Starting Sourdough Temperature (Beginner's Guide)

Struggling to achieve the perfect starting temperature of sourdough for your baking needs? Well, check out this short but helpful beginner's guide to get you started and on your merry way!

Table of Contents

The best temperature for making sourdough bread

Sourdough fermentation usually occurs at temperatures between 75°F-82°F or 24°C-28°C.

However, this does not mean that fermentation will not occur outside these temperatures.

Once you know the ambient temperature in your home, it will help you bake the best sourdough bread, regardless of the weather.

An increase or decrease in humidity can drastically affect how your sourdough bread will behave.

Sourdough starter temperature guide

While temperature can affect your bread dough, it certainly will affect yours the beginning of sourdough. Making a sourdough starter can be difficult, especially if the temperature in your home doesn't match the needs of sourdough.

How to keep sourdough starter warm

In order for your engine to survive, you need to make sure it is kept warm, but not extremely warm to the point of killing it. Sourdough beginners can die from overheating, so if a certain spot feels a little too warm for you, then it's likely too hot for the beginner.

Here are some ways to effectively trap heat and bake a successful sourdough bread.

Find the warmest spot in the house

Most of us have a hidden gem at home that consistently exudes the greatest warmth. For example, the top of the refrigerator, next to an Internet router or a coffee machine. If you're going to place your sourdough starter next to this heated item, the heat will keep the motor nice and warm the entire time, although the motor can overheat quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on it!

Test your oven

Another great way to keep the starter warm is to place it in the oven, with the oven light on. This will give a good temperature, and as long as the temperature does not reach 122F, it should be fine for your sourdough baking. Additionally, you can place the starter in a dutch oven and place it in the preheated oven.

If you have a thermometer that measures air temperature, then use it to measure the exact temperature of the oven, with the light on, so you get a general idea of ​​what you're working with.

Use a dutch oven

If your oven is too warm for your starter even with just the oven light on, then set your motor to Dutch oven or a cast iron pot and be sure to cover it with a lid. This will prevent heat from escaping, while keeping your engine warm and cozy.

Warm water

As the warm water eventually turns cold, it's good for a little sourdough boost. Use it when feeding your starter, even throughout your sourdough bread recipe. This is especially great if you're trying to speed up the lift.

Use an electric blanket

This is a great little trick for sourdough bakers. If you have one electric blanketjust set it to the lowest setting and slide your motor jar under the blanket to keep it warm.

Making a Hot Sourdough Starter

If you live in a very warm area, then you may have noticed that your engine revs up very quickly, eating up all of its food quickly.

Here are some things you can do to ensure your starter develops at a steady pace:

• Keep your engine in the coolest part of the house, eg, cool tiled floors
• Feed your engine a higher ratio, so instead of 1:1:1, you can try 1:2:2. However, if your starter gets too foamy or runny, try feeding it 1:2:1.
• Slow down the starter using ice cold water.
• Store the starter in the refrigerator after it is set.

Baking sourdough bread at cooler temperatures

While warmer temperatures can help with fermentation, cooler temperatures tend to make it harder for dough to ferment. In these circumstances, you may need to find ways to help your dough rise before baking sourdough bread.

Here are some tips to try:

• Double the amount of starter you use, as the more starter you use, the faster the batter will ferment.
• Use warm water when mixing the dough.
• Use a debug box for it bulk ferment your dough. This will ensure that the dough remains at the correct temperature throughout the bulk fermentation process.

Initial sourdough temperature

Doing sourdough bread in hot or cold conditions certainly comes with its own challenges. But with the right equipment and instructions, you should be able to bake bread in no time!

Speaking of beginners, I have an easy one sourdough guide for beginners and a sourdough recipe for beginners you might want to try!

Frequently asked questions