How to Make a Sourdough Starter

Sourdough Bread Overview

Sourdough Recipe Description

Sourdough bread is more than just a loaf; it’s a tradition, a craft, and an experience that is unique to every individual and every individual loaf. At the heart of every great sourdough loaf lies a vibrant and active starter. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to create and maintain your own sourdough starter, ensuring that your breads rise to perfection every time.

Ingredients for Sourdough

Kitchen Tools Needed to Make Sourdough

Step-by-Step Directions to Make Sourdough:

Before we dive into the process of creating your sourdough starter, let’s understand what it is. Sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that’s been fermented by wild yeast and bacteria. This natural leavening agent gives sourdough its distinct flavor and texture. Now, let’s get started on creating your own sourdough starter. Follow these steps:

1. Mix equal parts of flour and water in a clean stainless steel, glass or plastic bowl.
   

   Combine ingredients to create sourdough.



2. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let it sit at room temperature.
   

   Cover the sourdough.



3. Every day, discard half of the starter and feed it with equal parts of flour and water.
   

   Feed flour to the sourdough.



4. Within a few days, you should start to see bubbles forming, indicating that the wild yeast is active.
   

   Bubbles form on the sourdough.

How to keep my sourdough starter

Once your starter is active, it’s essential to maintain it properly to keep it healthy and thriving.

• Feed your starter regularly, ideally once a day or at least every other day.
• Keep your starter at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and drafts.
• If you’re not baking regularly, you can store your starter in the refrigerator and feed it once a week.