Making your own sourdough starter can be challenging or super easy. I tried for the first time and its now on 24 days old from July 10, 2013. I have never tried ever to make one, however, I did read up on it a lot. So many sites offer how-to, advice, feed for the first 5 days. Then after that, you hardly find information to tend your sourdough baby after the 5 days. Below I will simply explain how to start one. Mind you can make wheat, white, gluten, and so on of your own version of flour. I, however, did the unbleached all-purpose flour on the king Arthur site! I also go both ways, fridge, and on the top fridge and will explain in the end how to tend after the 5 days. Results may vary a person to person. Also if your sourdough turns pink dump it and restart over. King Arthur Flour has many yummy recipes!
One smart tip what to keep the sourdough starter in anything but metal…
Day 1.
2 cups of all purpose flour
2 1.4 teaspoon of yeast
2 cups warm water
Day 2.
1/2 cups of flour and water
Day 3.
1/2 cup of flour and water
As you see some yellow liquid has formed that’s called Hooch that’s normal, you can just mix it in, or if it creates a layer on top just dump it. When I was in first 4 days I just mixed it in. When it hit 7-10 days I dumped it. Then after 11 days, you don’t see the Hooch anymore.
Day 4.
1/2 cup of flour and water
Day 5.
By this day or maybe 4 your dough without being ready to be used.
I, however, waited to tell day 6 to make bread. Even then it wasn’t that sour. Day 10 bread got better, and I made some yesterday on day 23 and it been the best so far. So the longer you wait for the sour the bread.
Day 6-present.
This is when you choose your version fridge or on top, the fridge and below will be how to feed it.
Fridge sourdough starter:
This version of the other one is bit different. The color is more white, the bubbles are smaller. You only need to feed 3 times a week of the 5 days, and once on the weekend. Super easy. Same amount though 1/2 cup flour and water. Stir it in, cover with clear wrap and place in the fridge. Mine sits on the fridge door. This version is a little more liquid than the other version. With fridge SD (sourdough) you wanna use this on pizza dough or treats unless you do the sponge version of baking. This version is more of a sweet-sour smell and its a bit odd smelling but that’s normal.
On top the fridge sourdough starter:
With on top fridge sourdough, this is the hardest one to tend of the two. It will also have a yellow tint to it, and bubbles on top & the bottom should be bubble free! The liquid should be somewhat thicker. If it does get the liquid like add little more flour and less water on one the feeds. Now some people will feed them 1-2 times a day, or every other day, or they might wait a while. I, however, feed it 2 times a day. 1/2 cup flour, and a half cup of water both times. Though sometimes I will forget and will do it once, or I might skip a day, but that hasn’t happened yet. I use a 67-ounce jar for this one and then use a clear wrap to close it up, but enough it can breathe. So just add in your 1/2 cups of flour and water when you get a chance, mix it with anything but metal. Cover up and place on top the fridge for the next day. Mind it may expand, and if it’s really hot day it will expand, so just grab it and stir. Also the longer the days the scourer your sourdough is. If you plan to cook with a cup or two don’t feed it that day it will lose a lot of its sourness and your food won’t be as moist and sour. So with that said don’t go over a week without feeding it. Do every day or every other. Tap water or filter water is fine. I use tap though. Stir it if you see it expanding, and keep it covered. I also just learned fruit fly’s love this stuff, so keep your jar clean! If you go a week and don’t use any, dump a cup out, or hand your friend a cup of instructions!
