Sourdough Starter Recipe
This recipe guides you through creating a vibrant sourdough starter from scratch using just flour and water. It's a foundational step for all sourdough baking, requiring consistent feeding and observation over several days to cultivate a robust culture of wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria.
Equipment
- 1 Large Glass Jar At least 1-quart capacity, with a wide mouth.
- 1 Digital Kitchen Scale Essential for accurate ingredient measurements.
- 1 Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon For mixing ingredients thoroughly.
- 1 Dish Towel or Loose Lid For covering the jar to allow airflow while preventing contamination.
- 1 Thermometer (Optional but helpful) To monitor ambient temperature for optimal fermentation.
Ingredients
Main
- 600 g 21 ounces unbleached all-purpose, bread, or whole grain flour (such as whole wheat or rye flour), or a mix
- Bottled filtered, or de-chlorinated water
Instructions
- Combine 60g of flour with 60g of de-chlorinated water in a clean jar, mixing thoroughly with a spatula until no dry spots remain.
- Cover the jar loosely with a lid or cloth, ensuring airflow, and place it in a warm spot, ideally 70-80°F (21-27°C), away from direct sunlight.
- For the next 24-48 hours, simply observe the mixture for signs of activity, such as small bubbles or a slight sour aroma.
- After 24-48 hours, or once initial activity is noted, discard all but 50-60g of the starter from the jar.
- Feed the remaining starter with 50-60g fresh flour and 50-60g de-chlorinated water, mixing well until fully combined.
- Return the fed starter to its warm spot. Repeat this discarding and feeding process every 12-24 hours, depending on the ambient temperature and starter activity.
- Continue regular daily feedings. By day 5-7 (or sometimes longer), a healthy starter should consistently double in size within 4-8 hours after feeding, be full of bubbles, and smell pleasantly yeasty and sour.
- Once the starter consistently passes the float test (a small spoonful floats in water) and exhibits reliable doubling, it is ready for baking.
- To maintain, continue daily feedings at room temperature, or store in the refrigerator for less frequent feeding (once a week).
- Before baking with a refrigerated starter, perform 2-3 consecutive feedings at room temperature to reactivate it fully.
Notes
Successful sourdough starter relies heavily on consistent temperature; aim for 70-80°F (21-27°C) for best results. Avoid chlorinated tap water as it can inhibit yeast activity; use filtered, bottled, or de-chlorinated water. Starting with a small amount of whole grain flour (like rye or whole wheat) in your initial mix can often kickstart activity more quickly due to higher nutrient content. Patience is paramount; it can take anywhere from 5 to 14 days for a starter to become consistently robust. Regular discarding and feeding are crucial for managing volume and maintaining a healthy, active culture. A healthy starter will smell pleasantly sour and yeasty, not rotten or acetone-like.