How to Make Sourdough Starter

Sourdough Bread

True sourdough bread is made with no added yeast. Instead, home-grown "starter" is used to provide the fermentation and leavening that gives the bread its tangy flavor and satisfying texture.Here's a way to make sourdough starter at home. You will need to start this project about a week before you plan to begin baking, because the starter takes time to develop.

Things You'll Need

• Clean container with lid (a mayonnaise jar is fine, or a Tupperware with snap-on lid)
• Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup flour

Instructions

How to Make Sourdough Starter

1. Begin with a clean jar or container. Blend one cup of warm water and a cup of flour to stir. Place in jar or container and cover with lid.

2. Store at room temperature, about 70-75 degrees. On top of the fridge works for me.

3. Every 24 hours, feed the starter. Do that by discarding half the mixture and adding 1/2 cup warm water and 1/2 cup flour. Re-cover the starter after each feeding and put back into its warm place.

4. Within 3-4 days, the starter will begin to bubble and ferment. There will be a distinctive (but not unpleasant) sour smell, sort of like a brewery. That means the yeast is working. This process may happen a little sooner, or it may take up to a week. In any case, when it bubbles and smells like this, the starter is ready to use.

5. Place starter in refrigerator, with lid propped open just a bit (if it's a mayo jar, punch a hole in the lid) to store it. Use as needed in baking. You can keep replenishing starter by adding 1/2 cup warm water and 1/2 cup flour each week to the mixture.

Tips & Warnings

• If a watery layer forms on the refrigerated starter, that's ok - you can just stir it gently back in and use it.

• Regular, all-purpose flour works fine for this recipe, but you can use unbleached or whole wheat flour, too. Don't use self-rising.

• Don't use metallic containers to begin the starter, as the metal can react with the yeast as it's forming. For the same reason, use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir the starter.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish