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When I first started sourdough years ago… I found sourdough incredibly intimidating, overcomplicated and too time consuming. However after more and more research and 3 starters later I have a wonderful mature starter I use almost daily. So let me break it down for you along with sharing a simple step by step schedule and recipe!

What is sourdough?

Sourdough is simply a combination of water and flour that is naturally fermented that is used in the place of commercial yeast to make your bread rise.

Starter

There are many ways to get some sourdough starter. First of all you can make a starter with just water and flour. This can be time consuming and will require even more time and feedings for it to become mature and reliable for bread recipes. Another great way to get a starter is sourcing from local bakers. Many bakers will either sell or giveaway starter if you ask! You can also buy dehydrated starter online, this is what I did when I was first starting out so I knew exactly what I was getting. This is what I started with - https://amzn.to/40xfsYK

Here are a few other ideas you may want to consider when starting your sourdough journey -

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https://amzn.to/40GHFwe

https://amzn.to/40EAxjR

https://amzn.to/4hiuXuM

How do I maintain my starter?

Now there are many ways you can maintain your starter and it can even be controversial. However this is what works best for me. I start by discarding some of the starter into a clean jar or bowl for a discard recipe. Then I get my scale out and place another clean jar on it and 0 it out. (also known as the Tare on the scale) Now I put my remaining starter in this jar. Say I have 100 grams of starter to feed. I will now feed it 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water. The flour you use is up to you. I use organic unbleached bread flour. The water you will want to ensure you use needs to be filtered and warmed to about baby bottle temperature. DO NOT USE TAP WATER… unless you have a filter or well water. I made this mistake the first time without realizing my tap water had chlorine in it and I was killing my starter by using it. You could also feed at a 1:1:1 ratio which means 1 part starter to 1 part water and 1 part flour. So if you have 100 grams of starter you will also feed 100 grams water and 100 grams flour. I find this ends up being too much for the amounts I need on a regular basis. If I know I am going to be baking a lot this is the method I will use to bulk up my starter.

Hooch

Sometimes your starter may develop what is called “hooch” on top. This is a liquid that is occasionally a brownish color. If your starter has developed a hooch this means it is hungry and needs to be fed. Some people mix in the hooch and others dump it out. If you mix it back into your starter it is fine just remember your bread will have a stronger “sour” taste.

Discard

This was one step that always confused me. You do not need to discard a certain amount (unless you want to for a specific recipe). By discarding some it keeps your quantity manageable, the microorganisms healthy, and prevents excessive growth. You can either dump your discard (I never do this because I feel it is wasteful) or use it in a recipe. Here is another tip - if you are making bread with an active bubbly starter, and pull from your starter at its peak you do not need to discard at the next feeding unless you want or need to. If you have a very mature starter you can occasionally skip discarding. For example my starter is very well established and if I have a small amount and need to bulk it up I will feed twice that day and skip one of the discards. Discarding is important to maintain a healthy starter so try to not make this a habit.

Active Starter

Active starter is a starter that has been fed within 4-12 hours, is bubbly and has doubled in size. We like to see our starter double in size in 4-6 hours. However not all recipes call for an active starter at its peak so that's why I say 12 hours max for an active starter. You can tell your starter is at its peak when it's nearly doubled in size and you'll be able to see a slight doming on the top. It is no longer at its peak after it has started to fall which you can typically see it'll have a small crater effect on the top.

Using the refrigerator

If you plan to only bake a loaf of bread here and there you may not be interested in feeding your starter everyday. (Yes, daily feedings are a must) So if you do not want to have this worry you can put your starter in the fridge. In order to do so, put a regular lid on your starter loosely after feeding and pop her in the fridge. After being in the fridge I recommend trying to feed once a week. You can go longer but if your starter is not very mature it can go bad. When you take your starter out I recommend at least 2 feedings before baking to ensure she is fully active again.

Simple Schedule

Now here is a simple recipe you can follow as you begin getting the hang of it!

Ingredients

60 Grams Starter

350 Grams Warm Water

500 Grams Bread Flour

10 Grams Salt (Preferably Celtic)

Recipe

We are going to start by mixing with a wooden spoon, 60 grams of active starter (fed within the past 12 hours & still bubbly) with 350 warm water. Mix these together until the starter has mostly dissolved into the water.

Now you are going to add in your 500 grams of bread flour and 10 grams of salt. You can begin mixing these together with your spoon and finish by mixing by hand. You will want to mix until you have a sticky but somewhat uniform dough.

After these are combined, get a warm wet rag and cover your bowl. Now let your dough rest for 30-45 minutes.

After your time is up lightly flour a clean surface and remove the dough from the bowl. You are going to do your first set of stretch and folds. A stretch and fold is exactly what it sounds like, pull from an edge of the dough, stretch it out, and fold back into the middle of your dough. You will want to do this around the entirety of your bread and rotate around.

When your stretch and folds are complete place your bread back in the bowl and cover again with the damp towel.

Your bread will now need to proof. My home tends to be on the cooler side so right before I go to bed I put my dough in the oven with the light on and then remove it first thing in the morning. If your home is warmer or you don’t want to bake first thing in the morning you do not need to do this and can leave it on the kitchen counter.
After your dough has doubled in size, you will need to lightly flour the counter top once again and repeat the stretch and folds.

Now after you have completed your stretch and folds, let the dough rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes.

After 10-15 minutes, place the dough in a floured banneton and let rest again for 45-60 minutes. I typically set a timer for 45 minutes and then begin preheating my oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. DO NOT PREHEAT YOUR DUTCH OVEN

Once your oven is preheated, place your dough onto a piece of parchment paper and slash the top with a knife or razor blade.

Lower your parchment down into your cast iron, place the lid on and put into the oven. If you do not use a silicone bread sling in your dutch oven I recommend putting a cookie tray under your dutch oven to prevent the bottom from becoming too dark.

Let bake with the lid on for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and let it bake for another 20 minutes.

When your 20 minutes is up, remove the bread from the dutch oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

While it can be tempting I typically recommend waiting to slice your bread until it has cooled completely.

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Sourdough Basics: A Simple Schedule & Recipe

Mamas mindful moments