Create a Sour Dough Start From Scratch

If you’ve ever wanted to bake sourdough bread at home, the first step is creating your own sourdough starter. A sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of flour and water that cultivates wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. Once it’s established, this starter will help naturally leaven bread and give it that signature tangy flavor.

Here’s a detailed guide to making your own starter from scratch, along with a feeding schedule to keep it healthy

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Flour: Start with whole wheat or rye flour for the best results; switch to all-purpose flour once the starter is established.
Water: Use filtered or bottled water if possible, as chlorine in tap water can slow down the fermentation process.

Equipment

A clear glass jar: This will help you monitor the starter’s progress.
Rubber band or marker: Use this to mark the starting level of the starter, so you can see how much it rises.
Wooden spoon or spatula: For stirring.
Kitchen scale: Recommended for more accurate measurements.

The Recipe

Here’s how to get your sourdough starter going. The process will take about 7 days to establish a healthy, active starter.

Day 1: Start the Starter

Let it sit at room temperature (ideally 70-75°F) for 24 hours.

In your jar, combine 60g of whole wheat flour and 60g of water. Stir until smooth, making sure no dry flour remains.

Day 1: Start the Starter

In your jar, combine 60g of whole wheat flour and 60g of water. Stir until smooth, making sure no dry flour remains.
Use a rubber band or marker to note the level of the mixture on the jar.
Cover loosely with a lid or cloth to allow air circulation but keep out dust.
Let it sit at room temperature (ideally 70-75°F) for 24 hours.

Day 2: Look for Activity

Check for bubbles or a slight rise. It’s normal if there isn’t much action yet. Stir the mixture, discard half, and add 60g of all-purpose flour and 60g of water. Stir well and re-cover.

Let it sit at room temperature for another 24 hours.

Days 3-5: Begin Regular Feedings

By day 3, you should notice more bubbles and a slight rise, indicating that fermentation is starting. If so, continue feeding daily by discarding half of the starter and adding 60g of all-purpose flour and 60g of water. Stir, cover loosely, and let it sit.
Repeat this process every 24 hours, monitoring for increased activity. By days 4 and 5, the starter should rise and fall more predictably.

Days 6-7: Strengthening the Starter

As your starter becomes more active, switch to twice-daily feedings to strengthen the yeast culture. Discard half of the starter each time and feed it with 60g of flour and 60g of water.

Your starter should begin to double in size within 4-6 hours after feeding. If it doesn’t, continue twice-daily feedings until it does.

When Is My Starter Ready?

Your starter is ready when it’s consistently rising and doubling in size 4-6 hours after a feeding. It should have a pleasant, tangy smell and be filled with bubbles. You can now use it to bake bread! If you’re not ready to bake, store it in the fridge and feed it weekly.

Feeding Schedule for Maintaining Your Starter

Once your starter is active and healthy, you’ll need to keep feeding it regularly to maintain its strength.

Daily Maintenance (For Regular Bakers)

If you bake frequently, keep your starter at room temperature.
Discard half of the starter each day and feed it with 60g of flour and 60g of water.
Let it sit at room temperature and use it for baking as needed.

Weekly Maintenance (For Occasional Bakers)

If you bake less frequently, store your starter in the fridge.
Once a week, discard half of the starter and feed it with 60g of flour and 60g of water.
Let it sit at room temperature for a few hours after feeding to activate, then return it to the fridge.

Common Issues & Solutions

No bubbles or rise: Make sure your water doesn’t contain chlorine and that your kitchen isn’t too cold. If needed, move the jar to a warmer spot.
Foul smell: A starter can smell off if it’s not fed regularly. If it smells like rotten eggs or cheese, discard half and continue feeding it. A healthy starter should smell tangy or slightly fruity.
Too runny or thick: Adjust the flour or water to achieve a consistency similar to thick pancake batter.

Why Make Your Own Sourdough Starter?

Better Flavor: A homemade starter adds a unique flavor to your bread that you just can’t get with store-bought yeast.
Long-Term Use: Once established, your starter can last for years if properly maintained.
Health Benefits: Sourdough is easier to digest, thanks to the fermentation process, and has a lower glycemic index than other breads.

Get Baking!

With your sourdough starter established, you’re ready to begin baking delicious sourdough loaves, pancakes, pretzels, and more. All it takes is flour, water, and patience to start your sourdough journey!

Making a sourdough starter from scratch is a rewarding process that connects you to the time-honored tradition of sourdough baking. Once you’ve created your starter, you’ll have the foundation for a wide range of delicious homemade baked goods.This post will show you how easy it is to make a sourdough starter from scratch. All you need is flour, water, and a little patience. Before long you will have your own active, bubbly sourdough starter to create your favorite recipes.

Store Sourdough Starter for Long-Term Preservation

Preserving your sourdough starter by dehydrating it is a smart and practical way to ensure you always have a backup on hand, or to take a break from regular feedings. Dehydrating starter allows you to store it for months, or even years, without the need for refrigeration or feeding. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the detailed process of dehydrating your sourdough starter, the best methods for storing it, and how long you can expect it to last.

To learn how easy it is to dehydrate your sourdough starter-check out this blog post