How to make your own Sourdough Starter, using simple ingredients with no special equipment, in just six days, that can be used in our sourdough bread. Video.
When you understand one thing through and through, you understand everything.~ Shunryu Suzuki
With over 500 five-star reviews and hundreds of success stories, my chef’s perfected sourdough starter guide has everything you need to make your own homemade starter. In just six days, you’ll be baking the most beautiful sourdough loaves!
But first, What is a starter?
Sourdough starter is a “wild yeast” made from flour, water, and the natural wild yeast in the air. With a little care and patience, it ferments, and when strong and active, just a little bit of starter replaces commercial yeast and makes your bread rise, while transforming the gluten in the bread into something more easily digestible. Store-bought yeast is not needed!
How to Make Sourdough Starter | 20-Min Video
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Fast forward to Specific Day by video time (using scroll bar underneath video)
- Day 1 Morning: :23
- Day 2 Morning: 4:10
- Day 3 Morning: 7:00
- Day 3 Evening: 9:12
- Day 4 Morning: 11:50
- Day 4 Evening: 13:37
- Day 5 Morning: 14:45
- Day 6 Evening: 16:50
- Day 6 Morning: 18:12
- Day 6 Evening: 20:10
Sourdough Starter Recipe Ingredients
- Jar – A wide-mouth quart jar or a Weck’s 1-liter tulip jar.
- Flour – 5 lb bag of organic bread flour (plus 1 cup organic whole grain flour )
- Water – filtered water, tap water, or mineral water (specifically, San Pellegrino, for the correct mineral ratio). Distilled water does not have enough minerals.
- Scale – using a kitchen scale is optional but handy.
- Thermometer – Knowing the temp of the starter using a thermometer is optional but handy!
Understanding starter
- Think of sourdough starter as yeast. Only in this case, instead of buying a packet of yeast from the store, you are making your own living “wild yeast” by fermenting flour and water. Once it’s bubbly and happy, it is very much ike a very low-maintenance pet.
- You must feed it (stir in a mixture of flour and water) once a week to keep it active and strong. You know it’s happy when it bubbles. 😉 And YES, you can even name it.
- Some people believe that bread made with sourdough starter is actually better for you than bread made with yeast. Here and Here are a few articles to get you started on your own research. While I’m not sure if this is scientifically proven, I do know that bread made with sourdough starter, tastes infinitely better, feels easier to digest, and has more complexity and better texture, than bread made with commercial yeast. So if you are a bread lover- this is absolutely the way to go, as far as the quality of your finished bread.
How to Make Sourdough Starter
*See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
This recipe for Sourdough Starter takes 6 days (or up to 12 days if it is very cold where you live). For a primer, watch the 20-minute Sourdough Video above!
Day 1: Staring in the morning or at night, using a wide-mouth quart jar, tulip jar, or Crock or Glass Measuring Cup , mix 1 cup whole grain flour (120 grams) with 1/2 cup filtered water (120 grams) using a fork (or chopstick) making sure you’ve incorporated all the dry flour.
Place the lid lightly on top (using the Weck jar lid is really handy here) or a wet towel to keep moisture in, or plastic wrap- and let sit at room temperature (70-ish degrees) on the kitchen counter for 24-48 hours. If you are unsure how warm it is, use a kitchen thermometer and check it a few hours later. See notes for TEMPERATURE.
TIP #1: For your first measurement, weigh the flour using a kitchen scale so you can get an idea of how the mixture should feel. Do not weigh the measuring cup! It should be like a thick paste, like peanut butter. If you need to add a little more water to incorporate the flour, that is OK too!
Day 2: After the first 24 hours, there may or may not be a bit of bubbling. Let the mixture rest until you see activity (bubbles or rising) sometimes this takes 36 hours or even 48 hours if very cold. When you see active bubbling, discard all but 1/2 cup of the starter (4 ounces).
To the remaining ½ cup of starter, stir in 1/2 cup water (120 grams), and mix well with a fork. Add 1 cup of organic bread flour (120 grams)spooned and leveled. Stir until combined. Again, it should feel like a thick paste. If overly dry, feel free to add a bit more water. Cover again and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for another 24 hours.
Day 3: After 24 hours, hopefully, you will see some bubbling or rising and if not, let it go a bit longer until you see activity. Be patient.
Depending on how warm your house is and how active your starter, you may need to begin feeding more often or move to two feedings a day, in the morning and at night. If it is cold, one feeding a day may be enough.
TIP #2: Only feed the starter after it has peaked or looks hungry. See the “3 Signs of Hunger” below. Feeding it when it is “not hungry” will basically dilute all the growing yeast and make it lethargic. Better to underfeed than overfeed.
The 3 Signs of hunger
The photo below was taken after the starter was fed, and after it peaked (reached its highest), and now is sliding down. It is now “hungry” again. See the downward slide marks on the jar? Pay attention – your starter is telling you it is hungry.
- Look for “slide marks” (be sure to use a clean jar so you can see these clearly).
- Liquid at the top of the starter.
- Thin and runny. The starter is liquidy enough to pour out of the jar (when at room temp).
This might be 12 hours, it might be 14, it might be 18, or 24, depending on the temp in your house. In very warm climates, it may only be 6-8 hours. In winter, this may take 36 hours. It is better to underfeed rather than overfeed here.
For each feeding, discard all but 1/2 cup of the starter (keeping roughly ½-cup of starter in the jar). Add 1/2 cup water and 1 cup Bread Flour (spooned and leveled). Mix well, cover, and let this rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours or until the starter looks “hungry” again before repeating.
Day 4: Feed 1-2 times, discarding all but 1/2 cup of starter each time. Feed 1 cup bread flour, 1/2 cup water.
TIP #3: It is typical on day 4 for the starter to slow down and stall a bit. This is OK. Just keep going, be patient and look for the hunger signs, and only feed when clearly hungry. Hopefully, you’ll begin to see some rising and falling. It’s helpful to put the starter in a clean jar each day and mark the beginning level (with a sharpie, string or rubber band) so you can easily see this.
Above, you’ll see it peaking, and below, you’ll see it deflating and getting “hungry.” There may not be too much difference in the beginning, so look closely.
Understand that your starter has a schedule of its own; it is a living thing, so watch it and pay attention.
If your starter is not rising and falling, look at its consistency. As it metabolizes the flour and gets hungry, it will get runny and liquidy, like to the point where you can pour it right out of the jar. If it is still thick like paste, it’s not done metabolizing (eating)the flour.
Day 5: Feed again, 1-2 times, discarding all but a 1/2 cup the starter each time. Adding 1 cup bread flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water. The starter should look visibly active, bubbling, rising, hopefully, close to doubling in size.
Repeat day 5 until the starter is rising and falling predictably and is close to doubling in size within 6-8 hours.
TIP #4: If your starter is not rising but there is evidence of hunger (liquidy or liquid at the top) try 3 things: substitute 1/4 cup whole grain flour (add to ¾ cup white bread flour) on your next feeding. Try using mineral water like San Pellegrino instead of water. Stir the starter a few times after feeding to allow more wild yeast from the kithcen to get inside.
DAY 6 Morning: Baking day! Give it one last feeding in the morning: this time discard all but a 1/3 cup. (The reason we are changing this to 1/3 cup is to feed it a little bit more.) Add 1 cup flour (120 grams) and 1/2 cup water, stir, and place it in a clean jar so you can see the action clearly. You can use a sharpie or place a rubber band around the jar to mark the beginning level. The starter should hopefully double in volume within 6-8 hours of feeding.
In the photo above, on the 6th day, the starter was fed at 8 am, it peaked around 2 pm, then it started deflating, and by 8 pm, it was “hungry” again. See those downward “slide” marks on the jar?
DO THE FLOAT TEST: When the starter is at its peak, or just after, place a teaspoon of starter (just from the top, don’t stir it down) in a glass full of water; it should hopefully float. If it floats, success!!! Congrats. You can now make our sourdough bread…tonight!
TIP #5: When baking bread always use hungry starter that has already peaked!
STARTER DOES NOT FLOAT? If it doubles in size but does not float, you can still try baking a loaf if it doubles within 6-8 hours of feeding it.
At this point, if your starter does not double in size within 6-8 hours of feeding, don’t give up! Often, it just takes longer, especially during the winter months. Continue feeding one to two times a day until you see a consistent, predictable rise and fall.
Read the troubleshooting section. If you need to take a break, put it in the fridge and try it again up to a week later. Don’t toss it!
Day 6 Evening: Let’s Bake! Use 1/3 cup starter to make this sourdough bread recipe and place the remaining starter (or if not making bread, place all of it) in the refrigerator, and feed it at least once a week, reserving ½ cup starter, before feeding it the usual 1 cup bread flour, 1/2 cup water.
TROUBLESHOOTING Starter
- SMELL: Starter should smell sweet, tangy, earthy, like a wet horse – not “bad”. If it really smells foul or unpleasant, you may have used an unclean jar, unclean utensil, or somehow introduced other bad bacteria. I would start over.
- NO ACTION: On day 4-5 it is typically for it to slow down. If your starter is not rising at all but there is evidence of hunger (liquid at the top, or bubbles) try 3 things. First substitute 1/4 cup whole grain flour (add to ¾ cup white bread flour) on your next feeding. If no rise, then try using mineral water, specifically San Pellegrino instead of water. San Pelligrino specifically has the right mineral ratio, I have great luck with it. Others not so much! Also try stirring the starter a couple of hours after feeding, a couple of times throughout the day to allow wild yeast from the room to get in there. Lastly, you could try pineapple juice instead of water.
- FLOUR: Try to use fresh milled whole grain flour to start, then organic BREAD FLOUR. The more wild yeast in the flour, the better your starter will do- so smaller brands like Bob’s Red Mill seem to do better than bigger conventional brands that have been overly processed. It is totally OK to mix flours and to switch them up- this adds different kinds of wild yeast- a good thing!
- DO NOT overfeed. For example, maybe feeding 2 x day at 12-hour intervals is too often. You want to feed after the starter has peaked, then deflated (see photo above- you’ll see some slide marks on the jar) and this tells you that it is hungry. If you feed the starter before it has had a chance to metabolize (or eat) all the flour (before peaking) and then you discard part of it, and feed it again, you are actually diluting all that amazing bacteria, weakening your starter. So it’s all about watching your starter in your home. If you are not seeing rising and falling, but notice the starter just gets liquidy, this too is a sign of “hunger”. Or if it gets runny enough to pour out of the jar, another sign it is hungry. There are lots of variables here. Just be patient, pay attention and watch. This is a living thing- it doesn’t care about time schedules and recipes or what it “should” do. It will “eat” when it is “hungry” and sometimes it likes to eat slowly. 😉
- TIME: It may take longer than 6 days in colder environments. Use a kitchen thermometer and take its temp. Is it over 65F? Find a place where it can be warm. In the oven with the light on, or in an upper cupboard ( heat rises). Sometimes it takes 12-14 days! Be patient, keep going. If it is doing absolutely nothing, leave it out on the counter for 24-48 hours and see what happens. If you run out of flour or need a break, don’t just toss it, put it in the fridge and see if you can get it going a few days later.
- ACIDITY: If you still can’t get that starter going, some people recommend subbing pineapple juice for the water for one feeding- raising the acidity level. My good friend just tried this and it got hers going.
- LIQUID: If you see any liquid at the top of your starter, it means your starter is hungry. So, yes it’s still alive which is a good thing! You can stir the liquid in, or pour the liquid out, either way, but feed it. This is a sign that you may need to feed it more often.
- MOLD: if you see any discoloring or mold on the surface, starter was probably contaminated. If it is only on the surface, it is probably ok to save. Scrape it off, save 1/2 cup of the underneath starter, and keep going, using a clean jar. Feed, smell, use your best judgment.
- FLOAT TEST: Try testing when your starter is peaking. Take a spoonful from the top without stirring it down. If your starter is rising and falling consistently, but not passing the float test and it has been over 8-10 days- just try baking a loaf. People are having luck with good loaves without passing the float test. It may be the flour…
How to Maintain Your Starter
- REFRIGERATE & FEED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK: Pick a scheduled day and try to stick with it, always reserving 1/2 cup and feeding it 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water. Discard the remaining, give it away, or keep the discard in a separate container for sourdough pancakes, sourdough buns, banana bread, biscuits, etc. I usually don’t feed the discard unless I give it away.
- If you forget to feed it one week, it is most likely OK; feed it 1-2 times a day for 1-3 days in a row to revive it (keeping it out on the counter) until bubbly and active and doubles within 6 hours. I’ve left my starter for a month on vacation (in the fridge) without feeding and simply revived it by feeding it 3 days in a row, 1-2 x day. It’s surprisingly hard to kill. You can also freeze it for more extended storage.
- This batch will allow you to bake 2 loaves of bread per week with enough left to feed for the next week. If you want to bake more often, you can keep it out and feed it 1-2 x daily. Or if baking every few days, you can pull it out of the fridge, feed it 10 hours before using, leaving it out, use what you need while it is peaking (or slightly after), then put it back in the fridge that evening. Do the same thing a few days later when ready to use again. So this would be feeding 2-3 times a week, best if baking 4-5 times a week.
The best time to use sourdough starter is just after it peaks or on its way down when you know it is hungry.
Sourdough Bread Starter FAQs
Yes. While you are building your starter, during the first week, it is the simplest, easiest, fastest, and most economical way to create a healthy starter. (Or save it separately -in the fridge- and use it in Pancakes, Waffles, Buns, or Biscuits. ) This is because you always have to feed it two times its volume in flour. For example-if you kept all the 1 1/2 cups of starter, you would have to feed it 3 cups of flour (instead of keeping just a 1/2 cup and only feeding it ONE cup). Discarding will shorten the fermentation process, require less flour in the long run, and create a stronger starter. Once your starter is “established” after the first week- then you can give it away to friends, use it in pizza dough, pancakes, etc) or give it to a friend.
How to use your Sourdough Starter
- See all our Sourdough Recipes!
- Sourdough Scones
- Sourdough Crackers
- Sourdough Biscuits
- Sourdough Buns
- Sourdough Tortillas!
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Overnight Sourdough Waffles
More from Feasting At Home
Simple Sourdough Starter
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 6 days
- Total Time: 144 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups
- Category: sourdough, fermented, cultured, bread, baking,
- Method: fermented
- Cuisine: bread
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make your own Sourdough Starter (see the step-by-step video in post) using simple ingredients with no special equipment, in 6 days, that can be used in sourdough bread. Sourdough Starter is a wild yeast, made from fermenting flour and water.
Ingredients
- 120 grams whole grain flour (whole wheat flour, rye flour, or freshly milled flour) 1 cup, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- Organic White Bread Flour (5-10 lb bag ) I like Shepherd’s Grain or Bob’s Red Mill.
- 120 grams Water per feeding (1/2 cup water)
Instructions
-
- Day 1: Starting in the morning or at night, using a wide-mouth quart jar or Crock or Glass Measuring Cup mix 1 cup whole grain flour (120 grams) with 1/2 cup (120 grams) filtered water using a fork making sure you’ve incorporated all the dry flour. For your first measuring – it is a good idea to weigh the flour, using a kitchen scale so you get an idea of how thick it should feel. It should be like a thick paste. Thick like peanut butter. If you need to add a little more water to incorporate the flour, that is OK, but be precise with the flour. Place the lid on top (using the Weck jar is really handy here) or a damp towel to keep moisture in, or plastic wrap- and let sit at room temperature (70-80 degrees) on the kitchen counter for 24-48 hours, or until you see some bubbling. If you are not sure how warm it is, use a kitchen thermometer and check it a few hours later. See notes for TEMPERATURE.
- Day 2: After the first 24 hours, you may or may not see a bit of bubbling. I prefer to let this rest until I see a tiny bit of activity (bubbles) and sometimes this takes 36 or up to 48 hours. So start “day 2”, when you see a little bit of bubbing. Discard all but 1/2 cup (136 grams) of the starter. (See notes for discard). Add to the remainder, 1 cup of white bread flour, (120 grams), spooned and leveled, and 1/2 cup filtered water (120 grams), mixing well with a fork. Place the lid on loosely again and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature (70-80F) for another 24 hours.
- Day 3: By the third day, you should definitely see some bubbling- and if not, let it go a bit longer. Depending on how warm your house is and how active your starter, you may need to begin feeding more often, or even move to two feedings a day roughly 12 hours apart, like in the morning and at night. In a nutshell, you want to feed the starter only after it has peaked (metabolized all the flour from the last feeding) and has started sinking down or gets liquidy- this is when it is hungry! This might be 12 hours, it might be 14, it might be 18, or 24, depending on the temp in your house. In very warm climates it may only be 8 hours. It is better to underfeed rather than overfeed here. For each feeding, like before, discard all but 1/2 cup of the STARTER (keeping roughly ½-cup of starter in the jar -4 ounces or 136 grams) Add 1 cup Bread Flour (spooned and leveled) and 1/2 cup water to the 1/2 cup starter and let this rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours or until the starter looks “hungry” again before repeating.
- Day 4: Feed 1-2 times, discarding all but 1/2 cup of starter EACH TIME. Feed 1 cup bread flour, 1/2 cup water. Look for the hunger signs. Hopefully, you’ll begin to see some rising and falling. It’s helpful to put the starter in a clean jar and mark the beginning level (with sharpie, string or rubber band) so you can easily see this. ***If for some reason your starter looks like it is still rising at the time of second feeding (at night) and there is no evidence it has fallen or no slide marks, it is still “eating” so skip this feeding and feed first thing in the morning. AGAIN, Feeding it when it is “not hungry” will basically dilute all the growing yeast and make it lethargic. Better to starve than overfeed.
- Day 5: Feed again, 1-2 times, roughly 12 hours apart, or when hungry, discarding all but a 1/2 cup the starter EACH TIME. 1 cup bread flour, 1/2 cup lukewarm water. The starter should look active, bubbling, rising, sliding down, hopefully, close to doubling in size. (If not, repeat this day until starter doubles in size within 8-12 hours of feeding- and read the troubleshooting section.)
- DAY 6: Give it one last feeding. Discard all but a 1/3 cup. Add 1 cup flour ( 120 grams) and 1/2 cup water, and place it in a clean jar so you can see the action clearly. You can use a sharpie or place a rubber band around the jar to mark the beginning level. The starter should hopefully double in volume within 6 hours of feeding. When it peaks, DO THE FLOAT TEST: To test the starter, place a teaspoon of starter (just from the top, while it is peaking, don’t stir it down) in a glass full of water, it should hopefully float. If it does, you can make sourdough bread. Tonight! Let the starter keep resting at room temperature or a few more hours allowing it to fully metabolize the flour, perhaps sinking a little before making your dough. You want to make dough with slightly hungry starter. Place the remaining starter in the fridge and feed it in a week. You’ll have enough stater to make one more sourdough loaf during the week, and still have enough to feed. If you want to wait to make bread until later in the week place starter in the fridge. Be sure to feed it in 7 days. Read maintenance section.
- At this point, if your starter does not double in size don’t give up! Often it just takes longer, sometimes up to two weeks, especially if it’s cold. Continue feeding one-two times a day (only when hungry) for a few more days, until you see a visible rise and fall. Read the troubleshooting section. If you need to take a break, just put it in the fridge and try it again up to a week later. Don’t toss it- if there are bubbles, it is still alive.
- This batch of starter will make two loaves of bread with enough left over to feed for the following week.
Notes
- TEMPERATURE: The colder your home, the longer it will take for the starter to grow and become active (bubbles). Find a warm spot (70-80 degrees) for the best results. On the stovetop, with the light turned on, or on top of the fridge. Or in the oven with the light on. On top of a heating pad (set to low) with a towel in between). You can still make the starter in a colder home, it will just take longer- even up to 2 weeks.
- FLOUR: Always try to start the batch by using organic, freshly milled whole-grain flour (wheat or rye) because it has more wild yeast in it than All-Purpose or white flour and will get it active and growing sooner. You can, of course, continue to use whole grain, but I’ve had the best luck using organic “bread” flour for days 2 through 6. People have made a sourdough starter with All-Purpose flour- but personally, this has never worked for me– there are fewer nutrients and wild yeasts in the flour and results in a very lethargic starter. If it is your only option, try mixing in 2+ tablespoons of whole-grain (wheat or rye) with the AP flour per feeding. Feel free to use different flours or mix different flours together. It is OK to use all-purpose flour if in a pinch, but using it repeatedly will result in sad starter.
- WATER: I usually use tap water -but sometimes the chlorine in tap water can inhibit the growth of your starter. Lukewarm water helps fermentation to start faster. Sterilized bottled water is often overly sterile, and can also inhibit. Mineral water, like Perrier (carbonated is OK) can sometimes work miracles.
- HYDRATION: Hydration refers to the ratio of water to flour in terms of weight. It is a ratio. The starter is typically at 100% hydration- meaning equal parts flour and water, in terms of weight. So if you use 120 grams of water, use 120 grams of flour. This roughly translates to 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup water. Feel free to weigh instead of measure if you want to be more precise, or want to familiarize yourself with the consistency you are aiming for. If using whole grain flours (which tend to be “thirstier”) and your starter seems very thick, it is totally OK to add more water to thin it a bit. I intentionally keep the hydration a little lower here (a thicker starter) so you can more clearly see the rise and fall “action” in the jar.
- STORING AND FEEDING: When your starter is kept cold, in the fridge, you don’t need to feed it as often- only once a week. Feel free to feed it “cold”, and put it right back in the fridge if you like. If you keep it out on the counter, you’ll likely need to feed it 1-2 x daily (or just watch and feed only when hungry). Cold slows down the fermentation, heat speeds it up.
- USING: When you need to use your starter for baking bread, feed it 10-12 hours before making bread dough, using it after its peak height. For a more “sour” flavored bread, use the starter straight from the fridge, 3-6 days after feeding. The starter gets more sour tasting the longer it goes without feeding. Feeding the starter the same day as making bread will produce a milder sourdough flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 31
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 0.2 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat:
- Carbohydrates: 6.2 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I am brand new at making bread, especially brand new at having/using a starter. My friend gave me a starter and I’d like to get some advice. It’s been in the fridge and I have to feed it soon. Should the starter get to room temperature before I add the water and flour? Should it stay out of the fridge for a period of time before I put it back into the fridge?
You can let it come to room temp if you want, or not, discard all but 1/2 cup, feed it then leave it on the counter for a couple of hours. Some people say that you can put right back in the fridge right after feeding, but I like to keep it out a while so it can start metabolizing the flour a bit first.
Hello!
I’m brand new to making bread and thought with all this downtime I’d try. I had been given a starter from a friend with little instructions. I’ve done lots of research and found that you have the simplest version. But I still have some question.
The starter has been refrigerated since I’ve received it. Today is feeding day. When I take it out should it stay on the counter before I mix the starter, flour and water?? If so, for how long. Also when I finish the mixing should it stay out on the counter for an amount of time before I put it back into the fridge? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
There is debate about this. Personally, I like to pull it out 1/2 hour before feeding, feed it and leave it out for a while ( 2-4 hours) so it has a chance to metabolize the flour. Many just feed it and put it back in.
what if on day 3 the starter batch starts to separate with a layer of liquid at the top?
It just means it is hungry! Which is good. Pour it off and feed 2 x day.
I started this recipe and on day 2 the activity was amazing with a lot of rise but on the feedings for day 3, I am not seeing much activity. It still has bubbles but isn’t really rising or falling.
I didn’t start with whole wheat. I just used unbleached bread flour all the way through by the way
Try adding a little less water ( 1/2 cup) mixing in a little whole wheat, placing fed starter in clean jar, and being patient, watching. It could be your home is cooler, and process will take longer.
I fed it again so that I’m now on day 4. There are no longer any bubbles and it doesn’t rise at all. There is only a layer of liquid on top. Is my starter dead? It hasn’t really bubbled for 2 days now.
It is not dead. It is hungry. The liquid means it metabolized all the flour and wants more. Just keep feeding it, maybe more often than 12 hours? Look at my new photos in post. Place fed starter in clean jar, and mark it. Check it every few hours and just watch. Look for the slide marks.
I continued feeding it and it is not rising or falling. There are no slide marks. The most I get is some bubbling at the top. I tried feeding it more often and less often and nothing I changed seems to help it get going. I keep it around 65 degrees or warmer at all times. I reduced the amount of water I give it but after a couple of hours, it turns pretty runny. Should I start over
Have you tried mixing in the whole wheat? Or other whole grain. Is your bread flour organic by the way? Just curious.
Hi! Just planning to begin a starter and love how simplified your instructions are just a few questions… if I use spelt flour or plain flour instead of the bread flour will it work? How would it affect the result?
Thanks
Nidhi
I think spelt would work better that plain. 🙂
Great thanks!
Hi! Thank you for your amazing webpage, I really love your recipes!
I am on day 5 on evening feed, started the process with buckwheat and it doubled beautifully. Then I have been using a high protein all purpose flour which I was told is good for bread.
My starter is very bubbly and it’s thick and very elastic but I haven’t perceived any doubling in size, am I doing something wrong? Should I keep going for a couple days before putting it in the fridge?
Thank you so much for your help!
Sometimes it will double, then deflate before you notice. Do you notice any “slide” marks on the jar?
I haven’t, but your reply made me realise I haven’t been cleaning the jar it’s in everyday, I tested today and didn’t pass the float test. I’m gonna be doing whole wheat from now and will keep you posted. It smells amazing and bubbles, it’s just the doubling part and the float test.
Thank you so much!
Hi, you dont have to lean the jar every single day, but It’s nice to see the rise and fall of starter. So sometimes I’ll transfer my fed starter to a new jar, just to see where it is at. Use 1 teaspoon for the float test, after the starter has peaked.
Also, does it float?
I tried this twice – and failed. I think you have to weigh it to be accurate on the proportions of flour and water. Different flours will have a different volume and density. I am now successfully going with a starter using bakers math, weights, and proportions. Also, it can take more than one week to get the starter really going – depends on temperature, humidity, season. I share this so others won’t be discouraged.
Hi Kate, I’m sorry to hear that. It always works for me and I’m not sure what happened. I added weights the recipe to help. Truthfully I never weight, but you are right, they should have been included for those who want to measure in grams. Yes, so many variables! Can you tell us what kind of flour you tried this with and general temp for your kitchen? Thanks.
Hi There! My starter looks amazing just as you have described, smells devine, has doubled in size, but fails float test. What should I do next?
What kind of flour are you using?
All-purpose flour. Started it with whole wheat as instructed. I am on day 9 now. Grateful for any tips or feedback!
Hi, OK so I’ve been experimenting with AP flour, vs Bread flour and the AP flour isn’t doing nearly as well! It’s slower to ferment and doesn’t double. Do you have access to Bread flour? It really seems to help.
I’m on day 5 of my starter and it still has not been bubbling. I started with whole wheat, and have been feeding it with bread flour since then. I’m feeding it twice a day and there is still no activity. What should I do?
Hi, has it not bubbled at all? The entire time? What kind of flour are you using?
It has not really bubbled at all. I’m using bread flour and feeding it twice a day like the recipe calls for.
Are you checking it for bubbles in-between feedings?
No it has not. I’m considering adding yeast to it to try to kick start the process! I’ve been using bread flour.
Please do not add yeast. It kinda defeats the purpose.
I’ve just started mine (exciting!) but wondering what to do if after 36 hours nothing has happened? Start again? Thanks!!
No! It is fine. Sometimes you don’t see bubbling till the 3rd day. Just keep going, save 1/2 cup, feed, recheck in 24 hours.
Thank you!
Sorry, me again. One second Day 3 feed, the water has separated out a bit but from what I read in comments I should feed it again? So I’ll do that. The jar is looking pretty yuck from drips when I’ve been removing to dump, should I clean another jar and transfer it or keep to this one?
I like to transfer because then I can clearly see the marks of where the sourdough rises ( peak) and falls ( hungry).
I got a great response on day 2 ( doubled in volume then sank back down a bit), but then after I did my first day 3 feeding I saw a little bubbling but not much else. I just did my second day 3 feeding but Im concerned I did something wrong at some point.
What type of flour are you using?
I used whole wheat for the first feeding and have been using all purpose since then. I just fed it for a second time today and there were some new bubbles on top. I’m thinking this is a good sign. I guess I’m just concerned as I’m not getting that rise and fall of the starter anymore, just the bubbling.
I’m testing this with AP flour and not having good results at all. Bread flour works so much better.
ThNks
Thanks for the recipe! I started yesterday (so excited!) and accidently fed it twice day 2 – would you recommend feeding it once day three, or just continuing to feed it twice until it passes the float test?
Dont feed it twice until day 3!!!
Hi, I’m at 60 hours of making the starter. It bubbled well at 24hrs. Now it has risen and gone out of the box. It’s very bubbly. I live in a very hot place, roughly 30-32*c. Can I put it in the fridge already??
Thank you,
Priyanka
NO. Do the full 6 days. to get it nice and strong.
Hello, I haven’t tried this recipe yet. I wanted to know if when I remove part of the starter, can I start another batch with that part?
You can? But I wouldn’t, you’ll end up with a house full of starter.
Hi Sylvia, I’m on day 3 of your recipe. The first 24-36 hours with whole wheat flour went as prescribed – it had some bubbles and smelled good. On Day 2 I added Gold Medal unbleached white flour (I don’t have access to bread flour right now). Within a few hours it became so active, doubling in size in the jar and visibly bubbling away. By the next 24 hour mark (Day 3), however, it has reduced in size significantly, some water has separated from the solids, and the smell is a bit bad, almost like milk about to turn. Is this all normal, or should I throw it out? I don’t want to waste flour by continuing to feed it if it’s not viable anymore. Thank you!
It sounds ok- and hungry! Dump all but 1/2 cup out and start feeding 2 x day. Watch it to see how long it takes to peak. As soon as it sinks from peaking you could dump and feed again.
I forgot about the starter. It has been 48 hours, not your recommened 36. Should I continue or start over?
It’s fine, dump all but 1/2 cup out, feed once a day two more days, then 2 times a day for 3 days.
Hi There! My starter looks amazing just as you have described, smells devine, has doubled in size, but fails float test. What should I do next?
How is the texture- is it thick and elastic or runny?
Would you please tell me how much starter to substitute for one package of dry active yeast (2 1/4tsp) in a recipe.
Hi Kate- It doesn’t work that way. There is not a set formula and the timing will change. It depends on what you are making. Best bet, if you are making rolls, or whatever it is you are making, google how to make that particular thing using sourdough starter. Find the recipe that fits best.
Hiii!! Thanks so much for the very well explained and detailed instructions. This is my second try at a SD starter, loving your method way more than the other one I tried before. I used Whole Wheat to start. Can I feed with Bread flour for a couple of days and then switch to AP with Whole wheat? My question really is, can you switch types of flour when doing the feeding?
Yes, I switch all the time, and even do blends.
Thanks so much for your reply! Its been exactly 24 hours, Its has doubled its size! It smells amazing, I see bubbles on the sides and on top. But maybe I’m crazy, maybe is the famous hooch but I think I got green spots on the top of mine. Mind if I send you a picture? I’m not sure If is normal or maybe I caught the wrong bacteria? I have it on a glass measuring cup for now.
Yes, feel free to email a pic. sylvia@feastingathome.com
Hey Question? Is… The starter supposed to smell really really bad? Like almost like poop bad? On day 3 and i opened it up and tbh i got a wiff and hooo boy it was bad. Took most of it out and Fed it still but dang that smell
No!!! It should not smell bad. Sounds like a little bad bacteria go in? Maybe jar wasn’t clean? I’d start over. Sorry. ;( It should smell tangy and sweet. To me it almost smells like a horse. In a good way.
Im wondering if it did, maybe i didn’t clean the jar well enough! I ended up throwing it out this morning i will deff start over, thank you! Also i accidentally used tap water one day i wonder if that might be why? Ill be careful to use Filtered from now on too just in case.
I bet that was it. The jar probably wasn’t clean. Tap water shouldn’t do that.
How is it supposed to smell? Mine smells like yogurt.
That sounds perfect- tangy and sweet.
Well, things were amazing on the second day but since then, only growing and bubbling a bit. I’m on Day 6 and it didn’t double or pass the float test. I only have wheat berries that I grind into flour with a Vitamix blender. I wonder if I should keep it out another day and feed it again tonight (for a second feeding), and if I can use the discard for something (even if it doesn’t float, is it safe to eat)? Thanks for your help and your blog and recipe!
Hey, I wonder if you are overfeeding? Wait to feed until your starter doubles and starts to recede. Place it a clean jar, so you can see the receding marks on the jar. This may take longer so just be patient. Read Troubleshooting section above.
Hi Silvia! Thanks for taking the time to reply, and thanks for working on this problem with me. I’ve read the Troubleshooting section and will consider feeding less (so as not to dilute). I did notice that over a twelve hour period, my starter doubled when set next to a warm appliance in the kitchen. Maybe my kitchen is also colder than I realize.
I bet that’s it. Maybe keep placing git there and see?
Hi, I live in Hawaii and it’s about 80• Plus daily in my house-any advice as anything left out overnight molds?
Thank you for your amazing recipes and easy to follow directions!
I’m really curious if this would mold. I think it would be perfect actually, but just guessing here. 🙂
Can I use bread flour to start the starter?
You can, give it a try. 🙂 I’ve always had better luck with a little whole-grain at the beginning- but some people do seem to be able to make starter from plain white flour. The bread flour is a step up, so that is good!
Hi! Will you post the actual bread recipe soon? On Day 4 of the starter…
Just posted!
I’m having trouble finding it! 😃
Just go to homepage and scroll down- or type sourdough in search bar.
Love this! I’ve started a bunch of friends doing it at the same time – our quarantine starter!
Awesome, sounds fun!
Hello! So uh, After 24 hours my starter was now just bubbling but expanded twice as much, should i start to feed twice a day now??
er was not just bubbling i mean* It was expanding a lot!
At what point does it start to contract? Or sink back down? If it looks like it is sinking by hour 12, then yes feed twice a day.