Briana Milner This Sourdough Starter makes the most delicious Sourdough bread! Follow along for this easy step-by-step recipe!
During the pandemic, we were not only home-bound, but sometimes, could not find the foods our family was used to eating. I know we were not the only ones as we talked with others who found themselves in the same situation. It was during this time that I thought about trying the Sourdough Starter so I could make our own bread at home. I saw this huge trend of sourdough starter’s, and I wanted to jump on the bandwagon!
My mother-in-law came to visit after the birth of our baby (who is a huge reason why I love the kitchen!), and as we discussed the possibility of making bread at home, I asked her about the Sourdough Starter. She’s more adventurous than I am in the kitchen, and she said, “Why not?!” That night was the beginning of the adventure with sourdough.
This recipe is time crucial. But have no fear!
Due to the fact that I had a newborn, I had alllll the alarms set because “feeding” your sourdough needs to be done at the same time everyday. Having a newborn, I was sleep deprived, so multiple alarms really couldn’t hurt. I chose a time that would work best for me, which was after my kids were in bed asleep.
How do I get started?
I found the steps to be much easier than I had anticipated they would be, and since this sourdough recipe does not require yeast as other bread recipes do, that was helpful too as yeast was not always available in the stores. And it is so cheap!
What do I do with the discard?
When we split the recipe (see step #2), we would use the excess for pancakes, waffles, and rolls. You must discard some of your sourdough starter each time you feed it. The discarding process is necessary to build a healthy sourdough starter.
Ingredients:
1 cup flour all purpose – I used all-purpose flour in this recipe, but you can use unbleached or whole wheat if you prefer.
1 cup filtered water – Filtered or purified is the best.
Day 1: in a large bowl, mix together 1 cup flour and 1 cup water.
Stir well with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Leave somewhere room temperature with a clean kitchen towel covering it such as above the fridge, countertop, etc.
Day 2 (exactly 24 hours later from day 1): remove half of your mixture from the day before and set aside (you can throw away, or you can save it in a sealed container for “discard recipes”.).
Feed it by adding in 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Stir well with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Cover with clean kitchen towel.
Day 3-5 (exactly 24 hours later from the day before): repeat instructions from day 2.
Day 6-7: repeat instructions from days 2-5 but every 12 hours.
After day 7: transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge. Feed it every week to maintain your starter!
Room temperature – because the temperature affects the growth of the starter, we suggest putting the bowl on top of the refrigerator or on the counter top. The cooler the temperature is in the room, the slower your starter will grow.
EXTRAS!
What does it mean to “feed the sourdough”?
“Feeding” your sourdough starter is a ratio of 1:1:1. This means the ratio of adding flour and water to your starter should be equal. We use 1 cup flour and 1 cup warm water to 1 cup of the starter mix to maintain the starter.
Can I cut this recipe in half? Can I double the recipe?
If you prefer a smaller batch, the recipe can be cut in half. Instead of a large bowl, use a large mason jar and cover the starter with a coffee filter or paper towel, closing the jar with a metal ring or a rubber band.
Supply list!
Here are the bowls I used! I used the largest one, but this is a great assortment so you can make half a batch, or transfer your discard to the smaller bowls.
I suggest this large mason jar! I prefer the wide mouth mason jar so that the removing of half of your starter is easy, as well as feeding it!
If you prefer a larger batch, you can double it! Just make sure you have something large enough to cover your bowl, or jar! I suggest this beast of a jar!
Love this recipe? Here’s another one!
If you like this recipe, try this one!
Sourdough Starter
Equipment
- Large bowl glass
- Wooden spoon
- Kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour all purpose
- 1 cup filtered water
Instructions
- Day 1: in a large bowl, mix together 1 cup flour and 1 cup water. Stir well with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Leave somewhere room temperature with a clean kitchen towel covering it such as above the fridge, countertop, etc.
- Day 2 (exactly 24 hours later from day 1): remove half of your mixture from the day before and set aside (you can throw away, or you can save it in a sealed container for “discard recipes”.). Feed it by adding in 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Stir well with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Cover with clean kitchen towel.
- Day 3-5 (exactly 24 hours later from the day before): repeat instructions from day 2.
- Day 6-7: repeat instructions from days 2-5 but every 12 hours.
- After day 7: transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge. Feed it every week to maintain your starter!
