How to start a sour dough starter

[DrakeMaiden]

Hey Dace!

I keep mine in the fridge and once a week I bring it out and add a glop (a heaping wooden spoonful) of the starter into roughly a cup of fresh flour/water mix. I let that go for a day at room temp. Then the next day I add about the same amount of flour/water and let it go for 2 hours. Then I put a small amount of the starter back in a clean container in the fridge and I use the rest to bake. NOW, if you need a certain amount of starter for your recipe, then you need to be more careful about amounts of flour/water you are using to get to your desired amount of starter to bake with, but you ideally want to let it adjust by feeding it twice before baking with it.

I do convert regular bread recipes by using about a cup of starter and then take out some of the flour/water from the recipe. I make a sponge and let it sit overnight, using the starter, about 2/3 of the flour of the recipe, and all of the liquid (milk or water) from the recipe. Then the next morning I add the fun ingredients (everything else) and knead the dough. Then I let it sit most of the rest of the day, until I want to bake with it. Then I shape loves, let rise, and bake (usually takes about an hour to get it oven-ready).

This is all rough measurements and times. I could be more specific, but I'm about to step away from the computer for a little bit.

 

[Dace]

Thanks DM, that was actually very helpful!

 

[keljonma]

Can anyone tell me how they use their start to actually bake bread AND of you SD regulars does your SD live out on the counter or mostly in the frig?

I leave mine on the counter

 

[Dace]

Can anyone tell me how they use their start to actually bake bread AND of you SD regulars does your SD live out on the counter or mostly in the frig?

I leave mine on the counter

So you just continue a regular feeding schedule? How often do you bake Kel?

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I used the starter after week one but added yeast to ensure that I was not going to have a flop till the starter was really strong. I just hate throwing out all that flour. I agree in the first week best to throw it out in case you have an unwanted culture.

You need to find in your house a place to keep your pet that it has the right growth rate for how often you want to feed it and how often/how much you need to bake with. Sometimes I split mine and fed both halves leaving them in a warm place for overnight so I could have a baking spree the next day. Mostly it lived in a cooler place so I could feed it only once a day and bake 2 loaves once a week.

I only refrigerate if I'm going away. I don't like the results, it seems to me to loose the sour in the fridge.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I only refrigerate if I'm going away. I don't like the results, it seems to me to loose the sour in the fridge.

That is interesting.

I notice that my sourdough is more or less sour depending upon how long I let the dough rise for the first rise. If I want it to be more like normal bread (not sour), I will let it rise in the oven, so it will rise quickly. Otherwise I let it take all day to get nice and sour.

 

[Dace]

My starter is not doubleing since I switched to white flour...this was the 4th feeding this morning (12 hours apart) it did rise some but not nearly doubled...more like 20% ish again.

Any ideas? I think I just need to be patient but I am getting frustrated :/

 

[miss_thenorth]

Dace (Dossie ), do you have the ability/capability to taake pics and post them? I haven't been to town in ages, so I have only been using WW flour, and my gf who makes rye bread exclusively,is in Denark for two weeks, so I couldn't pawn any flour off her. I have been at it longer than you, (not by much, but), I have not got tot the stage of just adding white flour. I got bubbles, but no hooch.

When you get to the stage where you are ready to start baking with it, could you show us a pic? And Drakemaiden, please don't be shy with all your wisdom.

 

[Dace]

PG...I read that once the starter begins doubling reliably after each feed it is safe to make the switch to white flour. I also read that it may slow down for a few days, but I am antsy since I was off to such a good start!


Here are some pics:

In this pic you can see that it rose a little, it is still receding a bit

This is from the top where you can see there are small bubbles.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Dace . . . it depends upon what you want. If you want to use it really soon, I personally would keep adding a portion of rye or wheat flour (I think that is what you were using to start it) with the white flour. It will keep your starter happier during this transition. I mean, you wouldn't switch your cat or dog's food all of a sudden right? You need to transition slowly so the pet can adjust. I think the same applies here.

If you want to get an all white flour starter from an all whole wheat starter, then you may need to do it gradually and be patient.

Are you using UNBLEACHED white flour? (I am sure you are, I just want to emphasize it). What brand? I use King Arthur all purpose flour because it is the best quality I can get and the quality seems to make a difference.