Make Your Own Sourdough Starter
If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, you may want to try creating your own sourdough starter from scratch. Baking bread from scratch is satisfying in its own right, but when you’ve also had a hand in the creation of one of the most fundamental components, the leavening agent itself, you’ll feel an even greater satisfaction and connectedness to the process.
Are there kids in your house? This little science project is ideally suited to sharing with any children you can convince to join in. Culture their budding scientific minds while creating your own bread culture.
This video outlines one simple method that worked for me the first time I tried it. In the video, I give credit for this technique to Peter Reinhart. It has since come to my attention that Debra Wink, a chemist and accomplished baker, is the mastermind and author of this Pineapple Juice Technique. A lot of research and testing went into developing and refining the technique. The choice of pineapple juice over other juices is from much trial and error. Debra was kind enough to email her essay on the Pineapple Juice Technique. Click here for a printable copy of it.
As I mention in the video, the wild yeast spores and lactic-acid bacteria that give your starter its leaving properties are all around you. You are simply creating the conditions ideally suited for them to thrive and multiply. I used whole wheat flour in this recipe because fresh whole wheat flour may harbor greater numbers of yeast spores than ordinary all-purpose flour and so increase your likelihood for success. It worked for me, so you might try the same. If, at any time, you wish to transition your whole wheat sourdough starter to a regular white flour starter, it’s super easy to do so.
I’ve listed the ingredients and approximate steps here to save you the note taking.
- Step 1. Mix 3 ½ tbs. whole wheat flour with ¼ cup unsweetened pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for 48 hours at room temperature. Stir vigorously 2-3x/day. (“Unsweetened” in this case simply means no extra sugar added).
- Step 2. Add to the above 2 tbs. whole wheat flour and 2 tbs. pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for a day or two. Stir vigorously 2-3x/day. You should see some activity of fermentation within 48 hours. If you don’t, you may want to toss this and start over (or go buy some!)
- Step 3. Add to the above 5 ¼ tbs. whole wheat flour and 3 tbs. purified water. Cover and set aside for 24 hours.
- Step 4. Add ½ cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 to 1/3 cup purified water. You should have a very healthy sourdough starter by now.
Notes: I do wonder if the fact that I bake all the time with a sourdough starter (and so theoretically have wild yeast floating around our house by the gazillions and covering everything we own) would increase the likelihood that I would have success creating my own sourdough culture from scratch. So I anxiously await feedback from anyone who attempts this process at home. (You’ll see a nifty little form below for comments and feedback. If you’re shy; you can use the Contact link at the top of the page. While I may report your (mis)adventures, I’ll keep your identity anonymous 
.
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This is the first I’ve tried this and on Day 3 have had some success! Does the pineapple juice impart any pineapple taste to the final baked product? In other words, does the baked bread taste like pineapples?
Hi Karen,
It gets diluted so much that it wouldn’t be detectable in the end.
Greetings, Eric and Madelyn!
My son and daughter-in-law moved to New Hampshire a few months ago, Manchester, and they can’t seem to find sourdough bread anywhere! I told them to find a bakery, not just the bread section in a grocery store. Is there a reason for this?
Also, my starter with the pineapple juice never did get legs. No party in the little buggers! So I’m using the “seed” instructions Peter Reinhart has in his book. This one looks great. Can it be used for no knead? Thanks!
Hi Kathy,
Often times you can find independent bakers selling quality bread at farmers markets (or stores sometimes). Seems like there aught to be something around Manchester.
Sure, you can use sourdough for no knead bread. I do frequently.
Do any of you think that you could use lemon juice instead of p apple?
Really, all you need to do in order to make starter is combine flour and water and wait. Debra Wink found that adding pineapple juice might help with preventing a type of harmful bacteria from ruining your starter. But that harmful bacteria hardly ever comes around anyway, So if you don’t want to use pineapple juice it’s not a big deal and I’d say just go the straight flour and water route.
I keep running into the same problem: whenever I feed my starter, it will initially rise and then falls again shortly after. I will feed it again, it will rise and then fall again. I did the pineapple juice method but started with spelt flour. In the past, I have made the sourdough starter successfully using whole wheat flour. Is it the spelt flour that is the problem? Any ideas? Thanks!
That’s what starter will do. Nothing unusual there no matter what flour you use. You just need to feed it more. Take a tablespoon of your starter and mix it with 5 tablespoons of flour and 3-4 tablespoons of water in it’s own medium size jar and watch it expand like crazy after several hours. But then as it consumes its available nutrients in the flour it will fall back down again.
Cornbread?
how can i use my starter
to make corn bread
yum yum
i have a starter in the fridge
it had a very light layer which looked like icing
but i assumed it was a layer of mold
i took it off
wondered your thoughts
how do i make bagels and crumpets
mmm
mm? with my starter
OH YOU FEED STARTERS THAT are in the fridge?
oh i missed that
how often
how much
the consistency is like soft serve ice cream
or like an icing
looks dreamy
when you measure your starter for a recipe
you stir out the air holes first dont you?
you have never added corn flour to make bread before?
if i add corn flour to my starter that wont work right?
or will it?
is it a grain?
thanks eric
happy holidays
tee
You know, I have always wondered about whether to stir or not before measuring. I have never bothered to ask but have assumed you want to stir and get out the bubbles first. I guesstimate this adds about a third more starter to your recipe and since the starter accounts for a fairly small percentage of your ingredients, erring on the side of more is not a bad thing. Thoughts?
im always stiring my starter
playing with it
is this a no no?
im dreaming of ways to use up my starter
that dont include sugar
sourdough crackers?
breadsticks?
things i can make and take on the road
give away as gifts
Opps
ok Eric
just reading and found this
~At a minimum, all you have to do is throw some flour and water in once in a while to keep it alive during periods when you’re baking infrequently. To keep it near optimum health, feed it once a week or so and keep it refrigerated.
you say just flour
you dont need to add water
nor do you need to add the equal amount of flour
ratio to the starter
if its in the fridge?
i dont have a waffle iron
(cute)
is that recipe the same if i where to make pancakes?
i want to use up my starter
i refuse to throw any part of it away
things related to flour for 100 dollors alex
OK Eric
im really getting a feel for the starter now
and i can see its not a big deal
i’ve had in the fridge
i fed it just now
it looks and smells great
i am curious why you dont soak your bread baker in water
)
as they suggest
its because you preheat the baker
which you recommend those of us (your followers
also preheat the baker
my first attempt i soaked the pan and my bread stuck to the pan
it did not come out
it was a mess
also i am sprouting spelt
will there be anything i need to adjust for using sprouted spelt flour?
i am in the habit of stirring my starter
should i not stir it twice a day?
should i not stir it just prior to using it?
how many hours after feeding it
is ideal to use it?
whenever i see my starter rise doubled in size
i tend to have to urge to stir it
i love the idea of baking with the starter and not throwing it out
bagels and waffles
things that can always be frozen and given away as gifts
a source of inspiration for others to make start there own starter
come on lets change the world
get everybody “starting”
would you be interested in making a bagel and waffle video
for us kids who look up to you mister baker
so grateful to you
warmth
tee
My first experience with my Romertoph was the same. It stuck like craaazy. Bread tasted good but it was an ugly mess. I now use parchment. I’ve experimented with heating the clay bakers first and not. Since I don’t have a proofing basket what I do now is line my Romertophs with parchment using the paper folding and cutting technique we learned to make Easter baskets with. Then I put my bread in the lined Romertoph to proof. When it is ready to bake I score the tops, put the lids on, put them in a cold oven and then turn on the heat. I’ve experimented with soaking the lids ahead of time. Honestly, I don’t see much of a difference. The crust is shinier, but not thicker or crunchier. Still trying to decide if I like soaking the lids or not. If I use a La Cloche and make a round loaf, I find something to proof it in and then preheat the La Cloche (never soak that). I still have not perfected the technique of proofing it in another device and flipping it into a hot baker. I haven’t broken down and purchased a proofing basket (I don’t want a uni-tasker nor an additional device I need to store!) so I usually improvise, but for that reason have used the La Cloche less and less. Too much thinking! The easiest thing for me is to proof my loaves in a lined Romertoph and pop that in a cold oven. That’s been my routine for quite sometime now.
I think the idea around not soaking is that the steam that comes from the bread itself, because the vessel is closed, is what produces the nice crust. I still find that counter-intuitive! Steam makes crust! I just know it works!
I purchased a romertopf used. have had no stickiness problems with it. I always treat it as though it were an iron skillet, though I have soaked the lid and base before. As long as you don’t try this with a preheated one I say try it decide for yourself if you like the results.
What do you mean by “treat it as though it were an iron skillet”? Do you actually use grease or oil on it?! I wouldn’t grease it because you don’t want to use soap on it.
It may have already been mentioned but it can take quite a bit longer for natural starter to ferment dough than commercial varieties. It may not hurt to replace 1/3 of your flour with unbleached white flour, it would most likely help. A trick I read someone’s italian grandmother always used and i have found to be most helpful is adding a teaspoon of sugar to the liquid when mixing your ingredients. It won’t effect flavor, the yeast will consume the sugar first, but it will kickstart the fermentation by giving the yeast an energy source that is fast to metabolize. Also, something I never do but have read it can help is not using the yeast too soon after feeding nor too late, the yeast can be slow too act. Hope some of this helped.
I recently stumbled upon your website and I love it – wish I had discovered it earlier! I have been trying to get some starter going for a couple of weeks now. It is bubbly and smells yeasty, but every time I try to make a loaf with it, the loaf turns out so dense. It is tasty, but there are virtually no holes in the bread. It is moist, but so dense with hardly any rise at all. I am using whole wheat starter and am making a 100% whole wheat bread (with basically just flour, water and salt – plus the starter). Any ideas as to what the problem may be? I have thrown out 4 or 5 loaves to this point and am about to abandon this bread baking venture. I have made bread before using commercial yeast, but was trying to make it healthier by using a natural fermentation process. Thanks!
Hi Kathy,
As Jon mentioned (above), it can take a while for starter to “get its legs”. I would make sure your starter is rising well after feeding it. If your starter doesn’t increase in volume, your bread may not either.
It is way more difficult to get a decent rise out of 100% whole grain bread. It’s just the nature of it to be pretty dense. However, since you’ve done it with commercial yeast, it can be done with sourdough starter as well. The starter just needs to have more kick.
I just finished the first step in making a whole wheat sourdough starter using the pineapple juice method. As I was doing the kitchen chemistry I wondered whether there is any reason that a ww starter should not be used in making bread with white flour? Does starting a loaf that is made with spelt starter any different from one make with whole wheat? Just curious… and hopeful that my starter will thrive by the end of the week so I can use it over the weekend.
Hi Cliff,
I don’t think there’s a huge difference in how a whole wheat or whole spelt or whole rye starter performs in most recipes compared to a white flour starter. I used to keep several but it’s very hard to keep them all happy without a whole lot of work.
With white flour starter, it’s easier to see when it’s doing well or not, and since there’s no wheat germ oil in it, it keeps longer.
Recently I tried an all rye sourdough recipe that called for a rye starter, so I just took a small amount of my white stuff and fed it a couple times with rye in a separate jar. After those 2 feeding it was essentially a rye starter.
Hi Eric,
I just made my first bread with my starter (I used just white flour in the starter). I followed the basic Sourdough recipe in Bread Baker’s Apprentice, replacing a little rye for white flour. The picture shows the crumb was not so open as I expected. What was more troubling is that the bread did not have that sourdough tartness. My wife, who hates sourdough breads, didn’t mind this one. The sourdough starter is only a week old. Is it too young? Should I have waited a little longer? Is there a general rule of thumb for how old a newly started culture should be? I am pleased it worked at all, but a little let down.
Thanks for your videos and advice.
Neal
Thanks,
Neal
Neal, the first time I used my sourdough starter for pancakes, it wasn’t very sour either but after leaving it out of the refrigerator for another couple of weeks with daily feeding the flavor has developed very nicely. I think it must get more sour with age.
I was really happy with the first loaf of bread I made with my starter.
Hi Eric,
I just made my first bread with my starter (I used just white flour in the starter). I used the basic sourdough recipe in BBA. The recipe worked real well, but the crumb was tight and it was not very sour. My wife, who really dislikes sourdough breads, didn’t mind this one. My starter is only a week old. Did I use it too soon? I s there a proper age for best flavor? I was a little disappointed in the flavor. I have to admit, I was pleased that it worked in the first place, though!
Thanks,
Neal
Hi Neal,
It’s hard (for me anyway) to say. A week might be a bit early to expect great results from a starter. Tight crumb can be from poor leavening and/or not enough moisture in the dough.
There are so many variable that can effect the flavor and outcome. Practice will certainly pay the biggest rewards.
So…now that my starter seems about ready, and I wish to refrigerate, do I or do I not store in an airtight container? Also, I want to give some to my neighbor, so I would imagine I can take half out and double each, correct?
These videos are so helpful!! Thank you so much!
Kathy
Sorry for the late reply.
You don’t want the container to be air tight. A tiny amount of air flow is sufficient.
Warm Hello Eric,
i added more flour and now its spongy
thank you 
i tried to make spelt bagels …its more like a pretzel
id love if you where so inspired to show us bagels and or pretzel’s
this is such a travel food and easy to share with other
wonderful homemade bread
i have difficultly understanding what the consistency should be like
of my dough
am i over needing
not needing enough?
the recipe i followed for bagels said put a damp cloth over the unbaked bagels i guess to keep them from drying out
does the lubrication of oil and the plastic bag do the same thing?
should i always lube up any dough that is rising
be it bread or otherwise?
my oven is not working
i’ve been doing this in an toaster oven
oy’vay
i was not happy with the result of my bagels
however i had not trouble eating them
id love to make them ideal for gifting others
would love to see you make them
so comforting watching your “homemade” videos
oh and also
english muffins!!!!
Eric,
Do you soak your La Cloche in water before using it ? I just received my first one and wanted to know what I needed to do before I use it.
I don’t soak mine. Since I always preheat it prior to putting in the dough, any moisture would evaporate off by then.
Miss Wink’s paper on the pineapple technique is quite informative and interesting. However I am left wondering if anyone has figured out if the yeast that grows from the technique is from wild yeast in the flour (as she predicts) or wild yeast floating in the air? She seemed quite mixed as to which it is.
My question is if I start two starters out from the same flour and pineapple juice but in different jars only difference is where the jars are opened (inside house and outside left to breathe for 30 minutes), could I tell a difference (smell and taste) from one type of wild yeast from another. Thus proving if they taste the same then the yeast most likely came from the four but if different then from airborne.
I tried the experiment! The goal was to find out if the yeast that grows from the sourdough starter is wild yeast that attaches in the harvested wheat field or if it’s wild indigenous airborne yeast. I raised two jars of whole wheat sourdough starter from the same flour and pineapple juice with the only differences:
** Jar 1 – 6 1/2″ Tall and 3 1/2″ narrow, holds around 3 1/2 cups volume was only opened inside of kitchen for as little time as possible for stirring or adding liquid or flour (why the tall narrow jar? To limit air exposure to give preffernce to “grain yeast” over airbourne)
** Jar 2 – 3 1/2″ Tall and 6 1/2″ wide, holds around 3 1/2 cups volume, was only opened outside of house, the first four days was allowed to breathe under a metal screen for 1.5 hours each day to collect wild airborne yeast
If the jar’s yeast smell the same then I predict it’s the same strain of yeast. If they smell different then the wild indigenous airborne yeast took hold.
I can say the two jars are very healthy. The differences I have observed so far is that Jar 2 showed signs of life early on day 4 while Jar 1 was not until late at night on day 4. There is a definite smell difference Jar1 is has a more brewer’s yeast smell while Jar 2 is a strong bread yeast smell.
My early conclusion is that two different strains of yeast are present, however I cannot conclusively say that until both batches are maintained in identical jars. I wonder if the early differences are due to the jar differences, the brewer’s yeast smell due to lack of air exposure causing a slight fermentation smell and delay in activity.
I will post back in three days.
This is very interesting! Would love to see the results in identical studies with one open and one closed.
Thanks for your detailed info! I have been using Peter Reinhart’s “Breadbaker’s Apprentice” for several years now. About a year ago, I received a sour dough starter from a friend and loved it! However, I had to throw it out. I am now trying to create a new starter using Peter Reinhart’s method that you are describing. I have noticed it is very thick like dough. My previous starter was quite thin, like pancake batter. It made excellent waffles as well as San Francisco Sour Dough bread. Can I use this same recipe for things like waffles, or do I need a thinner consistency? If so, can I tweak this recipe to suit my needs? Thanks!
I usually use about the same consistency starter for everything. By the time you add it in to whatever recipe you’re making, it’s not going to effect the overall consistency all that much.
I made a sourdough starter two weeks ago with 2 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour added to 2 cups water the first day, followed by 1 cup flour and 2/3-3/4 cup water per day afterwards. I kept the jar covered with a double layer of cheesecloth all week (I’m switching to plastic wrap in the future). It developed a strong, pretty unpleasant odor, a hard crust and what looked like spider eggs connected by white threads on the top. I stopped feeding it on day 8, used a good portion of it in several recipes and put it in the fridge to hibernate. I’m not sure if it’s healthy, though.
I just took 2-3 tablespoons of the starter out of the refrigerated jar and added 1/2 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour (I had heard white flour was better to use in the beginning and hadn’t watched this video yet) and 1/3 cup water. Should I continue with the all-purpose flour or switch to freshly ground if I am going to be doing all of my baking with freshly ground?
Thank you!
I decided to go ahead and feed my starter this morning with whole wheat flour and see what it would do. I stirred it last night before going to bed and then again this morning at 7am. At 9am I dumped out about half of what was in the jar to leave 1/2 cup of starter. I then added 1/2 cup of flour and 1/3 cup of water, stirred for 1 minute and recovered the jar. It’s now 12pm and in three hours it has grown from 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups.
My previous recipe never told me to throw any of the starter out and I noticed that it stopped growing after 2 or 3 days. It only got bigger because I kept adding more flour and water. I’m excited that this one is growing and that it started growing so quickly. I’ll give it another day or so and then throw the old batch out and just use this one.
Sounds good, Candice.
I ended up dumping that one out because it developed white strands and balls on the top layer, just like my first one. I then began a new starter using the directions you provide for the pineapple juice. I’m on Phase 2 now and so far so good. I started the second phase yesterday afternoon and this morning I saw some tiny bubbles on the top of the starter.
A general question. My house is fairly cool, particularly because we need to reseal our windows! It is roughly 67 F in the house. Will this adversly affect the growth rate of my just started starter?
The cooler the temps the slower the growth rate. But I wouldn’t consider that adversely affecting it. I rather prefer the longer fermentation times during the cooler months of the year.
Eric,
i really need your help.
i have a spelt starter that is not spongy
its like a thick batter
it has some holes
but not spongy and not the many holes i see pictured
in your starter in the spelt bread video
i tried feeding it everyday
that did not seem to make it work
now i am trying to not feed it so much
thats not working either
i have been keeping it in the dehydrator
under 100 degress
and above 80 degrees
thats what seemed to make it come to life in the first place
im so eager to make bread
I SO LOVE YOUR VIDEO’S
it feels like you are a friend to all who wish to attempt bread making
i was raised in Iowa also
thats a fun note to make
i love your joy of bread and bread making
its contagious
many blessings
tee
Hi Tee,
Thanks for your nice comments. About the only thing I can suggest for your starter is stiffen it up some more with additional flour. It’s more likely to get spongy if it’s more like wet dough than thick batter. You shouldn’t have to keep it that warm. If it’s going to work at all, it will work just as well at normal room temps. Good luck.
My sourdough starter was a success!! How do I maintain it?
Excellent.
This should help with the maintenance part of it: http://www.breadtopia.com/sourdough-starter-management/
After watching the video clip, I decided to make my own sourdough starter for the first time. Thank you for the video, it helped me a lot. The first 3 steps were successful. I was at step 4 where I supposed to add 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup purify water. But I accidently added more than 1/4 cup of water and I have no idea how much I added. The starter still smells sour but less bubbles and there’s a water layer on top and the starter is not as thick. What can I do to fix it? Do I add more flour to thicken the starter? Should I dump out the water layer? Thanks
Either way. Dump out the water and/or add more flour. Shouldn’t be a problem.
Thank you for your reply. I started making my first sourdough bread with the starter. Hopefully it will turn out ok. I love your website and easy to follow videos. Thank you
10/13/11
Hi Eric:
Stumbled onto your website quite by accident and was facinated. I am a really good cook but never considered myself a baker of bread or of sweets. I must admit this has me ready to jump in even though I am totally new at this bread thing…..
I went to a health food store (Whole Foods) and bought some good whole wheat flour came home and made a starter. Can’t wait to to bake my first loaf. I certainly want to thank you for your info and the inspiration.
Dear Breadtopia,
ok im going to add the 1/2 c. flour now
im on step four
whats next
how long to i wait after adding this 1/2 c. flour and 1/4 c. water
to my starter?
before i can use it to make something?
warmly
tee
thanks so much
i was looking at your clay pans last night
yippie they are in my color and everything
I’m brand new to this breadmaking stuff and I decided that I had to have a sourdough starter. I followed this recipe and I have to say that I had success on the very first try!! It actually took about 7 days before I saw any activity and then boom…things went crazy! I am the proud owner of a whole wheat starter and also a white starter. Now to get brave and make a loaf of bread with it.
BTW…I LOVE your website and it is now bookmarked as a favorite!
Thank you for this fine demonstration. It reminded me of making chappatis (flatbread) in Lahore. Any leftover dough very soon became khameer (risen due to yeast). That was unsuitable for unleavened bread, and had to be discarded ( mainly rolled into pellets for feeding birds).
Following you instructions, I used pineapple juice with atta (a type of wholewheat flour), and it is bubbling away on day 2. I have just topped up with more atta and water.
This is taking place in Cambridgeshire, UK. It is quite cool and the central heating has not yet been started for the winter. The atta is Elephant brand made by Hovis from ’100% British wheat’.
So, is the rapid formation of the starter due to some intrinsic property of atta? Or is there another explanation?
we have sensitivities to wheat. can i have success doing the sourdough starter using totally whole spelt?
Hi Janie,
Sorry, missed this post until now. Yes, you can definitely make and maintain starter with only whole spelt.
is this true breadtopia?
~yeast is a unique type of fungi that grows quickly by rapid cell division.
It grows best at about 100 degrees fahrenheit, colder will cause it to go
dormant, much warmer could kill it
if ideal temp is 100 F
then i will stick it into my dehydrator on low
i am tempted to take off the lid in hopes of capturing yeast
why does it say to keep it covered? to keep out dust?
in that case a cloth would work but at the same time allow
for air born “yeasty beasties”
im at day four with no action
except for a tiny bubble after i stir
and only after i stir which could just be air from that
am i right?
cheers
tee
guess ill cross that bridge when i get there
but all that work to make a baby
and then throw part of it out?
any way to use it up somehow
probably good to offer to another soul
who might be inspired
to take on bread making
love
blessings
cheers
tee
Dear Breadtopia
this other sight
says something about
throwing away 1/4 of the starter
after it takes off
i guess that’s because if you not using it
it will grown and you will have to feed it larger and larger volumes
of flour and water if you dont
is that right?
what do you recommend
cheerfully
tee
Exactly, Tee, that’s the reason you might have to toss some starter. It doesn’t take long to build up a ton of it if you’re feeding it regularly but not baking often enough.
Hello Eric
I’ve begun my first sourdough starter using your above recipe. I’m at 3600 ft on one of the Hawaiian islands, and my average indoor temperature now is around 65F.
My starter stuck at step 2. After 48 hours, no change. So I let it go another 48 hrs, stirring occasionally: nothing
Next I left it uncovered for probably yet another 48 hours: no change. Nothing BAD happened; it just smelled like pineapple juice.
That evening I turned on the light in my oven and put in the starter uncovered.
The next morning it was ALIVE! A beautiful sponge. I let it go the rest of the day and in the evening fed it per step 3, leaving it covered on the counter. This morning the fermentation seemed weak, so it;’s back in the lighted oven. Fermentation temperature seems to be the key. Step 4 will follow tomorrow morning.
I expect it to continue to grow and get better; it’s just that, in this spot, everything happens slower, whether growing or composting. So patience is the operating word.
Thanks again for the great site Looking forward to my first loaf in perhaps a couple of weeks’ time.
jj
warm hello jj,
you left it uncovered?
the directions above say to cover
i dont have a working oven
so after reading your post
i decided to set my starter in the dehyrator
with the lid open
as the temp is not suppose to go above 80 is that right?
i wonder if you leave it uncovered that keeps it
from getting too hot internally
am i right?
cheers
tee
hello, teresa
i started out with it covered as per the directions; after 96 hours at step 2 with no action, i could have thrown it out and started over. but i thought that, since the only thing i could smell was sweet pineapple juice, perhaps there simply weren’t enough ‘critters’ floating around in the air, and perhaps it had been too cool.
the scientific thing would have been to try ‘uncovered’ first, check for results, then try the warming test. but i did both at once. furthermore, i did not measure the temperature in the lighted oven, and i should have (i will try an overnight measurement and see what i read tomorrow a.m.).
[i don't know about '80 degrees'; the directions say 'room temperature', which seems open to interpretation (eric?).]
about 15 minutes ago i did a final stir (before completing step 4), and the starter coating the spoon was very sour. i’m very encouraged, and will post my results after my first loaf.
at this time (step 4), my jar is on the counter covered with several layers of cheesecloth fixed on with a rubber band. assuming it goes well, if i have to refrigerate it to ‘keep’ it, i’ll screw on a loose-fitting lid to prevent dehydration and refrigerator smell.
jj
thanks JJ
))) sending lots of good vibes and
))))
im really happy for your success
hip hip hooray 3 cheers!!!
looking forward to knowing
what temp your oven light
keeps
tee
OMG! I HAVE BUBBLES
AFTER 3 DAYS IN THE DEHYRATOR
AT 100 DEGREES GIVE OR TAKE A FEW DEGREES
I LEFT THE LID OFF
and also this well 3 days after the point
at which it was suggested to throw it out and try again
i also didnt use pineapple
i used lemon juice first
then in two days i used grapefruit
i also used flour that had been in the fridge
for over 3 or 4 years
i think this process took me 6 days
to give birth to a starter
im so proud that i could just use what i
had on hand and didnt give up
when it was suggested i just thought
what the heck why not give few more days
WOW MAGIC
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT BREADTOPIA
HAPPY BREADMAKING TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT
hey do i need a bread stone to make bread?
i have a wonderful loaf pan from Bennington potters
Madelyn your funny (lol)
“party on” beasty yeasties
i want to try this using mashed grapes
and spelt flour
i have malted barley flour
will that work?
being a part of this online sourdough starter
support group
i think i can
i think i can
i think i can
and if it doesnt work
try try try again
I tried the pineapple juice and whole wheat flour sourdough starter recipe after a failed attempt using yeast, sugar, flour…. I’m on step 4 but my starter is bubbly and looking good even though it’s only in a temperature of 68-70 degrees! I didn’t find plain pineapple juice except in a can (and tastes like the can) at the local store so I used pineapple-orange. What kind of container that isn’t air tight do you recommend for storing it in the refrigerator? I’m anxious to bake a loaf! Thank you for all the information.
Hi Diane,
I use a wide mouth wire bail canning jar with the rubber gasket removed. Any wide mouth jar with a little bit of air flow allowed is a good bet.
I put my starter in the fridge for about a week until weekend when I would have time to make bread. At that point it didn’t work. I followed the directions. It got a little bubbly but didn’t raise in volume at all. Any suggestions? I’m going to try it again this weekend.
Hi Susan,
Are you saying your starter didn’t rise when you fed it, or your bread dough didn’t rise after you mixed up the dough?
I fed it and let it sit overnight. although it got some bubbles, it didn’t raise the way it did before, so I assumed it wouldn’t raise bread. Was I wrong?
Hard to say. Overnight is a long time. It could have risen and fallen back down in the course of an evening. Before you give up, you might want to feed it well in the morning on a day when you’re going to be around and keep an eye on it somewhat.
Hi,
I’m finding your site super interesting. I have just watched a programme in the UK about ‘starters’. Wanted to find out more and found your webpage. Could I ask a question?
How much of the starter mix do I need to make a loaf of bread, and then do you just feed the remaining a little 2-3 weekly to keep it going?
Thanks
Hi Nichola,
How much starter depends on the recipe. It can easily range from 1/4 cup to 2 cups of starter for a single loaf. You might find this page on Managing Sourdough Starter useful.
I am confused about the water. Why does it need to be purified water? Is that the same as distilled? Why would my tap water (I have a well so water is untreated) not work?
Hi Carol,
My issue is with the chlorine that is put in most municipal water. It’s put there to kill stuff so can’t be great for yeast which is a living thing. Purified and distilled water have no chlorine and neither does your well water. So you’re fine.
Having said that, people have success using all kinds of water in their bread recipes so it’s probably not a big deal any way you slice it.
Perfect! Thanks! As novice as I am, I need all the help I can get … a video is great Thanks again.
Hi All. I got my starter ready to go but need to know (this is my first time with bread of any kind) what the best way to bake it is? Also, what do I bake it in? Thanks for your help!
Hi Adam,
I almost always suggest starting out with this No Knead Sourdough recipe since it’s simple but results can be excellent with a little beginners luck. No knead bread is ideally baked in a covered baker of some kind… Dutch oven, La Cloche, etc. A deep Pyrex type dish with lid is better than nothing. Baking it on a pizza/baking stone is your next best bet.
May the baking Gods be with you!
Hello Eric
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing so kindly. Always appreciate people that are joyful givers. Many blessings and happy baking moments.
Thanks Ezelda. I appreciate it!
Never had much luck with sourdough and got tired of throwing so much out. Your videos make things look so easy. Always better to watch than read. Will give the ‘ pineapple juice ‘ a go. Make bread every week – using 1/4 teaspoon yeast and a long rising sponge, but always wanted to be a purist and use no commercial yeast. Will keep you posted. Have soooooo many bread books – why has no one mentioned the bacteria factor and the pineapple juice solution ? Travel to the USA every year from Australia and camp for 3 months – make bread in the dutch ovens in the campfires – sourdough would be so good !!! Thanks for the video. Jennifer
Hi Eric,
A few questions, if you don’t mind:
1. Does sourdough starter always have to be started with whole wheat flour? Can I start one with spelt flour?
2. Can you mix and match starter and flour used in a bread recipe – for example, can i use a sourdough starter made from whole wheat flour with spelt flour for a spelt bread recipe?
3. Out of curiosity, do you have good sourdough starter recipe that does not use pineapple juice?
4. Is there a general rule of thumb when substituting yeast with sourdough? I have quite a few different bread recipes that have yeast as an ingredient but would prefer to use sourdough starter.
Thanks so much. Sourdough is fairly new territory for me. I have made the sourdough starter with pineapple juice successfully but didn’t maintain it well enough. I want to become more knowledgeable about it.
Sandra
Hi Sandra,
Most any kind of flour can be used. Sometimes it’s just easier to get it going with ordinary flour then convert later by feeding it with spelt or whatever.
No problem on mix and matching. I do it all the time.
You could just leave out the pineapple juice. You could mix in some smashed up grapes in you want. Grapes skins are apparently a good source of wild yeast. Personally, I don’t think the recipe makes much difference. Throw some flour a water together, hopefully some wild yeast is in there, it grows, you have a starter.
I’m not aware of any reliable rules on substituting starter for yeast. I just take a guess, see how it goes, take notes and try to adjust next time if I have any ideas that might help. One of the bigger variables is timing. Sourdough is typically a slower rise than commercial yeast so you’ll likely have to lengthen the proofing times with the converted recipe. You can certainly do it and you’ll quickly develop a better sense of sourdough starter behavior which will come in handy for all kinds of sourdough baking.
my husband mistakenly fed our starter with milk instead of water. will this ruin it, or will it be ok? is it safe to leave it out overnight?
thanks for your expertise.
Hi Carolyn,
It’s fine to use milk. Some people routinely use milk instead of water. If you’ve fed your starter well in the evening and you want it to be ready for baking the next morning, then that’s a scenario when leaving it out overnight makes sense and it’s fine to do that too.
I just started mine and am on step 2 . . . where did the video go?
Sorry, never mind, it just popped up! I dont have any action goin in my starter yet. Do you think Im OK to keep going forward? I know the video syay to but I wondered if any of you had any fail at this point?
Does it matter what kind of pineapple juice you use? I got Knudson organic unsweetened only to discover that it has guar and xantham gums in it. My starter is stuck in phase 2, 4 days in and no visible yeast activity. Is this normal? Any help on this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Helen,
I don’t think it matters really.
Sometimes it can take longer and sometimes you can do everything right and it just doesn’t work. Fate plays a role. Sometimes you just don’t happen to capture some wild yeast and have to give it another go. So, yes, what you’re experiencing is not abnormal.
I adjusted my starter to 50% hydration to see if that along with retarding shaped loaves in refrigerator would help to make bread more sour. Not sure how to handle this with my sourdough recipes that call for 100% hydration. Do I just increase the water and decrease the flour used in the recipe? Or do I reduce the amount of starter and add extra water? In my mind, either would work. But I wonder if reducing the amount of starter would also increase the fermentation time and sourness.
Sorry Bob, missed your post until now. There are a bunch of things you can try in order to increase sour. Lengthening fermentation might be your best bet. Using less starter, like you suggest, can work. So can refrigerating the dough overnight then resuming proofing at room temp the next day. One lady mentioned in another post that she increases sour by mixing in 1/2 the flour that the recipe calls for, lets it proof for several hours then mixes in the balance. In other words builds the bread dough in 2 stages, thereby also prolonging the overall fermentation time.
I decided that mastering sourdough bread is next on my bucket list. I tried once before and failed. I’m going to try to make my own starter. I want to get some crusty sourdough like you can get in San Franciso, so I hope it works out.
If my starter doesn’t work, can anyone recommend a good starter to purchase online?
Although I do not know if it is as flavorful as the wild yeast starter described here, I have made and used a starter from commercial yeast. The recipe follows:
1 1/4 tsp. yeast
2 c. unsifted flour (any type)
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 c. water
Combine in a non-metallic container of twice the volume of the ingredients. Mix well and cover. Allow to stand at room temperature for 2 days stirring occasionally. Refrigerate for long term storage.
Hi there – how long do I need to wait after the last step before starting a loaf of bread? Thanks!
Hi Erica,
I’d wait until your starter rises well after a good feeding. If your starter is spongy and lively and rises within a few hours of adding a good bit of flour and water, then you can reasonably expect your bread dough will rise too.
Good luck with it all.
Well as I understand the purpose behind the pineapple juice is for the citric acid, to kill a harmful bacteria.. mu thoughts were citric acid was the important thing, not the pineapple.. i have no clue tho..my starter seams to be perky tho after 24 hours.. I just feed it, for the first time, and I have some bubbles, perking, .
You’re right, it is the citric acid. For some reason some sources of it work better than others. Not sure where lime juice fits into the picture. In any case, people have been making starters for ages without any and it sounds like yours is off to a good start.
I am starting a whole wheat starter, just to see if i can, I will use it if it works. I am wondering i am using Lime Juice in place of the pineapple, since that is what i had, Will that matter as far as safety is concerned, in using the starter?
I don’t think safety is a concern, but I don’t know how lime juice impacts your attempt to get a starter going.
I tried this starter. It is doing so well. At what point do I put it in the fridge?
Hi Susan,
If it’s already growing well after being fed, you can start now to store it in the fridge. Just keep an eye on it for the first week or two as it usually takes that long for it become really well established. Getting off to a good start with frequent and generous feedings makes longer term care much easier.
What exactly is the purpose of discarding some of the starter? I have had my starter since Dec 2009 and never discard any of my starter. My container varies from 1/2 – 7/8 full depending on how often I am baking.
I also never measure… toss in some flour, most often rye, but sometimes white, and sometimes, not always, toss in some water to get the right consistency. As has been said, some bakers like it thicker. I see no need to measure. Feed the little beasties. If they haven’t been fed in a while, give them more to eat!
My experience on how to make more sour… I normally bake weekly, feed maybe 1-3 times a week (I loose count!)… I have found if I get too busy and don’t bake that week or for even a couple of weeks and feed a little less often the starter has a stronger sourness to my next loaves. Sourness tends to increase with a little neglect. I feed at minimum once a week.
Its going on two years all learned here! My starter has stayed viable and tasty with not much thought or effort. I’ve even doubled it and shared it with a friend. It’s not an exact science.
hmmm…. think I’ll go feed my yeast farm.
Hi Madelyn,
You are the voice of experience
.
When you’re baking somewhat regularly and practiced in managing your starter, I think it becomes second nature on how to keep it happy without having to make more than you need. I think the problem arises when you’re not baking much but still needing to feed your starter, it doesn’t take long to end up with a truck load of the stuff and have to toss some.
I think your post sums up everything that needs to be known about sourdough management.
I’ve started baking with sourdough starter and love it. Madelyn, I’m hoping to get as relaxed as you are! Do you keep your starter out or put it in the fridge? I bake several times a week, and it would be easier to leave out (have a fairly cool house here in the Pacific NW) but wonder if that’s viable long term? Also, can you use the starter too much (ie baking several days in a row)? Mine seemed to give up the ghost after going great for a few weeks, even though I fed it every day…am now starting over and would like to keep it alive!
Hi Thea
Sorry for the delayed response. Just got back from vacation in, of all places, the Canadian Pacific NW (Alberta, British Columbia) – Pacific NW from my point of view at least being a mid-Atlantic east coaster!! First thing I did when I got home was feed my yeast farm.
Prior to finding this website I baked cakes. I find the bread baking mindset so different… it’s easier to experiment and be creative – very forgiving!
To answer your question… I keep my starter in the fridge though If you have a very cool house and bake often, I would imagine leaving it out would work. Before refrigeration, that’s probably what they did!! Sometimes when I know I’m going to do bread, I take it out, feed it and let the beasties warm up overnight and party a bit. I imagine them rather sluggish when they are cold. Now that I think about it, since I’ve been away so long maybe I’ll take them out and let them party a little right now.
Happy Baking
Madelyn
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