Caring for your new sourdough starter is simple once you get into the rhythm. Below you’ll find everything you need to know about feeding, storing, and using your starter so it stays strong and healthy.
1. Feeding Your Starter
- Keep your starter in a clean glass jar or container (loosely covered so it can breathe).
- To feed your starter:
- Discard (or use) about half of the starter leaving approximately 1/4 cup of your discard.
- Add ½ cup flour and ¼ – ½ cup room-temperature water.
- Stir until smooth.
- After feeding, leave it at room temperature for a few hours until it becomes bubbly and active, typically at least 4-6 hours.
👉 Rule of thumb: Feed once every 12-24 hours if kept at room temperature.
2. Storing Your Starter
- Short-term (daily baking): Keep it on the counter and feed daily.
- Long-term (occasional baking): Store it in the fridge and feed once a month.
- When you’re ready to bake, take it out, let it warm up to room temperature, and feed it at least once before using. Sometimes you need a full day of feeding and a discard before getting a strong starter again.
3. Using Your Starter
- Make sure your starter is active and bubbly before baking (usually 4–6 hours after feeding).
- Take the amount your recipe calls for.
- Whatever is left in the jar becomes your starter discard after it falls, just feed it again to keep it going.
Tips for Success
- If your starter develops liquid (“hooch”) on top, stir it back in or pour it off and feed as usual. This can sometimes look grey which is normal, pink is bad.
- Always use room-temperature, non-chlorinated water when feeding.
- A healthy starter should smell pleasantly yeasty, tangy, or slightly fruity — never rotten.
