How to Create a Sourdough Starter
by Olivia Clark
Sourdough Ciabatta
We are living in dire and unprecedented times due to the coronavirus outbreak. Billions of people across the world are under shelter-in-place orders, as the world attempts to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases. With everyone staying at home (resulting in an increase in the use of social media), you may have noticed that a lot of people have found solace in baking bread. Maybe it’s because both the making and eating of bread is cathartic; it feels comforting and familiar. From levain and focaccia to banana and challah, bread is a nourishing staple that dates back over 30,000 years. Whatever the reason, it is clear that bread is having a moment, despite all the anti-gluten rhetoric in recent years. So, if you're like me, you’ve probably felt inclined to jump on the bread baking bandwagon. However, as with toilet paper, flour and yeast are out of stock at most grocery stores nation-wide. But, alas, fear not! If you are up for a bit of an adventure, I recommend creating your own sourdough starter! With only a few ingredients and some tried and true patience, your home will be smelling like an artisan bakery in no time.
Herbed Focaccia
I’ve made a variety of breads before, but this was my first time making my own sourdough starter. I am a big fan of all things fermented. In the past, I have made kombucha, pickled vegetables and kimchi, so I was excited to start this new process. To get technical, fermentation is an “enzymatically controlled transformation of an organic compound.” In terms of food, fermentation is a form of preservation that often results in the production of lactic acid, which contributes to the sour flavor nodes. When making a sourdough starter, you are working with the bacteria that is naturally found in the flour. The bacteria most commonly found in sourdough is lactobacilli. It is nothing to be afraid of or grossed out by; fermentation has been essential in cultures around the world since the Stone Age!
After watching a few videos and comparing several recipes, the method included below is what I followed to create my own sourdough starter.
What you’ll need:
Unbleached all-purpose flour
Whole wheat or rye flour
Distilled water
A bowl, mason jar or some kind of vessel to hold and cover the starter
A non-reactive spoon or whisk
Measuring cups and/or a scale
Day 1:
On the first day, I measured out ¼ cup of unbleached all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of whole wheat flour and ¼ cup distilled water. I put my starter in a large mason jar with a clamp lid. I mixed everything together with a wooden spoon until there were no clumps. It’s important to use non-reactive tools made from glass, food-grade plastic or wood to make sure the fermenting bacteria is not killed. After the starter was set, I closed the lid without sealing the latch to allow airflow and put the jar in the cabinet above my stove to sit for 24 hours in a warm environment, safe from direct sunlight.
Day 2:
Twenty-four hours later, I took my sourdough starter down from the cabinet for inspection. A few bubbles already formed, and, to my surprise, it already gave off a slightly sour aroma! Now that the flour is fermenting, it’s time to feed it. With a wooden spoon, I scooped out and discarded all but 2 tablespoons of the starter. Then I added ¼ cup of AP flour and ¼ cup of whole wheat flour. I mixed it all together and stored it away until the next day.
Day 3:
Repeat the same process as Day 2. You should see more bubbles and a stronger scent of tanginess.
Day 4:
On the fourth day, your starter is growing fast and probably a little hangry. Now you should feed it in the morning and at night, repeating the same practice you’ve been doing twice a day now.
My sourdough starter on Day 5
Day 5 & 6:
Five days in, your starter should be twice the size of your original concoction. And depending on your environment, it might be ready for baking. To find out, scoop a blob of flour into a cup of water. If the starter floats, then it’s ready to bake! If it sinks, it needs more time to ferment, so repeat the feeding process over the next two days.
Day 7:
By the seventh day, your starter should be big and strong and bubbly. Feed it once more and use what you would normally have discarded as the starter in any recipe of your choosing. Now that you have your base, you're free to experiment with the endless possibilities of sourdough. You could try a traditional levain recipe or opt for something fun like sourdough pancakes!
Day 7 (continued):
Take the remainder of your starter and now begin storing it in your refrigerator. As before, you still want to allow for some airflow to keep it alive, but now you only need to feed it about once a week. Moving forward, continue the standard feeding procedure detailed here and enjoy your starter for years to come! I suggest sharing what you’d typically “discard” with friends who are looking to bake their own bread.
Whole Wheat Levain
Please note: This method worked for me, but I strongly recommend doing research before embarking on your own sourdough journey. It is imperative to use the proper ingredients, tools and measurements in order to end up with a healthy fermentation process. Since we’re growing bacteria here, we need to make sure it’s the good kind (like probiotics), not bad bugs that could make you sick.
Secondly, it’s important to note that all of these supplies are in high demand and short supply right now due to panic buying. If you do not already have these ingredients on hand, it might be better to find a local bakery that is still open for takeout or delivery, in order to support small businesses in your area that are struggling.
Photographed by Olivia Clark