It’s extremely simple to make sourdough starter from scratch
All you need is flour, water and time
Follow the simple process in this recipe to create a healthy sourdough starter that will grow and bubble as it gets stronger
Homemade sourdough starters with wild yeast is best for artisan hearth breads
Breads made with wild yeast strains are diverse, robust and complex in flavor
Wild yeasts create the bread structure and work together with the bacteria to bring out that delicious sourdough flavor in the breads we all enjoy
Unbleached all- purpose flours work fine for building a new starter
They provide consistent results and are inexpensive
However, you can also build entire starters on rye, einkorn, or whole wheat flours
You can change the flour you use to feed your starter
This is often desirable when your starter is weak and needs a boost of enzyme action from whole wheat or rye to wake it up
Sourdough starters do get better with age
Well maintained starters get stronger and provide your baked goods with better structure and flavor as they age
Use a quart glass jar container or something about that size in either plastic or glass (mason jars work great)
For best results use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients for your starter
Feed your starter everyday at least once at the same time of day to keep the feedings evenly fed
By weight you add equal amounts of water and flour
This is known as a 1:1:1 ratio recipe
If you get to day four and see no small bubbles forming in your jar try using whole wheat or rye flour for a few feedings
High enzyme content in your flour will help boost the starter and get it going
Make sure you keep the starter at room temperature, around 70 degrees F. throughout the process
Too much heat or cold will inhibit the yeast growth or kill it
Making a sourdough starter is simple, but does require patience
Those little bubbles will show up and grow all in good time
It can take up to two weeks for a starter to get strong enough to bake with