Sourdough chit chat

**~Sherry~** · 03-09-2011, 08:54 AM

So I am getting ready to try my very first sourdough starter.

Let's hear your experiences, recipes, tips, tricks, advice, thoughts, anything...

**Saule** · 03-09-2011, 12:13 PM

There are a lot of starter recipes, but I think the best one is one that has just flour and water - it will rely on the yeast that is found on the grain, and is likely to go funky on you. This is the recipe I have used, Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter Recipe - Food.com - 116648

And this is a great tutorial on how to do it, DEMO: How to Make a Sourdough Starter Community Forums - p1 - Food.com

I refresh by throwing out more than half of it, and then adding flour and water. This gives the yeasties in the starter a lot of food to go after and gets them nice and active.

Once you get your starter developed remember to save some - take a spoonful and spread it as thin as you can on a piece of plastic film, Let it dry until until it is bone-dry. Then flake it up and put it in a piece of foil, and then put that in a zippered bag. Refrigerate. If your original starter goes funky or dies, all you need to do is soften some of the flakes in some lukewarm water, then proceed to feed in the normal manner - you are way ahead of the game, then.

When storing extra starter in the fridge, I am heavy on the flour - not an equal amount of flour and water - that helps maintain it in better condition.

If you hate the idea of throwing the extra starter down the sink, you can add up to 1/2 cup to quick bread recipes, pancake recipes, etc without making any real changes to them.

**~Sherry~** · 03-17-2011, 06:00 PM

Well my first attempt was a flop.

I fed it daily for a week... had bubbles and a sour smell. Made my "sponge" (it foamed and smelled sour) and then the bread dough... but it won't rise.
Anyone have experience?

**Saule** · 03-17-2011, 09:53 PM

Sourdough doughs can take much longer to rise - if you waited only an hour, then you may just not have given it enough time. Young starters are sometimes not quite strong enough, and you might want to add a little yeast to help it along - say a teaspoon or so. You'll still get the flavor but have more reliable results.

Did you save some of the starter? Be sure to refresh it and keep it going - the longer you maintain it, the better and stronger it will be.

**Ceashels** · 03-18-2011, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Saule

I refresh by throwing out more than half of it, and then adding flour and water. This gives the yeasties in the starter a lot of food to go after and gets them nice and active.

Once you get your starter developed remember to save some - take a spoonful and spread it as thin as you can on a piece of plastic film, Let it dry until until it is bone-dry. Then flake it up and put it in a piece of foil, and then put that in a zippered bag. Refrigerate. If your original starter goes funky or dies, all you need to do is soften some of the flakes in some lukewarm water, then proceed to feed in the normal manner - you are way ahead of the game, then.

When storing extra starter in the fridge, I am heavy on the flour - not an equal amount of flour and water - that helps maintain it in better condition.

If you hate the idea of throwing the extra starter down the sink, you can add up to 1/2 cup to quick bread recipes, pancake recipes, etc without making any real changes to them.

Thank you for this information. In the past I've always kept my ratios for flour and water equal. I might need to give a sourdough starter a try again this spring.

One thing I have had happen though is that my finished product turns out pasty when I eat it. I cook it to 205F, I let it cool completely (well almost), and it slices well. But when I take a bite it feels like it turns to paste. Any ideas? Do I need to cook it longer/ to a higher temp?

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-18-2011, 02:12 PM

I have been perfecting my bread recipes for a while but have yet to do a sourdough.. Maybe I'll give it a try this week

**~Sherry~** · 03-20-2011, 10:34 AM

I let it "rise" for about 5 hours and had nothing but a dried out crusty lumpy. lol
I still have the rest of the starter. I fed it and out it in the fridge. Should I just feed it weekly and see what happens, try again in a few weeks? Or what?

**Saule** · 03-20-2011, 10:44 PM

Sherry, what happens when you feed your starter - does it double or so in the container, become frothy, with a tangy smell - it should smell sour but not bad. You're not keeping it on the counter for a week and only feeding once, are you?

**~Sherry~** · 03-21-2011, 05:50 PM

It has never doubled or grown in any way. I do get the sour smell and bubbles, but not really froth.
I kept it on the counter and fed it daily for a week.

**Saule** · 03-21-2011, 10:57 PM

OK, if it is not doubling and getting frothy, it's not alive - that's why your bread is not rising. If you are keeping your starter on your counter, you need to feed it daily - feeding once a week is just not enough.

Take a look at this thread on how to make and maintain a starter, DEMO: How to Make a Sourdough Starter Community Forums - p1 - Food.com

This is the same recipe I use and it is very reliable.

**~Sherry~** · 03-22-2011, 08:56 AM

Like I said above, I did feed it daily. I'm not sure why it didn't work, but I'm not discouraged. I'll try try again! Thanks for the link, I think I will try that next time.

**Saule** · 03-23-2011, 08:33 PM

ah, you did say you fed it daily - an active starter might need feeding more than once a day. But it really does not matter - if it did not double/froth up, it was not alive. Sometimes it just does not work and you have to start over again.

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-24-2011, 08:11 AM

So I did try and I'm confused.
I made my starter in a pyrex bowl with a lid, I set it on top of my fridge over night . I went to feed it only 24 hrs later I think it was already done!
It was puffy, and frothy .It looked just like when I bloom yeast in warm water but had no oder. But it had only been 24 hrs so I thought there was no way it could be done so I took out half and fed it, put it back on fridge.
The next morning when I checked on it , it was nasty. It went flat and smelled VERY strong.
Was it actually ready to be refrigerated after only 24 hrs and it went bad on me the second day? I tossed it and will try again. Was putting in on top of fridge where I went wrong?

**Saule** · 03-25-2011, 08:45 AM

You want it to be covered but not air-tight - it does need air. I do put it in a sealed container when I'm in storage mode, but then I put in about twice the amount of flour that I normally use.

I would normally refresh it at least a few times, but it sounds like you had very fresh flour for it to have bubbled up quite so much. If the batch in the fridge is flat, maybe has some clear liquid on it, that's fine - it just means the yeasties ate all the food available. Throw out half, put in more flour and water, stir very vigorously to incorporate oxygen. You might add a 1/2 tsp or so of lemon juice or mild vinegar to create a more acid environment.

It will take time for the more sour taste to develop.