Making a Sourdough Starter (without the pitfalls)

I have written an extensive blog about making your own Sourdough Starter in an earlier blog. In that blog I have discussed a number of pitfalls and walked you through the trials and errors of my own attempts. Yet, I have had a number of people asking me to reduce this method to only the essential steps. This blog does just that. If, during the process, you have more questions, you may want to refer back to the original blog, which you can read here.

I was visiting a friend for a couple of weeks and, after tasting some bread I took along, she expressed the wish to also be able to bake her own bread using a sourdough starter. I immediately agreed to help her start her own Sourdough Starter. I started by peeling a medium sized potato.

This potato was grated finely.

I then added a cup (250 ml) White Bread Flour.

Then I added a cup (250 ml) lukewarm water.

Everything was mixed through with a fork.

The mixture was put in a glass bottle with a clean cloth/paper towel on top. The bacteria needed for the process are in the air. Putting a lid on the bottle will slow the process down.

After 24 hours the sourdough starter is starting to bubble. This is a necessary step in the process.

After 48 hours it will have started to smell a little foul and the fermentation process in well under way. This is the time to feed it.

Empty the jar into a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup (250 ml) White Bread Flour.

Add 1 cup (250 ml) lukewarm water.

Mix with a fork or similar utensil.

Divide the starter in half and empty into two smaller jars, or one huge jar. It should be ready for use in 24-48 hours, depending on temperatures. The warmer it is, the faster the process takes place.

24 hours later the sourdough starter had almost bubbled over and it was ready for use. Stir  it through before adding to your dough.

I work on a ration of roughly 3 cups (750 ml) flour to 1 cup (250 ml) sourdough starter.
To keep using the same sourdough starter, feed it once a week with a cup (250 ml) bread flour and enough lukewarm water to maintain the same consistence (also roughly a cup). Let it stand overnight and bake with it the next day. Put the sourdough starter in the fridge for 6 days and repeat. This will maintain your sourdough starter at more or less the same level and you will be able to bake with it once a week. Putting it in the fridge, retards the growth without killing the live cultures. If you want to bake more frequently, keep the sourdough starter at room temperature.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy her books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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