How to Make and Maintain a Sourdough Starter

Sourdough bread is a luxurious treat in most households. A good loaf of California Sourdough can cost 7 or 8 dollars in a bakery. This recipe reduces the cost to less than a dollar and it is so easy to do.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A 1-quart glass jar
• Whole-wheat flour
• Filtered or bottled water (Not plain tap)
• 1/4 cup honey

1. Mix 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup honey. Pour starter into the glass jar, cover with a clean cloth and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
2. Move the starter into a glass or plastic bowl. Mix in ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup water. Wash the jar and rinse it thoroughly. Pour starter back into the jar, cover and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
3. Repeat step 2 four more times. Letting the starter sit for 24 hours each time.
4. On the 7th day pour your starter into a bowl. Stir it well and remove 1/2 cup starter and discard it. This will keep your starter a manageable size. Feed it 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup flour as usual and put it back in the clean jar to sit for 24 hours.
5. Repeat step 4 six times, each time removing 1/2 cup, feeding it as usual and letting it sit for 24 hours.
6. On the 14th day your starter should be ready. It should be getting frothy on top and bubbly throughout. It will start rising and falling all on it’s own. If you are not seeing this at all you need to start over.
7. At least twice a week remove 1 cup starter to make bread or discard and replace it with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water.
8. See the Resources section below for my sourdough bread recipe

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you keep the jar covered with a thin piece of cloth. This will allow the starter to breath.
• If you want to make large batches of bread feed the starter for 2 or 3 days without removing any.
• Rinse the jar thoroughly after washing it. The soap will kill your starter.
• Do not use tap water. The chlorine in it will kill the starter.
• Do not keep your starter in a metal container. The starter is very acidic.