Maintaining sourdough starter

Proportions

  • 1 part starter
  • 4 parts water
  • 1 part whole wheat flour
  • 4 parts all-purpose flour

Steps

  1. Take what you need from your starter and put it in a fresh container (I use a mason jar). Discard the rest.
  2. Add the water and stir to dissolve it.
  3. Add the whole wheat flour and stir.
  4. Add the all-purpose flour and stir until completely mixed. This can take some effort.
  5. I like to wrap a rubber band around the container so I can see how much it's risen.

Notes

If I'm going to use the starter:

  • 25g starter
  • 100g water
  • 25g whole wheat flour
  • 100g all-purpose flour

Depending on the temperature, it'll be ready to use in ~6-8 hours.

If I'm just maintaining the starter:

  • 10g starter
  • 40g water
  • 10g whole wheat flour
  • 40g all-purpose flour

I'll let it sit out for a few hours, then I'll put it in the fridge. I usually maintain it again every 1-2 weeks, but you could probably go longer - it's pretty resilient.

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