How to make Sourdough Starter for Bread is actually easy to do and just takes two ingredients to make.
Once it has sourdough starter has matured, it can be used in many recipes including making bread, crackers, pancakes, and even soup!
Homemade sourdough starter.
Starter is the leavener used to make other breads and recipes.
It takes just two ingredients and a bit of patience to make a starter that can go a long way.
Did you try Layered BLT Dip (bacon, lettuce, & tomato) recipe?
That layered BLT contains everything that you would expect from a great sandwich except for the bread. This sourdough starter can be used to make a great tasting bread to serve with the dip.
Unbleached all purpose flour works best in this recipe. You can find a selection of unbleached all purpose flour here.
Why we love homemade sourdough starter.
Homemade sourdough starter has so many uses. I like having it on hand for those spur of the moment baking ideas.
Here is what else we like about this recipe for sourdough starter.
- Sourdough starter is a simple alternative to yeast.
- The starter adds a tangy flavor to anything that you use it in.
- You can impress others by telling them that you have made your own starter.
- If you take good care of your starter, it can last almost forever.
- Sourdough bread is said to be easier to digest because of lower phytate levels mean .
- Baking homemade sourdough bread smells amazing!
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Ingredients needed to make homemade Sourdough Starter for Bread
This recipe only uses two ingredients.
- Flour. Unbleached all purpose flour is the most commonly used flour. Some people like to mix all purpose flour with a whole grain flour or whole wheat for both flavor and to help with the fermentation of the starter.
- Water. Filtered water is recommended. Tap water contains chlorine which can can affect your starter.
Tips for making the best sourdough starter.
Selecting the right kind of flour is essential to this recipe. Bleached flour does not have the nutrients needed to make a good starter.
More helpful tips for you.
- The right kind of water is also essential. Tap water and distilled water will not work which is why I recommended using filtered water.
- Warm water (not hot or cold) is also recommended with this recipe.
- Use a glass bowl rather than a metal bowl to prevent unwanted reactions.
- A warm room (70-80°F) can help speed up the fermentation process.
- Store your starter in a glass, ceramic, or food-grade plastic container to prevent a reaction.
- Lastly, patience is the key to the success of making homemade starter. While this is basically easy to make, it takes time to do so.
How to make How to make Sourdough Starter for Bread
The process used to make starter is described in days. Every day(s) has a step in the process.
- Day 1 Make the starter. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine together equal parts of the flour and water (one cup each was used to make my starter). Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed). Cover the bowl lightly with a clean cloth or kitchen towel and place the the mixture in a warm location
- Day 2- feed your starter. Exactly 24 hours after making your starter, remove half of the mixture from bowl (this is known as "discard" and can be discarded or used to make something else). Then use a wooden kitchen spoon to stir in one cup of flour and one cup of water. Cover the bowl and place it in the location used on day one.
- Days 3, 5, and 5.: Repeat the process that you used on day 2 for each of the days.
- Days 6 and 7. Repeat the process but, do so every 12 hours instead of 24 hours.
- Your starter should be ready to use after about day seven ( your starter doubles in size consistently within five hours or so after each feeding). If it is not ready, try use a whole wheat flour for the next feeding(s) or finding a warmer location to store the fermenting starter.
Expert Tip👉 The process is working when the starter is bubbling and has double in size between each of the steps or feedings. A 'float test' can be done by dropping a teaspoon of the active starter into a glass of water. Floating indicates that the starter is ready to use. Note that this fermenting process can take up to 14 days.
How to store homemade starter for bread.
Sourdough starter should be stored in a clean glass container and refrigerated (for occasional use) or on a countertop (daily use). Refrigerated starter should have discarded before being fed once a week feed it once a week (the repeated process above). Countertop stored starter will need the discard and feed process daily.
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Print the recipe for How to make Sourdough Starter for Bread
How to make Sourdough Starter for Bread
Equipment
- Bowl
Materials
- 1 cup Unbleached all purpose flour - plus additional for feedings
- 1 cup Filtered Water - plus additional for feedings
Instructions
- Day 1 Make the starter. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine together equal parts of the flour and water (one cup each was used to make my starter). Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed). Cover the bowl lightly with a clean cloth or kitchen towel and place the the mixture in a warm location m
- Day 2- feed your starter. Exactly 24 hours after making your starter, remove half of the mixture from bowl (this is known as "discard" and can be discarded or used to make something else). Then use a wooden kitchen spoon to stir in one cup of flour and one cup of water. Cover the bowl and place it in the location used on day one.
- Days 3, 5, and 5.: Repeat the process that you used on day 2 for each of the days.
- Days 6 and 7. Repeat the process but, do so every 12 hours instead of 24 hours.
- Your starter should be ready to use after about day seven ( your starter doubles in size consistently within five hours or so after each feeding). If it is not ready, try use a whole wheat flour for the next feeding(s) or finding a warmer location to store the fermenting starter
Notes
Also, please see the actual recipe post for further details on this recipe. Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used. See DiyandFun.com for details on this recipe.
How to make Sourdough Starter for Bread, a simple recipe for using yeast and bacteria from the environment to make naturally leavened bread.
Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.