I'm trying to make a "sourdough" starter...have any suggestions?

Answer 1

Sourdough Starters Print

Starters, fermented colonies of yeast and bacillus, have been used for centuries to both leaven and flavor bread. Sourdough breads remain very popular. Today's bakers make a wide range of baked goods from starters, or soured doughs, including pancakes , biscuits , and from Cakerecipe.com, chocolate cake . In addition there are many different types of "starters" from all over the world. Each consists of different combinations of yeast and bacillus species, and each has a unique taste and texture.
Getting Started
Some of the best starters are established, stable colonies that have been developed to provide predictable results. Adopting or purchasing a tried and true starter is your best bet, although you can begin your own with very little trouble. Yeast and bacillus are everywhere in our environment, including the water and milled grains used to make most starters. It is possible to mix together just these two ingredients, and create a new starter in a number of days. We have recipes for wild yeast starters here on the site, as well as a few made with domesticated yeast, i.e. packages of active dry yeast. Domesticated yeast have been developed to give predictable rising characteristics. The starters made with them are more akin to sponges in the beginning, and may require many months to develop the "tang" of a sourdough.

Recipes for Success
Regardless of the source of the yeast, there are a few things to keep in mind when making a starter from scratch.

Use dechlorinated water: adding chlorine to your starter will almost certainly destroy the very organisms you are hoping to nurture. Use filtered water, or simply leave the water open to the air for 24 hours to evaporate the chlorine.
Choose unprocessed grains such as whole wheat or rye flour for the best results when beginning a starter. You can switch to bread flour or all-purpose flour after the first few feedings.
One of the most common mistakes made during the first few days of culture is starving the yeast. Even if you do not see any activity, the starter must be fed every 24 hours in the beginning. Failure to provide enough food for your colony will result in a stinky gooey mess, as mold and "bad" bacteria take over your starter.
Store in a glass or ceramic container, and cover with a loose fitting lid or a piece of damp cheesecloth.
Did it work?
Your starter should resemble a foamy, thick pancake batter, the aroma yeasty and slightly sour. Starters will sometimes separate into a clear liquid and a denser layer of flour. This is fine, just stir it together before using. If the mixture smells bad, is any color other than creamy white or slightly yellow, or has a furry mold colony - throw it out. Also, if there are no bubbles after 3 to 5 days, discard and begin again.

Maintaining Your Starter
Professional bakers keep their starters at room temperature, and feed at 6 to 8 hour intervals. This method produces a lot, and if you are not baking everyday you could end up flushing a good bit down the kitchen sink. Most home bakers store starter in the refrigerator. This slows down the growth of both the yeast and the bacillus.

Feeding Tips

Room temperature is considered to be between 70 to 80 degrees F (21 to 27 degrees C). Cooler temperatures will tend to slow down growth, while warmer temperatures will speed it up. Take this into consideration when setting up a feeding schedule. You should plan to feed your starter every 6 to 8 hours when it is kept at room temperature.
Usually a feeding consists of stirring in amounts of flour and water equal to the amount of starter you have. For instance, if you have 2 cups of starter, stir in 2 cups flour and 2 cups water. This may have to be adjusted slightly to maintain the consistency.
Always feed the starter at the peak of activity, when the mixture is bubbling actively and is at its greatest volume. Do not wait for the scheduled feeding, especially if the volume is decreasing. This indicates that the yeast have run out of food, and are beginning to die off.
After feeding, whip air into the batter using a wire whisk to provide the yeast with a bountiful amount of oxygen.
Tips For Refrigerated Starters
A refrigerator will keep your starter at temperatures between 36 and 38 degrees F (2 to 3 degrees C). Growth will slow quite a bit, but not completely. Feed the starter right before placing in the refrigerator, and whip with a wire whisk to incorporate oxygen. The starter will need to be fed once a week. If you will not be using it, discard half, measure, and feed accordingly.

There are differing opinions about using the starter after it has been stored in the refrigerator. All agree on one point. The starter should be fed at least once, and allowed to reach peak activity before incorporating into a recipe. This will take about 6 to 8 hours. For the best flavor, some recommend building the starter up with several feedings in order to bring the yeast and bacillus to the best possible level of activity. Since there are many thousands of organisms per gram starter, you can use very small amounts of starter in this process. Remove 2 tablespoons from your starter, and mix with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water. Continue feeding at 6 hour intervals until you have made enough starter for your recipe. After the first feeding maintain a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part flour:1 part water per feeding, effectively doubling the starter each time you feed it.

Freezing And Drying
These are additional methods of storage, and are also good insurance policies against losing an especially good creation. When the starter has reached peak activity, give it a mini feeding, about 1/4 of what you would ordinarily feed it. Freeze in an airtight container. To use, defrost at room temperature. Feed, and then use when the mixture is bubbly and active. Alternatively, spread starter in a thin layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to dry at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. To restart, crumble dried starter in warm water, and begin regular feedings. Store frozen for up to 6 months or dried for 2 to 3 months. Incidentally, sending dried starter through the mail is an excellent way to share it with a far away friend or relative.

Here is a handy index of the starter recipes on the site. With a little tender loving care, the one you begin today could last for centuries.




Sourdough Starter I
Submitted by: Becky Richardson
"A starter good for any sourdough recipe."
Original recipe yield: 1 cup starter every 3 days.
Prep Time:10 MinutesReady In:3 Days 11 Hours 20 MinutesServings:4 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons instant mashed potato flakes
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

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DIRECTIONS:
Combine instant potatoes, sugar, water, and yeast in a covered container. Let the starter sit on a counter for 5 days, stirring daily with a wooden spoon.
On the morning of the fifth day, feed the starter with 3 tablespoons instant potatoes, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 cup warm water. In the evening, take out 1 cup of the starter to use in a sourdough recipe. Refrigerate the remaining starter.
Every five days, feed the starter 3 tablespoons instant potatoes, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 cup water. If starter is to be used in a recipe, let the fed starter rest at room temperature 6 hours before use. If starter is not being used in a recipe, keep refrigerated and discard 1 cup of starter after each feeding.



Herman Sourdough Starter
Submitted by: Sue
"This is a recipe for a sweet sourdough starter known as Herman. There are a number of things that can be made from it. It's very important to NOT use metal utensils or bowls! It will take 15 days for the starter to mature and be ready to use the first time you make it. After that it can be ready for use every 10 days."
Original recipe yield: 4 cups.
Prep Time:30 MinutesReady In:6 Days 22 Hours 40 MinutesServings:8 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar

1 cup white sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups milk, divided

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DIRECTIONS:
In a large glass or plastic container, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in the flour and sugar, mix until smooth. (DO NOT USE A METAL SPOON)! Cover loosely and store in a warm place overnight.
The next day, stir and refrigerate.
Stir once each day for the next four days. On the fifth day, stir, then divide in half. Give half away with feeding instructions.
Feed starter with 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk. Stir until smooth. Cover and place in refrigerator. Stir once each day for next four days.
On the tenth day feed again with 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk. Return to refrigerator and stir once each day for the next four days.
On the fifteenth day it is ready to be used for baking. Reserve one cup of the starter in the refrigerator and continue to follow the stir and feed cycle (Stir once a day for four days, stir and feed on the fifth day, ready for use on the tenth day.)

Answer 2

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 boiled potatoes
2 cups water

Boil potatoes in the 2 cups water until they are very very soft and falling apart. Strain potatoe water into a large glass bowl and let it cool to lukewarm. Discard the potato pulp.
Add sugar, yeast, flour and mix well with a wooden spoon.
Never use metal in sourdough starter.
Cover the bowl with a clean dry cotton towel.
Place the bowl in a warm ,draft free place and stir everyday. The starter will start to bubble and grow. It should develop a nice yeasty/sour smell. After about 2 weeks it is ready to use. Always remember to keep a little starter back when using to start your next batch. Feed your starter every week with a little flour and warm water and sometimes a pinch of sugar to rev it up if it has gotten "lazy". I store my starter in a glass jar in the fridge. let it come to room temp and feed it if it has sat for a long time unused. A thin dark liquid may develop on top, this is ok.Pour it off and add a little water and mix well. If you get too much starter, give some to a friend.

Answer 3

Water and flour to make a thin paste. A couple of tablespoons of sugar well incorporated. Let it sit out , preferably near an open window to let 'wild' yeast start to ferment it.
They keyword is 'wild yeast'. Using a bread yeast isn't really a sourdough. And the taste will vary around the country depending on the prevelent 'wild yeast'.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Simply make about one cup of dough, just using a little water, about 2 tablespoons of vinegar, add 1 pack of yeast mix well then let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days.

If you want to speed things up, let it sit on the kitchen counter for about one day. You can check how it's coming by tasting a bit of it.

Answer 6

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