Let’s talk about sourdough starter.
First, you need a starter. You can make it if you wish, I did and used it for about 14 years. It is still living in my freezer taking a break. If you ask around, there is usually someone local to you who will be happy to share their starter with you. However, if you want your starter to arrive ready to use in two days (thank you Prime), this is what I am currently using (see link) and I love it so much. It is over 200 years old and it is as incredible as promised!
The second job is not naming it, I do not name starters or cars - I know - but I’m not going to do it. The second job is figuring out how to feed it. I keep my starter in the fridge and feed it at a 1:1:1 ratio on a twice-weekly schedule.
Two methods of feeding:
Good Enough Method: Cups
*Feed with equal parts starter, flour, and water in cups. For example:
1/2 cup starter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
Mix well.
Precise method: Weight
Feed equal parts starter: flour: water. For example:
33 g starter
33 g flour
33 g water
Mix well.
(You can also feed at a high ratio just before you bake with it, like 1:2:2, meaning 1 part starter, 2 parts flour, 2 parts water or 50 g starter, 100 g flour, 100 g water)
If you are not using your starter daily, then store it in the fridge and feed it at least weekly and before the alcohol (also called hooch) starts to form on top.
As a side note, I recommend storing your starter in a glass jar (wide-mouth quart jars) with a plastic lid, as the metal lids will rust over time. Best of luck! I like these lids: https://amzn.to/3INkVCm #ad
The third step, and last for today, is baking with your starter. When baking, it is ideal to feed the starter about 8-12 hours prior and to leave the fed starter on the counter so that it is at peak strength when you start to bake. Now, depending on whether you want to feed your whole jar of starter or not, you can do this in two different ways. If it’s time to feed the whole jar, you will need to figure out how much starter you have (measure or weigh) and feed it equal parts flour and water, a ratio of 1:1:1.
Alternatively, if it’s not time to feed your whole starter or if you don’t want to end up with masses of extra starter, you can take out the portion that you need for your recipe, like 1/3 cup or 33 grams, place it in a small bowl, and feed only that portion. Then when baking the next morning, you can use all of that in your recipe. Additionally, if you are feeding a small portion of the starter, you can easily feed it at a different ratios like 1:2:2 to experiment and see if it can increase its ability to raise your bread.
Tip on the water: you can use regular RO faucet water for baking, but it is helpful if you let it sit on the counter in a jar so that the chlorine evaporates off before feeding the starter or baking with it. The chlorine isn't good for the yeast and healthy bacteria in your starter.
So that’s the story of sourdough starter. Feel free to send questions.
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