bad but it doesn’t look super healthy either. I’m thinking it might have been too warm? Thank you!
Alex Overhiser
October 2, 2019 at 1:42 pmYou should be able to recover it! Try just doing a standard feeding keeping 1 tablespoon.
Marisa
January 29, 2020 at 10:48 amHi! I was wondering when you are in the proofing steps and keeping the dough in a warm place, are you putting it back in the ziplock bag and then in the oven every time? Is the plastic bag safe to go in the oven at 80 degrees? Thank you!
Alex Overhiser
January 29, 2020 at 10:54 amHi, yes we’re returning to the ziplock for each proof. 80 degrees is fine for plastic (a lot less heat than being outdoors in the summer!).
Paul
February 9, 2020 at 2:58 pmMost advice that I have seen on feeding a starter says to use equal parts starter, flour and water. Can you explain why you like to only use only 1T of starter to 50 grams each of flour and water.
Alex Overhiser
February 10, 2020 at 9:07 amWe find that 1 tablespoon is the perfect feeding for an active starter in 12 hours. Your welcome to adjust to your kitchen temps!
Martha
February 25, 2020 at 9:49 pmHello Alex and Sonja,
Just discovered your site and am giving it a go. One question. Tomorrow is day 5 for the starter. It looks good but I am not baking. I have been feeding at about 11 am. So, do I simply place my starter in the refrigerator tomorrow morning instead of feed again? Or, do I feed and then place in the refrigerator immediately after? Thanks, Martha
Alex Overhiser
February 26, 2020 at 8:55 amHi! I would start following the sourdough rhythm for Day 1, so put it in the refrigerator instead of feeding it, remove it the evening and feed it: https://www.acouplecooks.com/sourdough-bread-recipe-simplified-guide/#tasty-recipes-23323
Kerrie
March 2, 2020 at 2:31 amYou’re Blog is so fun and informative! Our fam of four just made our first sourdough bread using your recipe and the videos were so helpful. The loaf turned out beautifully and it’s oh so yummy! One clarifying question I have is about feeding the starter. If I want more starter for other recipes, do I need to add 1Tbsp of starter per 50 grams of both water and flour or do I just use 1Tbsp of starter to whatever equal parts of flour and water depending on how much I need?
I’ve been putting 2Tbsp of starter in a jar and adding 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water. It looks nice and bubbly after 12 hours at room temp. Am I on the right track?
Thanks!
Alex Overhiser
March 2, 2020 at 11:38 amThere’s not exact math to it, but keeping the same ratio as you did should work just fine.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
JimC
March 17, 2020 at 3:46 pmMy question is whether the starter should be stored in glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (whether storing in the frig or feeding it in preparation for baking. This doesn’t seem to be mentioned in your instructions. I would assume it does but I’m a rank amateur and need some guidance.
Alex Overhiser
March 17, 2020 at 7:53 pmYes! It needs a little air to breathe, but as long as it isn’t filling the entire jar there’s plenty of air inside.
Wannie
March 24, 2020 at 11:22 amCan u add a pkg of yeast if starter doesn’t rise
Alex Overhiser
March 24, 2020 at 1:56 pmI would give the starter some more time rather than adding yeast!
Elizabeth
March 29, 2020 at 12:43 pmI’ve a starter I’ve not used in a very long time in the refrigerator. Can I revive it?
Alex Overhiser
March 29, 2020 at 7:54 pmYes! It should revive after a few days of feedings.
Elizabeth
March 30, 2020 at 3:09 pmShould I dump all but a small amount before feeding?
Kate
April 7, 2020 at 10:52 pmI am on day 5 of creating my starter. It has bubbles but smells like nail polish or nail polish remover maybe??? Help. Is this normal? What did I do wrong??
Alex Overhiser
April 8, 2020 at 10:35 amThis is probably due to your room temperature being a bit on the warm side. Just keep going with the feedings (only keeping a few tablespoons of the starter). If you see it rise and collapse quickly, feed it again or move it to the refrigerator.
Kylie
April 8, 2020 at 12:38 pmHi, I’ve accidentally feed my starter double the amount of flour & water. What should I do?
Alex Overhiser
April 8, 2020 at 2:18 pmIt won’t be an issue!
Anonymous
April 9, 2020 at 6:27 amHi I’m on Day 5 of my starter which I normally feed at 1pm every day. It’s doubled in volume and just about floats! I would like to bake a loaf tomorrow using your sourdough bread recipe so what to do next?
Do I still feed it today at 1pm or do I put it in the fridge and take it out at 9pm this evening, discard all but a tablespoon of starter and add 50g plain flour and water? Thanks
Alex Overhiser
April 9, 2020 at 9:45 amHi! The second option, refrigerate and then feed tonight!
Jenni Thompson
April 9, 2020 at 7:27 pmHi! I made my loaf today and I’ll be baking it tomorrow. What do I do with the remaining starter? I most likely won’t be baking another loaf until Saturday. So do I discard all but a tablespoon feed it and put it in the fridge?
Alex Overhiser
April 9, 2020 at 9:12 pmJust put the whole thing in the fridge and then discard and feed the night before baking!
Faffi
April 12, 2020 at 2:59 pmHi! Like many others during quaratine I also started my sourdough journey but I am still a bit confused with feeding the starter and just scared to kill it.
I got 5 grams of starter from a bakery and last night I fed it 20 grams of water and 20 grams of flour (mix of white flour and whole wheat), it doubled overnight and looked pretty good and bubbly. Now it’s about 24 hours later and I have No idea how to continue this… Can you help me? Greetings from Amsterdam
Alex Overhiser
April 13, 2020 at 10:08 amHi! When it’s peak bubbly it’s ready to use in bread. If not baking today, you can place it in the refrigerator and take it out and feed it again in 3 or 4 days. You just want to be sure to feed it the night before baking!
Debbie
April 13, 2020 at 10:02 amSo I made a sourdough starter and followed your starter directions. Thank you! Question: after feeding my starter in the evening and leaving it out overnight, in the morning when I remove what I need for making bread, do I put remaining starter in fridge right away or do I feed that remaining starter and then place in fridge? The reason I ask is because I have a rye starter that when ready to make bread I take out what I need for recipe, feed it then put it in fridge, so just clarifying what you recommend for your starter. Thanks
Hansa
April 13, 2020 at 10:58 amI dont have bread flour what can i use instead can maida and whole wheat flour be substituted for it
Alex Overhiser
April 13, 2020 at 11:11 amUnfortunately, you need a high protein flour for the sourdough recipe.
Jesse
April 13, 2020 at 4:09 pmHi. Sorry, this might sound dumb…I’m a newbie with sourdough starter and trying to learn as much with how-to’s. A neighbor gave me some and she said it’s a lot of fun baking with it. It’s refrigerated.
One site said I must feed it 3x before I can use it. So after the first feeding, do I discard again some of the starter and retain just what I need and feed it? Or, do I feed the entire thing with water & flour with the original measurements I used as the first feeding?
I am totally lost here….And then I saw your site and you said only 1 feeding prior to baking with it.
Help, please…
Alex Overhiser
April 13, 2020 at 9:14 pmHi! If it’s an active starter that your neighbor has been using, one feeding should be fine. Just discard most of the starter and feed with the measurements seen here!
Stacy
April 14, 2020 at 5:44 amHi,
I started a starter from scratch following your instructions four days ago (April 11 at 19h). It has been sitting on the counter in the kitchen at around 21C and I feed it at 19h daily following your instructions. This morning, I noticed a lot of clear liquid in the container & think that means it’s hungry (if I’ve understood correctly). Even though it’s only 11h, I threw out half & added 50g flour & 50g water. Was that the right thing to do? Do I repeat the process again this evening? Does that mean I could start using it to make my first loaf of bread tomorrow? Thank you for your help. Anxious to try some bread as we’re in lockdown & yeast has not been available here for weeks.
Alex Overhiser
April 14, 2020 at 9:23 amHi! That was the right thing to do! If it’s bubbly and doubled in size tomorrow then you can start baking!
Kathleen Etheridge
April 14, 2020 at 4:57 pmI do not have “proof” setting on my oven. What do I do instead?
Alex Overhiser
April 14, 2020 at 9:27 pmThe sourdough recipe calls for setting up a warm proofing area where the bread can sit between 80°F and 90°F. You can turn on the oven to preheat for about 1 minute and then turn it off before you place the dough in the oven. Or, you can pour a few cups of boiling water into the oven beneath your bowl to raise the temperature. Whatever the case, while the bread is proofing, be careful not to accidentally turn on the oven for any other reason! (We’ve had this happen before, and it’s not pretty!)
CH
April 16, 2020 at 10:59 amHi,
Been researching sourdough lately and following your website as well. I read both the “How to Make Sourdough Starter” page and “How to Feed Sourdough Starter” page. Can you please explain why starter in an active state (post 5 days) needs to be “all dumped except for a tablespoon” on subsequent feeds?? That is throwing out 5-6 tablespoons of starter every time (when not baking), is that not a waste of good active starter?? Is there a science or preference for keeping just 1 tablespoon of starter??
Alex Overhiser
April 16, 2020 at 5:53 pmHi! You can find lots of recipes online for using discarded starter. I only feed my starter when baking, so I don’t have to discard much or any at all.
CH
April 16, 2020 at 9:46 pmCan you explain why you recommend keeping exactly “1 tablespoon of starter and then discarding the rest” plus 50g flour:50g for feeding is significant? 15g starter : 50:50 flour/water. I want to know these ratios are important to you. I am reading anywhere from keeping 10g starter to 50:50 flour/water to experienced sourdough breadmakers keeping ratios that are way higher in starter content. If the ratio of starter to flour/water is too low, is it true that the starter will not have enough to feed on and it will be “hungry” way sooner than the ~12h mark??
Nicole
April 20, 2020 at 11:43 amHi, I’ve followed the instructions for creating the starter… and now on day 6. The starter did not rise after the 12 hours on the counter – does it require a warmer environment?
Alex Overhiser
April 20, 2020 at 12:31 pmIt probably would like a slightly warmer environment if you can!
Adrienne
April 20, 2020 at 4:35 pmHi! I do not have a kitchen scale, so I’m unable to weigh out 50 g of flour and water! Can you tell me approximately how many ounces of water would equal 50 g and how much flour (in cups) that would be?
Thanks!
Alex Overhiser
April 20, 2020 at 10:31 pmIt’s about 1/2 cup of flour and 2 ounces water.
Nance
April 20, 2020 at 10:12 pmI am on about day 7 of my starter. Initially I think it was too cold in the house here in New Zealand but now I am putting it in the hot water cupboard. It is looking close to being done. Can I use this initial starter for my first loaf of bread, saving some out to be fed etc for later loaves. Separate question, it seems difficult to mix salt sufficiently well into the dough so that you don’t bite into big clumps of salt. Is that ever a problem?
Alex Overhiser
April 20, 2020 at 10:32 pmHi! Once it’s nice in bubbly you can go straight into using it in recipes.
We don’t have any issue with salt, we just try to sprinkle it evenly across the top.
Rosie
May 19, 2020 at 10:27 amDissolve the salt in a Tablespoon of water then poor into dough.
lynne
April 24, 2020 at 5:35 amHi! I have been absorbing all the information to make my first sourdough and found your instruction so helpful! I purchased a starter, which I had in the refrigerator for 2 days and used just 1 tablespoon of that starter into another glass jar and added the 50g flour and water to feed it the night before so I could start to preparing the dough the next morning. [I did not want to use the entire purchased starter in case I needed to have some backups.] 1) Was it ok to just use 1 tablespoon of the purchased starter and assume that after feeding the next morning my starter should be ready to use because it is from an established starter? The reason I ask is that my starter did not really go so well so I discarded and fed again. 2) So say that my starter was nice and bubbly and doubled, then you start the first step in preparing the dough – mixing flour and water and rest for 1 hour. That is quite a bit of time before you add your starter in step 2, so my question is when I see that my starter is ready, then I immediately do step 1, is the starter still going to be ok after probably over 1 hour before it is added in the 2nd step? I’m still really trying to understand starters but would like to feel confident that once I start the dough process with a ripe starter it will still be in that condition by the time I get to adding it in the dough. Also I live in a hot and humid climate all year around so I’m wondering how this might effect the success of my starter. Look forward to your advice on this.
Alex Overhiser
April 24, 2020 at 1:04 pmHi! A well-fed starter should be active and bubbly for a few hours, so you don’t need to worry about adding it to the dough at an exact moment.
Regarding the hot and humid climate, it will probably shorten the time to feed your starter (and maybe your proofing times for the bread). You’ll just need to make a few loaves to hone it in.
Good luck!
Nance
April 24, 2020 at 8:45 pmHi Alex. Thanks for your ongoing help and great recipes. My first loaf was a great success but I have a few questions. When the dough is shaped and placed in the banneton for 30 minutes, do you proof it on the counter top at room temperature or proof it in the proofing area (at a warmer temperature). My loaf was a bit flat so I think that may have been my mistake. Also, I don’t have a banneton. Is it best to use a colander lined with a floured linen cloth? If I do that, should I put the whole colander in a plastic bag or just cover the top in plastic wrap? Also, my oven doesn’t go to 515 (only about 480) so I think I was supposed to bake it longer than 17 minutes in the first go around? I am in lock down and running out of all purpose flour and will have to use half whole wheat in my next loaf. Should the recipe stay the same other than that? Thanks for your help.
Marni Durkan
April 27, 2020 at 2:52 amHi Alex, I made my first ever sour dough starter. I put it in a cupboard in the laundry room (which is warmer then my kitchen) 18 hours later it has doubled! Do I start to feed it or do I stir it vigorisly and put I t in a cooler place?
Thank you
Marni
Alex Overhiser
April 27, 2020 at 1:22 pmHi! You should feed it once it has doubled or store in refrigerator until ready to feed+bake. Good luck!
Lesley
May 6, 2020 at 11:11 amHi, thanks for all the amazing info and guidance. One problem I have is that I have run out of all purpose flour to continue to feed my starter. I only have self raising flour or white bread flour??? I have looked in all the shops and online, can’t seem to find? Which is best to feed with?
Alex Overhiser
May 6, 2020 at 12:31 pmI’d do the bread flour!
If'at Bar- Thal
May 8, 2020 at 9:11 amHello from Israel!
I recently found your blog and have been enjoying your varied recipes, videos, and tips, thank you so much!
I saw this question above which was not answered and was wondering if you could please provide an answer?
Debbie, April 13th:
So I made a sourdough starter and followed your starter directions. Thank you! Question: after feeding my starter in the evening and leaving it out overnight, in the morning when I remove what I need for making bread, do I put remaining starter in fridge right away or do I feed that remaining starter and then place in fridge? The reason I ask is because I have a rye starter that when ready to make bread I take out what I need for recipe, feed it then put it in fridge, so just clarifying what you recommend for your starter. Thanks
Alex Overhiser
May 8, 2020 at 9:58 amHi! We place the remainder in the fridge and then feed it in the evening (if baking the next day), or after a couple of days.
Kristina E.
May 13, 2020 at 1:25 pmMy starter is continually rising to it’s peak at around 4 hours, and then falling back down. I’m discarding and feeding at the bottom, but this has been roughly every 8 hours. I have not been refrigerating it this week since I want to ensure it’s healthy for weekend baking, and a friend needs a new starter as well. The temp is roughly 70 degrees on the counter. I’m probably keeping 4-5 TBSP of the starter each feeding. Would this account for the rapid ascent/descent? I’m a bit afraid to pour out so much.
Alex Overhiser
May 13, 2020 at 6:05 pmThat sounds like a super-active and vibrant starter. I’d probably decrease to just 1 tablespoon of starter so that it doesn’t burn through the flour so quickly. You can always split the starter in two if you want to be extra sure you have a good one :)
Fay Jones Day
May 29, 2020 at 6:59 pmHi- I’m wondering if the sourdough starter will become active in a cold house. We don’t keep our house very warm Thanks.
Alex Overhiser
June 1, 2020 at 12:41 pmI would try to find a warm place if you want to get a good starter. Some people use their oven light for a bit of warmth or a heating pad.
Ilona
June 4, 2020 at 4:12 amHi, in the sentence “every week or two, take the starter out of the container and wash it” you are actually saying that the starter should be washed regularly. You probably meant to state that the container needs to be cleaned, in which case the “it” should be replaced by “the Hi, in the sentence “every week or two, take the starter out of the container and wash it” you are actually saying that the starter should be washed regularly. You probably meant to state that the container needs to be cleaned, in which case the “it” should be replaced by “the container”.
Alex Overhiser
June 4, 2020 at 11:47 amThanks for the clarification!
Ilona
June 4, 2020 at 3:43 pmNot a very clear clarification, I’m afraid, as my phone messed up the text and doubled it… =0)
Tatum
June 20, 2020 at 5:37 pmTo maintain the starter in the refrigerator do we keep 1 TBSP and add the flour and water and do that twice a week (each time keeping just one TBSP)? Or do we keep our original starter amount and throw out half of that starter and add the flour and water and do that twice a week (each time throwing out half)? Sorry I’m a little confused
In the ‘how to make starter’ it is said to throw out half and in the ‘how to maintain sourdough starter’ you say to keep one TBSP but I wasn’t sure if the TBSP rule is just when you’re actually making bread and not just maintaining.
Alex Overhiser
June 22, 2020 at 10:20 amHi! For maintenance of a healthy starter, we only keep 1 TBSP and do this twice a week. If you make bread both times, you don’t need to waste any starter, otherwise most will be discarded.
Hope that helps!
Laura
June 22, 2020 at 3:06 pmHi,
I am fairly new at making sourdough. I had a starter given to me about a month ago and I’ve made a few loaves. I was using a different recipe and last week I found yours. My first few loaves (with the other recipe) had the sourdough tang but the texture of the bread wasn’t right. The last loaves I made using the other recipe weren’t tangy and I still hadn’t figured out the texture. Using your recipe for the bread, they came out awesome and both my husband and I were impressed, but it didn’t have the sourdough tang. I’m wondering if there is something I can do to get the tang back since it’s been gone for 2-3 weeks.The first few times I fed it, I followed a different recipe and I didn’t throw out as much as was recommended as I didn’t have much. The last 2 times I have fed it, I followed your recipe. The first time, it did bubble after I fed it and left it on the counter,but I’m also not sure I put the lids on the jars overnight… maybe that’s what did it? I fed it again using your directions a couple of days ago and it bubbled and doubled really well, but again the result of the baked bread was no sour/tangy taste.
Also, when I was baking the dough, it was quite sticky and didn’t bubble a lot on the top after proofing it. Not sure if there was too much water or it needed to proof longer, although I was careful to follow your instructions/measurements. I have yet to be able to get bread flour so, the first time I followed your recipe I only used AP flour and this past time, I used the AP and whole wheat and replaced the bread flour with AP. Could that be why it’s so sticky? Despite that, it came out nicely (just not tangy).
Any insight is appreciated. Thanks! (Hopefully I made sense!)
Alex Overhiser
June 22, 2020 at 5:49 pmHi! The lack of bread flour is definitely causing the stickiness issues. Once you get that it’ll be a lot easier.
For a tangier starter, you can use some whole wheat or rye flour as part of the flour when feeding the starter. This should tang up the flavor, just play around with amounts to see what works for you.
Laura
June 22, 2020 at 6:21 pmThanks so much for the quick reply. I appreciate it! I just found you guys and also tried your Easy Food Processor Pizza dough. It was great! A big hit! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes :)
Alex Overhiser
June 23, 2020 at 11:45 amSo glad to hear that! You should also try our main pizza dough recipe with the fermented dough in the refrigerator. It’s easy and adds that magic tang!
Taylor
June 26, 2020 at 6:52 pmI finished making my starter and now I went to feed it and place it back in the refrigerator. I took 1 TBSP of my starter but when I added the 50g of flour and 50g of water and mixed I noticed that the water sits on top. It looks like there is a layer of water. Is that normal?
Alex Overhiser
June 27, 2020 at 8:04 pmHi! The water should be totally absorbed when stirring. The next morning you may see a little water on top.
Claudia Mortensen
June 30, 2020 at 11:43 pmI have been working on my starter for about 10 days. I think I finally got it! I did the cold water float test, and it floated very nicely. I want to make bread next, what recipe would you reccomend for a first sourdough loaf? I make regular yeast bread all the time, this will be my first sourdough, I’m excited!
Alex Overhiser
July 1, 2020 at 10:12 amHi! We have our sourdough bread recipe here: https://www.acouplecooks.com/sourdough-bread-recipe-simplified-guide/
Edith MacPhail
August 31, 2020 at 9:36 amHi, can I feed Sourdough after leaving it about a month without feeding, if so do I just start with one cup and feed it.
Alex Overhiser
August 31, 2020 at 10:31 amHi! Usually you’ll need to start a new starter if it’s been sitting this long.
Norma
November 26, 2020 at 6:26 pmHi there! Thank for the feeding tips. I’d like to know when feeding the starter, is it important to only use all purpose flour or can I use the bread flour as well? Can I also use whole wheat, rye or another type of flour?
Alex Overhiser
November 27, 2020 at 12:20 pmHi! You can use AP or Bread flour. You can mix in a little bit of rye or whole wheat, but if you do 100% rye or whole wheat the flavor will start to change.
Ruthanne Mueller
December 11, 2020 at 10:15 pmFor dehydrating starter, maybe take 1 – 2 tbsp to make a chip? And I assume that you mean “after 3 weeks” in the dehydrates state you were able to rehydrate and feed? Could you elaborate as to how you would do that? I have a dehydrator and would like to try it. Thank you