You are successful DONE – or buy – a sourdough starter. congratulations! Now you will need to feed your starter regularly to keep it alive and active for baking bread.
To feed the sourdough starter, simply discard some of the existing starter, then replace with flour and water. Basically, you are giving the initial microorganisms food (in the form of flour) to keep them happy and healthy. Once fed, the starter will feed on the new food source, causing it to become active and bubbly, doubling in volume before it runs out and begins to sink again.
How to feed sourdough starter
As described in our recipe for Sourdough starter nutrition and maintenance: Take 1/2 cup (113 g) of starter and place in a medium sized bowl. Discard the rest of the starter. (Or bake with it! See recipes for baking with starter here.)
Add 1/2 cup (113 g) lukewarm water (tap water is fine) and a scant cup (113 g) unbleached all-purpose flour. Stir until everything is well combined, then turn out into a jar or plate. (Note that you're combining equal parts flour, water, and starter, by weight. This is really the key, and this number can be flexible, as you can see in our recipe for A smaller sourdough starter; it's basically the same feeding method, but only 20g starter, water and flour!)
Cover the container; it doesn't have to be completely airtight, but you also don't want the motor to dry out, so a kitchen towel isn't suitable. The cap of one sour dish it is perfectly designed for this; A loosely screwed Mason jar lid is also suitable.
Your engine is now fueled! At this point, you can either leave your engine out at room temperature or refrigerate it. Read below to determine the time frame that works for you.
Baker's note: Sourdough baking is as much art as science. This method of keeping your sourdough starter is just one of many you may choose to follow. And that's okay: If you have a process that you follow successfully on a regular basis, then stick with it.
How often should sourdough starter be fed?
Generally, there are two routines you can choose to feed your sourdough starter regularly. Depending on your choice, here's how often you should feed your sourdough starter:
- Twice a day at room temperature:If you're a regular sourdough baker, the best way to have a baked starter when you need it is to keep your starter on the counter at room temperature and feed it twice a day, about every 12 hours.
- Once a week in the fridge:If you're a more regular sourdough baker, it's easier to keep the starter in the fridge and feed it once a week. (We recommend leaving it on the counter for a few hours after feeding to start fermentation before returning it to the fridge.) Then, a day or two before you want to bake, give it a few meals at room temperature before using it for to bake
Julia A. Reed
When is the sourdough starter ready to bake?
Sourdough bread recipes usually call for “baked sourdough starter.” This refers to an engine that has been fed and then doubled in volume and is showing signs of just starting to swell. The time will be different depending on the start and conditions of your sourdough, but generally, this happens approximately eight hours after feeding. See more:Baked Sourdough Starter: Here's what it means.
Ready for more sourdough baking? Dive into our guideHow to bake sourdoughwhich includes technique videos, frequently asked questions and expert advice.
All photos by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne unless otherwise noted.
