Sourdough Starter

Sourdough starters sound complicated but are actually quite simple. And, the flavor they add is well worth the two minutes a day it takes to cultivate.

Estimated preparation time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

• Flour
• Water
• Small glass jar

Procedure

1. Take the jar and add 2 tbsp of flour. Then add 1.5 tbsp of room temperature water, give it a stir. It should form a sludge. If it is too dry, add another 1/2 tbsp of water. If it is too watery, add more flour.

2. Decide if you want to feed it once or twice a day. Try to be consistent and feed it roughly at the same time each day.

3. Place the top on the jar, but do not fasten so the air can still interact with the starter. Leave starter out at room temperature. Aim for between 70-80F.

4. To feed the starter. Discard the starter until just 1 tbsp remains. Add 2 tbsp flour and 1.5 tbsp of room temperature water. Stir and add either more flour or more water until it forms a sludgy mixture.

5. Repeat feeding the starter for at least five days before actually using it to make bread.

6. Once the starter is rumbling nicely, you can keep the starter in the refrigerator. If the starter is being refrigerated, it only has to be fed once a week.

7. To use the starter from the fridge, take the starter out of the fridge. Feed it and wait at least 6 hours, making sure the bubbles form on the side and it has a good rise before using.

Notes

• Starter should smell like fresh dough
• If a layer of water forms on top, this is called hooch. It is fine, just means the starter needs to be fed.
• You can flip through flours. Use whole wheat one day and then rye another day and whatnot. Keep in mind different flours have different hydration requirements. So whole wheat requires more water than white flour.
• Starters can survive for years and decades, as long as you take care of it and never use all of it. 
• Float test: to make sure the starter is ready to go, try dropping a dollop in a bowl of water. If it floats, it is ready. If it sinks, it may need to be fed, brought up to room temperature, or is just dead.