Simplest Sourdough Starter Guide
Use some, re-feed it, pop it back in the fridge~
Many of you got some of Dez from me. Many of you have asked me for a starter maintenance guide to accompany him. I’ve probably told you something similar to:
Use some, re-feed the difference, and pop it back in the fridge.
So that’s it. That’s the guide. But I know if you’ve never seen it, never done it, that doesn’t suffice. So here’s a bit more, piece by piece.
Use Some
First, the use some. That means bake some sourdough anything. Use your starter directly in some recipes like crepes or banana bread. Crackers. Or use it to make a leaven or sponge overnight to then add into your main dough or batter in the morning.
This is in contrast to discard. Or it’s the same thing. You’ll hear the term discard recipes, and it is saying to use hungry starter. Starter that you might otherwise have to toss in the bin in order to not have it growing out of your ears after feedings. But the remaining culture doesn’t really care what you do with it; it just wants more fuel.
Re-feed the Difference
On the re-feed it part, I’ll usually include:
equal parts flour and water
Matching the flour and water means that if you feed it 50g flour, you’ll also feed it 50g water. Feeding it means you put the fuel in the same jar as your remaining starter and mix it all up. Using your finger(s), a wooden spoon, or a spatula. Fully hydrate the dry flour. Then the little invisible creatures will permeate the mixture and start processing it. As they process it, they’ll produce carbon dioxide gas that then balloons up the gluten, causing the rising. The chemical change is underway. Fermentation.
The flour I use is organic and I do half whole wheat flour that I grind myself, and half white flour. White flour un-fiddled with. Not bleached, etc. So when I say a 50/50 blend that’s what I’m referring to. I typically use this emoji or symbol in recipes to designate this mixture: #️⃣
But Dez and most healthy starters will take the flour you give them. When I fork Dez off and feed him 100% whole wheat flour then that is Dwez. With trapezoidal bubbles as the bran slices the gluten bubbles. I’ve fed spin-offs Kernza and spelt and rye and various mixtures, and it’s gladly devoured them and doubled or tripled accordingly.
Pop It Back in the Fridge
You could keep it out on the counter at room temperature. But unless you are baking multiple times per week then you’ll end up wasting effort, flour, water, money, time, and elbow grease that isn’t necessary for the average home baker. Putting it in the fridge (with a loose lid) slows down the activity so that your feedings don’t need to be more than once a week. Perfect for the weekend baker.
Pull some from it for a recipe, re-feed the difference, and pop it back in the fridge.
The difference is just how much you took from it. If I pulled 100 grams for a recipe, then I would re-feed it around 50 grams flour and 50 grams water. Though I don’t stress the exact amount, I just make sure after the fresh feeding it is around half-way to 3/4 full. It doesn’t fully double in the fridge so you can get away with this without overflow.
Remember, having a primary home in the fridge doesn’t prevent you bringing your baby out and warming it up to room temperature for a long weekend, etc.
Other Notes:
I Forgot it for a Month
You most likely didn’t kill it. Just pour the hooch off the top, feed the lower part. If it was a few months you can give it 2-3 feedings to reduce the acidity before you use it.
I Made More Leaven than I Need
Not to fear. Just put the extra into your starter jar in the fridge if it will fit. If you don’t have an immediate use and have more than will fit in your jar, just put the leaven container in the fridge next to your starter, and you’ll find a use for it soon. It’s all the same culture, just at different levels of activity.
Feeding Ratio
In class we do a 1:1:1 with warm water so it will spring up quickly in the three-hour workshop for the starter race. But usually a 1:2:2 is a healthy ratio to build good structure. But if you re-feed the difference you aren’t measuring the starter piece. Just matching flour & water and smiling.
What does that ratio mean? For a 1:2:2 It means for 1 part starter, we’re doing 2 parts flour and 2 parts leaven. So 25 grams of starter is fed with 50 grams of flour (50/50 blend) and 50 grams of water (filtered or boiled).
For your leaven that you’ll use in your bread or pizza a 1:5:5 works well overnight at room temp.
Backups?
Freeze a lil. Dry some out. Have a reserve. For when your sweet sweet mother-in-law cleans your fridge. For when you drop your glass starter jar. For when you accidentally use all your starter in a recipe.
Deals
Get 10% off a Wire Monkey lame. The lame I use to score Mooon Bread’s iconic volcanic boule.
Get half off the Mooon Bread video course. When you pre-order now. One more week of this deal’s availability. The course will be available by the end of the month at full price.
Free Instructions on Making Your Own Starter. Yes, it’s a tweet thread I reference in the upcoming course :)
Love you all.
Happy bread,
Jordan
Loved these simple reminders! Thank you