How to start a sour dough starter

[ORChick]

Here's another site that might be interesting to all you Sourdoughs:

http://www.northwestsourdough.com/

 

[Dace]

Nice link...although I prefer (and am using) the starting techniques in the other link, this new site has nice photos and nice sounding recipes!

Update & word of caution....
I increased the amount of the feeding today by a little bit in an effort to finally settle on the right proportions and my starter has explanded beyond the quart jar that I was in. I have a canning ring at the top with an old piece of clean t-shirt material so it is no big deal, I will just swap out a clean t-shirt square this evening with I feed it agian, but I wanted to put the warning out there!

It is also freaking HOT here today and currently 82 in the house...that may or may not have anything to do with the increased rise.

 

[VickiLynn]

So tune in tomorrow

for another episode of ......


As The Starter Grows

 

[Dace]

 

[Shiloh Acres]

So tune in tomorrow

for another episode of ......


As The Starter Grows

LOL too funny!

I'll be watching -- errr reading -- the next episode! Finally found EXPENSIVE rye flour at the third store, and ... Forgot the water. All I have is tap water. I guess since I'm looking at a couple weeks' delay before I even know if it works, I might as well wait and get off to the best start (no pun intended!) possible. I REALLY wanna get started though!

 

[mamagoose]

OK I officaly started my first starter last night!!! I'm more of a visual person so I watched some vids , found the simplest things to do and my daughter and I did it together.

We came down to feed it first thing this morning and she said "did we catch anything mom?" I'm not sure. Should it be bubbleing yet? We started last night @ 8 pm.

 

[Dace]

OK I officaly started my first starter last night!!! I'm more of a visual person so I watched some vids , found the simplest things to do and my daughter and I did it together.

We came down to feed it first thing this morning and she said "did we catch anything mom?" I'm not sure. Should it be bubbleing yet? We started last night @ 8 pm.

What I read was this: After mixing up the starter, wait about 12 hours. Take the plastic wrap off the starter so you can get a good look at it and smell it too. At this point there is a very good chance that you'll see bubbles in the starter. If not, stir the starter vigorously, cover the starter again and let it sit for another 12 hours or so. Then check and stir again. If you don't see bubbles in two days, pitch the flour and water and start over. If you go through this twice with no results, you may want to change brands of whole wheat flour. And you may want to switch to bottled spring water. Changes to the smell of the starter will tell you that something is happening. If you looked at the Starting A Starter page, you should know that the first critters to start a starter may or may not be the final ones to rule the starter. So, if it smells bad don't be too surprised or at all discouraged - it's a sign of life, and that's a good thing.

Once you see bubbles, it's time to give the starter a feeding adding another 1/4 cup of water stirring that into the starter, then adding another 3/8 cup of your whole grain flour and stirring that in. (If you are weighing, use another 50 grams each of flour and water.) I like to stir after I add the water and again after I add the flour, it puts more air into the starter, which helps its growth at this phase of its life and it also makes it easier to mix. Even though this is hardly a starter, I think of this as the starter's first feeding. Any time you add flour to your starter, you are feeding it, much as you are feeding your dog when you put dog food in a bowl and put it on the floor for your pooch. You might notice that the feeding was equal parts of flour and water by weight and was enough to double the size of the starter. We're being deliberately loose on the timing at the start of making a starter.

Also, everyone starting a starter should read this page:
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/startingastarter.html

 

[Dace]

Feeding #10

Second time using white flour.

I have found that my explanding starter is not actually hitting the fabric lid...so all is good. I just pour out half, feed and things seem to be moving right along.

I wondered how it would do last night on it's first white flour feeding, seemed fine this morning but since I only change jars in the AM (when I can watch the expansion) I couldn't tell thru the dirty glass how well it has risen. It smelled right though

I love that some of you are following along, this thread can be a good resource in the future if we keep sharing our progress, both failures and successes....so please share away!

 

[keljonma]

Mamagoose....I am not a bread mmachine fan. Most here that are fans, use the machine to mix and raise thier dough, then remove and put inot a proper pan for baking. That is an option, but to me knowing HOW to make bread is a skill. I am pretty versed in simple bread making, but I don't make it anymore as we don't eat bread, except for my 14 yr old son...who loves SD. Plus SD is more digestable for those with gluten intolerances.

I agree, Dace, bread making is a skill we should all have - even if we don't use it on a regular basis. There is nothing better than bread making for working through a problem, talking to God, and making the whole place smell like "home".

I will say though, that I appreciate that my bread machine can be kneading the dough while I am out playing with honey bees. Then I can come in, divide/let rise and bake the bread, while extracting honey for that hot bread once it comes out of the oven !!!

 

[Kim_NC]

Mamagoose....I am not a bread mmachine fan. Most here that are fans, use the machine to mix and raise thier dough, then remove and put inot a proper pan for baking. That is an option, but to me knowing HOW to make bread is a skill. I am pretty versed in simple bread making, but I don't make it anymore as we don't eat bread, except for my 14 yr old son...who loves SD. Plus SD is more digestable for those with gluten intolerances.

I agree, Dace, bread making is a skill we should all have - even if we don't use it on a regular basis. There is nothing better than bread making for working through a problem, talking to God, and making the whole place smell like "home".

I will say though, that I appreciate that my bread machine can be kneading the dough while I am out playing with honey bees. Then I can come in, divide/let rise and bake the bread, while extracting honey for that hot bread once it comes out of the oven !!!

Me too. I can make it by hand - kneading and all that. BUT I really prefer the time saving of my bread machines using the dough only cycle. Or the stand mixer. Time and effort are valuable commodities to me. So much to do, so little time. LOL