A few months ago I saw someone sharing a recipe on Instagram that included a sourdough starter, I wasn't really sure what this was so I started doing my research. I went deeper and deeper into the world of starters. I was watching YouTube videos, reading articles, blog posts, looking at recipes, etc. They were just so intriguing to me. So after I had my 2nd baby and gave myself a few weeks to adjust to life as a momma to 2 under 2, I took the plunge. I failed once. So I tried again. And it was so worth it! My sourdough starter, Goldie, is now 3 weeks old, a sourdough starter baby if you will, but so alive and active! I have already given some to my mom and a friend from church so they can make their own sourdough masterpieces. So here I am to share with you how I got this beauty started.
If you are wondering why I was so interested in making a starter, here's a little background into sourdough starters! Before yeast packets were invented, sourdough starters were a valuable thing to cultivate in family homes. A sourdough starter is essentially a beneficial colony of healthy bacteria and yeast. People traditionally leavened their bread with a fermented starter that captured the native yeasts in their environment. The process of a long ferment helps to break down the gluten before it reaches your stomach, therefore it is much easier for the digestive process. Its so cool! Lets get started with our little science experiment!
First off, the most important rule is to be PATIENT. It really just takes time to get this going, and every environment is different, therefore every starter is different. Don't expect your starter to look exactly like someone else's, it never will.
INGREDIENTS: ▪️Either all purpose unbleached flour (MUST be unbleached), whole wheat, or rye flour ▪️Filtered water (I used spring water)
SUPPLIES ▪️Glass bowl or mason jar ▪️Wooden spoon (do not use metal, it can kill the good bacteria) ▪️Cheese cloth, tea towel, tightly k towel, or coffee filter to cover container.
DIRECTIONS ▪️Mix together 1 cup flour with 1 cup water (2:1 flour water ratio), cover with a cheese cloth or loosely place lid on. Your starter will need oxygen. It will capture the native yeast in your environment. ▪️After 24 hours, discard half the mixture and feed with 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup water. ▪️Repeat this process for days 2, 3, & 4. ▪️On days 5, 6, & 7, use the same ratio to feed, increasing it to every 12 hours.
Your starter will become increasingly bubbly, you can test it to see if it is ready by dropping some into a glass of water, if it floats, it is ready!
The starter thrives on a warm environment, the ideal temperature is between 70-85 degrees fahrenheit. But the warmer the better. My starter was not becoming active around 73 degrees, so I ended up placing mine in the oven with the oven light on, this is what got mine going. It is harder in the winter, so in the summer you should not have to do that.
Once your starter is active, you can keep it on the counter and continue to feed it everyday, but do not need to discard any anymore. This is only if you plan to use it everyday. If you won't need it that often, you can place it in the fridge and it will "rest", and continue to feed it once a week. If you plan to make something, you will need to to take the starter out of the fridge and feed it the day before, and leave it out on the counter, so that it can ferment on the feed.
After your starter is active, you can leave it out on the counter and feed it everyday so you can grow the size of it. The amount you start out with is not enough to make any recipes with. To be safe, make sure you always leave at least a cup of starter so you don't get too low.
Do not make anything with freshly fed starter, it needs at least 6 hours to ferment, depending on the temperature. If you've got lots of bubbles, you're ready!
Because of the fermentation process, sourdough starters are a probiotic. Probiotics are so important for maintaining gut health. Caring for my starting has been such a rewarding process. I know it may seem daunting, but it is not as hard as it seems, and it is such a blessing to have in the home. If you've made a starter, did you name it? Its gotta have a name because it is alive! My beauty is named Goldie. Let me know in the comments what yours is!
I hope I did not leave anything out, if you have any questions feel free to ask! If cared for properly starters can last for generations, they truly are a blessing and so interesting to me!
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