Feeding Sourdough: Best Tips for a Thriving Sourdough Starter
Intimidated by feeding sourdough? No worries! Learn the best tips and tricks to caring for and maintaining a healthy, thriving sourdough starter! Sourdough bread is a popular staple in many homes, and at the heart of every delicious loaf is a well fed and thriving starter. It can seem intimidating to begin, but with a little knowledge and care, your starter can become the foundation for delicious loaves of bread for years to come.
Since beginning my journey with sourdough, caring for my starter has been one of my favorite things to do.
I used to be intimidated by the whole process of feeding sourdough. I didn’t understand exactly how to feed it, what to look for, and so on. Honestly, I think that the most intimidating thing about sourdough is not the bread itself, but understanding the ins and outs of the starter. I do think that part of this process just takes time; over time you learn your starter and what works best for you. However, there are some things I’ve learned along the way that I have found to be incredibly helpful.
In this post, we’ll cover the basics of feeding sourdough starter, as well as storage options, common FAQs, and even how to troubleshoot common issues.
Hopefully this will send you well on your way to making the perfect loaf of sourdough bread, or even experimenting with other recipes like sourdough bagels.
Let’s get to it!
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What is Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that has fermented over time with the help of naturally occurring wild yeast and bacteria. These microbes work together to leaven the dough, providing it with a unique flavor that you won’t get from store-bought yeast. When used properly, it can be used to leaven bread and other baked goods all on its own.
How to Care for Your Sourdough Starter
Finding the Right Container
It’s essential to choose the right container. A clear glass or plastic jar is ideal, as it allows you to easily monitor the growth of your starter. Make sure it’s large enough to accommodate the starter as it doubles in size after each feeding. A 1-quart container should be sufficient. I love to use my large glass Weck jar.
Choosing the Right Flour
This is customizable. I primarily use all purpose flour or bread flour to feed my starter. However, I will occasionally feed it with a whole grain flour (like a freshly milled flour or rye) if I think it needs a little boost. Just keep in mind that the kind of flour you feed it with will change the texture of the starter and bread. I primarily stick to white flour because I like the texture that it brings to most baked goods.
Feeding Schedule
A healthy starter needs regular feedings. The frequency of feeding will depend on how often you plan to use your starter.
- For active starters: Feed it once every 12 hours. This is typical if you’re baking often (daily or every couple of days).
- For less frequent use: If you’re not baking as often, you can store your starter in the refrigerator and feed it once a week.
Feeding Sourdough Starter (What You’ll Need)
Step by Step Feeding Instructions
- Discard: Begin by discarding half of the starter before each feeding. This might feel wasteful, but it’s necessary to maintain a balanced ratio of yeast and bacteria. If you like, you can save the discard to use in discard recipes, like fluffy sourdough pancakes.
- Measure: Using a kitchen scale, feed the starter with equal parts flour and water by weight following the 1:1:1 feeding water (e.g. flour: water: sourdough starter). An example of this would be 50g of starter, 50g of water, and 50g of flour. Mix well, making sure everything has incorporated. Keep an eye on the texture: I find that my starter does best when it has a thicker texture, similar to a thick pancake batter. Place the lid on your container and set aside to let rise.
- Rise: Set the starter in a warm spot to activate and rise, ideally at a temperature between 70-75 degrees. The warmer it is, the faster it will rise. Your starter is active and ready to bake with when it doubles in size, large bubbles appear on the surface and throughout, and has a light, spongey texture. This can take anywhere from 4-12hrs.
For an in depth overview of essential tools needed for successful sourdough baking, head over to this post.
Common Sourdough FAQs
Yes, I would recommend it. This keeps your starter healthy and happy! Unless you are trying to increase the volume of your starter, discard half of it (you could discard up to almost all of it) before feeding.
Active starter has been fed (generally within the last 12 hours) and is at its peak. It can be used in bread recipes to achieve a good rise. Discard has not been fed and will not rise baked goods, although you can still use it in many delicious recipes!
As long as the discard is still healthy (no unpleasant smell or discoloration) it can be used in a variety of sourdough discard recipes!
Sourdough should pass the float test to know if its ready to bake with. To do this, gently drop of a spoonful of starter into a glass of water. You will find that either the starter floats or settles to the bottom. This indicates whether your starter is holding enough gas bubbles to bring about rise. If it floats, it contains lots of bubbles of carbon dioxide, the result of happy yeast that is ready to bake. If it sinks to the bottom, the starter is presumably not ready, requiring further time and feedings before it is ready for baking.
Storage
Sourdough can be stored either at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Room Temperature: If you bake frequently (a few times a week), leave your starter on the counter and feed it daily. This ensures that it remains very active and ready for baking! Follow the 1:1:1 feeding ratio detailed above and remember that sourdough thrives in warm environments (between 70–75°F). The warmer it is, the faster it will rise. Keep it in a warm spot and use warm water when feeding it if needed.
- Refrigerator Storage: If you bake only a few times a month, store your starter in the fridge. This slows down the fermentation process, so you only need to feed it once a week to maintain its strength. You do not need to bring it to room temperature first before feeding it; just remove it from the fridge, feed it and put it back. When ready to use, feed the cold starter at room temperature until it perks back up. Keep in mind that it could take a few feedings before it is ready to be used for baking.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Inactive/Sluggish Starter
If your starter is starting to become sluggish, meaning it’s not rising much or bubbling, it may be too cold or not getting enough regular feedings. There are a few easy methods to try:
- Discard, Discard, Discard: The most likely culprit I have found for this personally is that I haven’t discarded enough of my starter before feeding. Keep in mind that you can discard almost all of your starter (leaving a couple tablespoons) before feeding again. I find that the more I discard, the happier and healthier my starter is.
- Warm it Up: Sourdough starters tend to thrive more in the summer months when things are generally warmer in and outside of the house. During the winter when the house/kitchen is naturally cooler, this can really slow down starter growth and increase the time it takes for it to rise. To troubleshoot this, try moving it to a warmer spot in the house or feed it with warm water to encourage growth.
- Change the Flour Type: Switching to whole grain flours, like rye or whole wheat, can sometimes help revitalize a sleepy starter.
Dark Colored Liquid on Top
A layer of liquid on top of your starter is called “hooch” and simply means that it’s hungry and needs to be fed! It is an easy fix; simply pour off the hooch and then follow the 1:1:1 feeding ratio. Store either in the fridge or at room temperature.
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Feeding Sourdough Starter: Easy Step by Step
Equipment
- Digital Kitchen Scale (affiliate link)
- Large Glass Jar (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- Sourdough Starter
- Filtered Water
- Flour (recommended Bread Flour or All Purpose)
Instructions
- Discard: Begin by discarding half of the starter before each feeding. This might feel wasteful, but it’s necessary to maintain a balanced ratio of yeast and bacteria.
- Measure: Using a kitchen scale, feed the starter with equal parts flour and water by weight following the 1:1:1 feeding water (e.g. flour: water: sourdough starter). An example of this would be 50g of starter, 50g of water, and 50g of flour. Mix well, making sure everything has incorporated. Keep an eye on the texture: I find that my starter does best when it has a thicker texture, similar to a thick pancake batter. Place the lid on your container and set aside to let rise.
- Rise: Set the starter in a warm spot to active and rise, ideally at a temperature between 70-75 degrees. The warmer it is, the faster is will rise. Your starter is active and ready to bake with when it doubles in size, large bubbles appear on the surface and throughout, and has a light, spongey texture. This can take anywhere from 2-12hrs.
Notes
- For active starters: Feed it once every 12 hours. This is typical if you’re baking often (daily or every couple of days).
- For less frequent use: If you’re not baking as often, you can store your starter in the refrigerator and feed it once a week.
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- Room Temperature: If you bake frequently (a few times a week), leave your starter on the counter and feed it daily. This ensures that it remains very active and ready for baking! Follow the 1:1:1 feeding ratio detailed above and remember that sourdough thrives in warm environments (between 70–75°F). The warmer it is, the faster it will rise. Keep it in a warm spot and use warm water when feeding it if needed.
- Refrigerator Storage: If you bake only a few times a month, store your starter in the fridge. This slows down the fermentation process, so you only need to feed it once a week to maintain its strength. You do not need to bring it to room temperature first before feeding it; just remove it from the fridge, feed it and put it back. When ready to use, feed the cold starter at room temperature until it perks back up. Keep in mind that it could take a few feedings before it is ready to be used for baking.
Maintaining a sourdough starter may take some patience and practice, but the rewards are well worth it. By feeding it regularly, storing it properly, and observing how it behaves, you’ll ensure that your starter stays healthy and ready to bake beautiful loaves of bread in no time.
Happy baking!
