Comments on: How to Acquire a Sourdough Starter

By: Jennifer Bell

Jennifer Bell — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:51:57 +0000

This sourdough starter is amazing — it took off and grew so quickly I have been sharing with anyone who will listen. I used the sourdough no-knead but doubled it and refrigerated it for about 16 hours for a more sour flavor — then let it sit on the counter overnight. I baked it in a 450 dutch oven that was preheated for 35 min. before taking the top off for browning. It was deliciously sour and the texture if perfect for sandwiches — it’s pretty dense which is what I wanted, not lots of airy holes. If you are thinking about making sourdough bread, get the starter and make the leap! you will be happy you did!

By: Breadtopia

Breadtopia — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:16:31 +0000

Hi Michelle,

The most common cause of this is over proofing so there’s little oomph left in the starter by the time you get to the second rise. Shorten your first rise substantially and see what happens.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:57:50 +0000

I think something’s wrong with my starter. My first rise is great but very spongy, and the 2nd rise is not much at all. Then the bread is very dense.

By: Lee Smith

Lee Smith — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:40:37 +0000

More what the pros do. I just got back from a cruise on Oceania Cruise Lines who list Jaques Pepin as their executive chef, although I have no idea how involved he is. In any case the food is always amazing and interesting. The baguettes are a staple. I like the taste of my bread a little better, but their texture is better, I’m working on that. In any case I cornered the chef on the starter issue. They indeed do hold out enough dough from day to day for next day’s starter. My guess is that if you make bread on a relative day to day basis, the yesterday’s dough method is as good as “permanent” starter. They also use yeast along with the starter. I do it with or without yeast depending on the recipe or the circumstances. I don’t think there is a best way. My daughter prefers the yeast taste. Anyway I’m anxious to see what others have to say about recycled dough as starter, and about yeast/no yeast. I’m a racing sailor, and as the books say after long discussions about outwitting the other boats, “Don’t forget to have fun.”

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:56:41 +0000

Hi Elena:

If you are baking a large quantity of sourdough bread daily you might consider doing what bakeries do… They use the entire sourdough each day, and after the daily bread has “ripened” they save a quantity in a cool place for tomorrow’s bread….and this becomes the daily routine… by the way, the sourdough should become stronger and stronger when replenished in this way…

By: Breadtopia

Breadtopia — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:43:59 +0000

Hi Elena,

Perhaps I can weigh in on this also. There’s a bakery near me that turns out a lot of sourdough bread daily. Because they’re replenishing it so frequently, they just store it in a cool location. They’ve also developed a routine based on sales projections how much to feed it every day so they’re not short but also so they don’t have to dispose of any. Maybe once you get in a rhythm with your baking, you’ll be able to manage it in a similar way.

By: Elena

Elena — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:33:59 +0000

hello Tim,
I have a question, I’ve just started to make my own starter, kind of learning, what if I bake bread everyday in a big quantities? So i don’t need to store my starter to refri, Do I feed it everyday by tossing some out? Pleas can you explain me please how can I use my starter everyday.
thank you

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 19:33:46 +0000

I’m really glad I found your blog! I just got into making sourdough when my friend sent me a bag of starter via mail. I’m wondering though, my starter does bubble on top, but it often leaves hooch on top after a few hours. And it hardly doubles in size when left in a glass jar. Is the starter too weak? I’ve been feeding it at least once or twice a day, and I have been baking with it with somewhat success. The last time, the dough did not rise at all after kneading and left in a warm oven. It smelled really sour. I was surprised since I have had it rise successfully several times already. Any input? Thanks! I’m thinking about trying some of your starter to compare.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:39:50 +0000

Susan: I don’t know the answer to the first question, and I will be diving into the second after this soccer season..

By: VASusan

VASusan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:20:32 +0000

Tim,
I hope I’m not bothering you, but I was wondering, did the Baker add the split pea mush to flour to make a starter or was the mush what he used for his starter? Did it have a strong odor? Are you having any luck with your split pea mush?