Sourdough bread is made without using any added yeast, all of the yeast comes from the addition of the sourdough starter. Having a sourdough starter at your disposal is a nice luxury without much added work. A sourdough starter, when made and kept properly can last a lifetime. Once you make a good sourdough starter, you won’t need to buy yeast again to make sourdough bread!

How to Make a Sourdough Starter

What You’ll Need

Water

Flour

A Glass Container

Wooden Spoon

 

Make your sourdough starter in a glass container to avoid contaminants entering the mix. Make sure the container is cleaned and sanitized before use.

Mix equal parts warm water and flour. I started with a cup of each. Start small, your starter will be fed and will grow every day so unless you’ll be making bread every day, you won’t be able to keep up!

Cover with a clean cloth or paper towel and let sit for 24 hours in a warm place, at least 70 degrees.

Stir your starter and add equal parts flour and water again to “feed” it. For regular, daily feedings I add ½ cup of each.

Your starter should become bubbly and separate over the days it’s stored. The separation is natural and the color should be yellow. This is called “hooch” and is a natural part of the fermentation process. If your hooch is brown or orange in color, discard your starter and start over. This means a nasty bacteria got into your container. It is around 6% alcohol, but don’t drink it! You can remove it or stir it back into the starter. Keeping it will not make your bread alcoholic.

Stay tuned for caring for your sourdough starter tomorrow!

 

By Elizabeth Adan

Elizabeth Adan is a Freelance Writer, Publicist and Brand Ambassador. Her blog Aquaberry Bliss is a unique food and travel blog dedicated to expanding your world and inspiring your creativity. When Elizabeth isn’t traveling, you’ll find her writing, hiking or gardening. Find Elizabeth on Twitter @stillaporcupine and on LinkedIn.