Learn how to feed sourdough starter in 3 easy steps! Tips shared for choosing the best flour, the right jar, and how to keep it alive (without the stress).
What is Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of flour and water. Once it’s “fed” with additional flour and water, it becomes bubbly and active. A small portion is used to make bread dough rise- instant yeast is not required.
Why Feeding Matters
The thing is though, you can’t grab a starter, leave it on the counter and expect it to work on a moment’s notice. Bakers feed starters to activate (prior to making bread dough) and to maintain strength when not in use.
Here’s What To Expect
In this post, I’ve included sourdough feeding instructions (at a glance) and (in depth). You’ll also learn how to maintain sourdough starter with helpful FAQs at the end.
You Will Need
- Sourdough Starter
- Jar with lid (I use this one)
- Kitchen Scale
- Bread flour or all purpose
- Water
Looking for a starter? Try my Beginner Sourdough Starter Recipe with step-by-step instructions.
How To Feed Your Sourdough Starter (at a Glance)
- Remove and discard half of your sourdough starter
- Feed what’s left in the jar with equal parts flour and water by weight (1:1:1 feeding ratio)
- Let rise at room temperature (covered or airtight) ideally 75+ F, until bubbly, active and double in size (2-12 hrs.).
*Note: Before you begin, establish a regular feeding time. Morning or evening; the time itself doesn’t matter. What does matter is consistency. Feeding your starter at roughly the same time each day will train it to rise and fall predictably. This way, you’ll know when it’s ready to use. For example, if you want to make dough at 7 PM (and your starter takes about 5 hrs to rise), feed it at 2 PM.
Feeding Sourdough Starter (In-Depth)
While feeding sourdough (at a glance) is pretty straight forward, this section breaks down each of the 3 steps for a better understanding.
- Remove and Discard
9 AM (sample feeding time): Let’s say you have about 120 g of sourdough starter. The first step is to remove half, about 60 g, into a separate bowl (use a spoon or pour it out).
What’s leftover in the bowl- the amount you just removed- is called sourdough discard.
The discard can be used to make recipes like Sourdough Pancakes. Or, if discolored and smelly, you can just throw it out (we’ll talk more about this later).
- Add Equal Parts Flour & Water By Weight
Now, you’re going to feed what’s left in the jar.
How much flour and water does your starter need?
Because we all have different quantities of starter, bakers feed by ratio.
Common practice is to feed your starter with equal parts flour and water by weight. I follow a feeding ratio of 1:1:1 (sourdough starter, flour, water).
So, let’s continue with our example:
You had 120 g of starter and removed half. You now have 60 g of sourdough starter in the jar. Feed it with 60 g flour + 60 g of water.
Mix well with a fork, scraping down the sides as needed until the texture turns into a thick, lump-free batter. Place the lid on top.
TIP: The 1:1:1 feeding ratio by weight can be applied to any quantity of sourdough starter. If you have 40 g of starter, feed it with 40 g flour + 40 g water. If you have 90 g of starter, feed it with 90 g four + 90 g water.
- Let Rise Until Bubbly, Active & Double in Size (2-12 hrs.)
Place your starter in a warm spot to rise and activate, ideally 75-80 F.
Your starter is active when it shows the following signs:
– Doubles in size
– Small and large bubbles appear
– Spongey or fluffy texture
– Pleasant aroma
When can sourdough starter be used to make dough?
Plan on 2-12 hrs. depending on temperature. The activation process not instant. Place a rubber band around the base of the jar to measure the growth as it continues to rise.
Once your starter is active, it won’t stay double in size forever. You have a 1-2 hr. window before it falls back down. Do the float test to check for readiness.
What is the Float Test?
Drop 1 tsp. of starter into a glass of water; if it floats to the top, it’s ready to use. Do the test only when your starter has doubled (not after it has collapsed and lost strength).
How to use sourdough starter?
Pour off and weigh the quantity of bubbly active starter needed for your Sourdough Bread Recipe. Afterwards, you’ll need to feed the jar of starter again with fresh flour and water to keep the cycle going.
How to Store & Maintain Sourdough Starter
Once you have a starter, you’ll need to maintain it with regular feedings when not in use- otherwise your bread won’t rise. Your feeding routine is directly related to where it’s stored and how often you plan to bake.
- Room Temperature: if you bake a few times a week, keep your starter at room temperature. You’ll need to feed it (1x) per day, even when not in use. Storing at room temperature, especially if it’s warm, will make it ready to use faster.
- In the Fridge: if you bake only once a week or once a month, store your starter in the fridge. Feed it (1x) per week to maintain it’s strength. You do not need to bring it to room temperature first before feeding it; just remove it from the fridge, feed it and put it back. When ready to use, feed the cold starter at room temperature until it perks back up. Use warm water. Find a warm spot. Remember, the warmer it is, the faster it will rise.
Feeding Sourdough Starter FAQs
This is the #1 question asked about the feeding process.
While it might feel wasteful, it’s done to refresh the acidity levels and to control the starter’s growth in size.
I recommend removing half as a guideline, but the exact quantity is not set in stone. Some days you’ll remove more or less, depending on what the starter looks like.
If you do not discard (and yes, some bakers choose to do this), your starter would grow exponentially making it difficult to maintain.
But remember! You don’t have to throw the discard away.
Use it to make Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes, Cinnamon-Sugar Sourdough Waffles, Sourdough Cornbread or Sourdough Crackers.
Additionally, you can save discard in the fridge, freeze it, share it, or create a new starter.
Check out Sourdough Discard 101: Recipes & Faqs Answered for more details.
Yes, absolutely. However, “equal parts by weight” does not translate into measuring cups. Why? Because 1/4 cup flour does not weigh the same as 1/4 water.
You can certainly use “equal measurements” if you’d like, but the texture will most likely be off. Adjust with more/less flour and water to achieve a thick, batter-like consistency.
Yes. You cannot bake with inactive starter. To activate your starter, feed it with fresh flour and water, and then wait for it to bubble and double in size. Feeding a starter is not a once off activation process (like a new cell phone).
Totally normal. We all forget at some point. It’s not dead (and you didn’t ruin it). Please keep feeding it until it becomes bubbly and active. For best results, find a warm spot and use warm water for a boost. Starters are more resilient than you’d think- they just need time and patience.
Starters like routine. In my experience, it’s best to feed your main jar of starter with the same flour it’s made of.
For white flour starters, use unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour. These flours are inexpensive, easy to find, and reliable for starter growth. For whole wheat starters, use whole wheat flour. For rye starters, use rye flour etc.
For variety, some bakers prefer to use a 50/50 blend of whole wheat and white flour for an enzyme boost (starters love enzymes). This is fine too. See what works best for your taste, your budget and your convenience level.
Just do me one favor: when choosing flour, always consider how the starter will be used.
For example, a 100 % whole wheat starter might not work for Soft Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls because the unsifted bran will make the dough more hearty, rather than light and airy. On the flip side, it might be more desirable for Light Whole Wheat Sourdough to really amplify the nutty, wholegrain taste. 
Currently, I use a 3/4 L glass jar with a latch top. I love it. I prefer glass over plastic, it’s easy to clean and it doesn’t absorb any weird smells or chemicals.
But I often switch things up and use jam jars, glasses and/or whatever else is clean! My friend Jim recently sent me this sourdough starter jar to try- it’s really cool.
Whatever you choose, make sure the jar is large enough to accommodate the starter’s growth when it doubles in size- this is key.
Regarding the lid: it can be airtight or loosely covered. It depends on the baker.
For example, when I want my starter to bubble up fast, I keep it airtight. But if the jar is not large enough for the starter to grow, it might burst through the lid. Always keep an eye on it.
Alternatively, rest the lid on top of the jar without securing it. This way, the jar is technically still covered but it won’t break as the starter rises.
The activation process is not instant. Plan on 2-12 hrs. depending on temperature and the strength of your starter. The warmer it is, the faster it will rise.
Potential warm spots include a proofing box, a microwave with the light on, or inside the oven (turned off) with the light on for 1-2 hours but not overnight- the environment will become too warm.
You can also try a warm water bath, pictured below, with frequent water changes to maintain temperature.
At some point, you’ll experience a dark, grayish liquid on the surface of your sourdough starter. Don’t stress- hooch is just a sign that your starter needs to be fed. Simply pour it off, removing any discolored starter underneath and give it a fresh feeding.
The images below are of two starters I keep in the fridge: Country Starter (fed with 50/50 white flour + whole wheat) and my Basic Starter (all white flour).
Comments
Emma says
Hi, thanks for sharing your recipe. Ive lost track of days but mine is atleast 10 days,maybe 2 weeks now. Not very active as its winter and cold here. Although i have had in oven today with light on and its risen a lot. but its quite smelly.. is this bad? is it ruined? thanks
Liliana says
I keep my starter in the fridge once a week I take out and And get some out like 100 grams at least or 200. i feed it with 100 grams flour and 100 grams water Then what I take out I use for my bread or pizza is that wrong? Do I have to feed the cold starter then wait and take out to to make my bread?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! That’s perfectly fine. You can feed a portion of your starter in a separate bowl, instead of feeding what’s in the jar. It can be done both ways.
E says
Hi you make beginner sourdough basics doable.
Emilie Raffa says
Excellent to hear! Thank you!
Julie says
Hi Emilie,
Could you tell me if, once I have fed and stored my starter in the fridge, can I use this when brought to room temperature without feeding it if it seems bubbly and floats or should I still feed it again before using?
Diane says
Hi Emilie,
I’ve been using recipes from your cookbook and they are amazing. I’ve been making sourdough breads for about 6 months and I’m working on my timing for baking. I’ve been using bread flour to feed my starter and wanted to know your thoughts on that. I tried to get a starter going with regular flour and I didn’t seem to have any luck but bread flour seemed to work. Should I switch back to regular flour? Thanks for your input
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Diane! Bread flour is excellent for feedings. You can absolutely use it. Depending on the brand and quality, it’s usually higher in enzymes, ash and mineral content which could be why you had better luck with it compared to the all purpose flour. There’s always a bit of trial and error involved. But you’re on the right track!
Carole says
Thank you for all your information. I was looking to do a starter and your post is straight forward and simple. I looked at many others and felt more confused by the minute. Thanks again.
Emilie Raffa says
You are very welcome, Carole! Enjoy xx
Margaret says
I’ve been feeding my starter for three and a half weeks. It took almost three weeks before tiny bubbles started to appear. I was about to toss it, but I was encouraged by the tiny bubbles and kept going. Now it’s almost four weeks and I still have tiny bubbles, but that’s it. No significant rising. But the texture is different than when I first started. It’s not just a paste; it’s a little bit moussey. So how long should I keep feeding it before I give up? This is my third attempt. I tossed the previous two earlier, but then I read that sometimes it takes longer. I feed it once a day, discarding half, and keep it in the oven with the door ajar, with a temperature between 76 and 80 degrees. Should I keep going or give up?
Also, when can I start using the discard? Do I have to wait until it starts rising between feedings, or can I use it when it just has tiny bubbles?
Margaret says
A miracle happened. Exactly four weeks after I started this starter, it suddenly expanded to half again its size within a 24-hour period. I fed it again and, the next morning, it had doubled. I’m now feeding it twice a day and it doubled again within six hours after its first 12-hour feeding. I think I’ve got a sourdough starter!
Mayette says
I’m on Day 6 of my starter. But it looks like it died. :( Its not bubbling like it did the first 4 days. Should I throw it out?
Jessica says
Emilie,
Is it ok if my starter has been in the frig for a month without a feeding? My question is really: at what point does starter “go bad”?
Thank you!
Jessica
Sadie says
Your tutorials on maintaining and using a starter are very helpful. I’m wondering why it’s necessary to discard half of a starter when feeding the remainder to activate before making a dough. Could you not feed the discard, as well as the remaining starter, use the fed discard, and then store the fed starter until the next use? I understand discarding the portion of starter that you remove if you’re not baking right away, but cant’ see why it has to be thrown away if you’re using it immediately.
Sondra says
You would not have to throw away the discard if you are planning on baking. The only point of discard is to keep you from having a vat of starter! If you have 50G of starter, and add 50G each of flour and water to keep it fed, and do this for 4 days before baking, you would have 450G of starter (That’s nearly a pound!) in less than a week -just as an example!
Sadie says
Thanks for reinforcing what I thought was the case. It’s interesting that none of the tutorials I’ve read on activating starters mention feeding the portion of the starter that you remove. The instructions are to use the discard where unfed starter will suffice for a recipe, or throw away what is removed and feed the remaining starter. I’ve maintained a starter for about 5 years, and up until now, I’ve simply used the discard in crackers, cookies, muffins, quick breads, scones, etc., and relied on yeast as a leavener for breads. I didn’t have the confidence to rely on an activated starter to rise the dough. However, happily, I’ve had great success with a few of your recipes!
Sourdough Chicken says
I was gifted a 1/3-1/2 cup of starter on Feb 4. I fed it immediately as the gifter instructed, with equal parts starter, flour and warm water. I didn’t know when I would have time to and was a bit unclear how to bake with it, so put it in the fridge to slowly ferment. I neglected it for two or maybe three weeks. It had some hooch but smelled good to me, like yeasty bread, so I didn’t discard anything, including the hooch, which I read elsewhere could just be stirred back in. I wanted to increase its mass, but now really didn’t know how to manage it, so fed it about the same amount as the first time. It rose a little but today Mar 25 is hungry and has fallen back to its original volume, still smells like yeasty bread but is a bit darker, maybe slightly grey, but doesn’t look obviously moldy. I don’t want to take it out to measure, but it’s in a 650ml mason jar, is about 7cm high in starter and 1cm of hooch.
Please help me get my sourdough mojo going. Firstly, should I discard the whole thing and restart? If not, how much should I feed it by volume in order to revive it? If I commit to making something (bread, 2 pizzas, waffles) once a week, how much volume of starter should I maintain, how much should I feed it by volume? If I want to make bread or pizza crust for lunch at noon or dinner at 7pm, when should I feed the starter? If I’m on a weekly schedule, is it really important to feed it at the same time of day?
Thanks for any advice to break me out of my shell!
Trish Ashman says
I appreciate your recipes and tutorials so much! You keep your information simple and concise but, you also answer so many of my questions! Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
You are very welcome, Trish! xx
Summerfield Farm says
Hi Emily I have a quick question, I live in an old farmhouse with wonderful radiator heat. On a day like today when they are warm but not hot, can I put my bowl on the heaters to rise? Thank you.
Kathy Klammer/Summerfield Farm
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kathy! If it’s a bowl of dough, yes. I think it will work really nicely. For your starter, try it with a tray underneath.
Summerfield Farm says
I felt so confident making my sourdough bread with your step by step tutorial. Seems you answered my questions just as they came to mind. Making my 3rd loaf this morning, can’t wait for that homemade bread smell to fill my kitchen. Only problem is I’ll have to start making 2 loaves at a time so I can share!
Emilie Raffa says
FANTASTIC! This is so wonderful to hear. EnjoY :) xx
Belky says
Loved all your in depth explanation. I have read and watch tutorials and was more confused than before I watch them. I am brand new to this sour dough starter method and was quité confused. Your explanations have made me much less confused of what to do in the process and care of my sour dough starter. Thank you. I will give it another run and be a whole lot less intimated at trying this again.
Eben says
How warm is too warm? Thanks to your excellent guidance, after a week of getting a starter going, I baked two loaves this weekend with good success, though neither rose *quite* as much as I’d have liked. I think I need to work on temperature for both starter and rising. Our house is pretty chilly in winter, usually 65 in the kitchen., so I’m looking for warm spots that won’t be too hot. My oven has a bread proofing feature that keeps at about 80-95 F. Is that ok for getting starter ready to use? For proofing sourdough? Thanks!
Say Limpin says
Hello! I have been feeding my starter still with 1/2 cup apf and 1/4 cup warm water., it’s been a week. It does rise but not very bubbly like yours and it has a concistency of a cake batter. It doesn’t smell bad though and no hooch. When you say to feed it 1:1:1 ratio, how do we do that when our starter is in a jar.? How will I know how much starter I have in the jar in order for me to do the 1:1:1 feeding ratio. Basically how will I do the 1:1:1 ratio in a nutshell :) Many thanks for your reply. Say
Beverly says
I’m no expert by any means, but I was thinking of weighing the jar before I start the process to see what it weighs and go from there. Whatever the jar and the starter weigh together, I will just minus off the weight of the jar and then add the flour and water according to that weight.
Paul Young says
Hi Emile,
Just a note to add to my last comment. 2 days later, (maybe day 5 and 6) and Penelope I (fed daily) still does not rise, still smells a cross between dough and fermented apples. Penelope II(who skipped a days feeding), has never rose, continued to liquify and smell strongly of fermenting apples.
Thoughts? Thanks ahead!
Sarah says
I made starter with Rice flour to keep it gluten free, and the starter turned out lovely after about 5 days, it looks just as the blogs describe. Then I went to make my first batch of GF sourdough loaves, now I’m having issue with the dough rising, it was much to dry and was not stretchy to allow for the folding process. I added additional water by eye, just so the dough was not sandy. Then let it rest at room temperature for 8 hours or so, checking it regularly to see if I could stretch/fold, no it was not. Trying to figure out a solution I got this blog tip: add the grams of all my ingredients per the recipe and it weighed 93 grams over what the recipe said. (yes I weighed with a scale originally). So I suspect the additional weight is the added water, I never measured, just added until it was not sandy consistency anymore. Other tip from blogs was room temperature, I noticed my kitchen environment may be too cold, around 63-65 degrees, I turned on the oven and left the door open to try to warm up my kitchen, still not stretchy. So now I am using my dehydrator set at 105 degrees, the lowest setting to see if it will rise in that warmer environment. I am just trying to figure out What Went Wrong? Did I wait too long or not long enough after I fed the starter to use it in the recipe? I followed a well known sites “Extra-Tangy Sourdough Bread” recipe, and it called for the first 1/2 of the flour and starter with water to be refrigerated overnight or 12 hours before adding the remaining flour and salt, I did that, maybe longer than 12 hours actually, was that the problem? This is the stage when the dough consistency turned sandy. I am going on 36 hours since pulling out of the overnight refrigerator stay. Update: in checking after about 90 minutes in the dehydrator, the dough seems to be getting stretchy, I was able to do a stretch/fold and it was much warmer in my hands. Do you have any tips regarding everything I shared and for GF? Thanks so much Emilie!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sarah! To better understand your situation: Are you following a specific GF sourdough bread recipe? Or, are you following a regular sourdough bread recipe (made with wheat flour), but substituting with a GF starter & GF flour? Thanks!
Sarah says
Yes, I just replaced GF flour (a well known commercial maker), which says replace 1:1 for regular flour in any recipe, that’s what I did. UPDATE since I’m replying a good week later…finally just baked the loaves, they were short, dense, but flavorable, very sour. This morning, I fed my start a couple of hours ago and will try to make bread again, but using your artisan sourdough recipe, I plan to use the same GF flour that says 1:1 for regular flour.
Anyway, I truly appreciate your reply and help!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sarah! Thanks for the clarification.
From what I understand about GF 1:1 flour: is has to be compatible with sourdough and other bread doughs made with commercial yeast (otherwise it won’t work).
For example, King Arthur’s Measure for Measure GF flour is a 1:1. I spoke to their customer service, and they did not recommend it for sourdough bread baking and other bread recipes. It wasn’t formulated to work as an even swap.
I’m not sure what brand you’re using, but I don’t think it will work with my recipe. GF bread baking can be very tricky; you might have better luck following a specific GF sourdough bread recipe for best results. Good luck!
Sarah says
Thanks for the reply Emilie…I used Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour, it does not say I can’t use it for bread making, so thought it would work. One of 2 things happened with today’s experiment of attempt #2 to make GF Sourdough bread. I used your recipe this time. So it is either the GF flours that just don’t work, OR, now am suspicious I didn’t let the GF starter ripen enough after feeding in preparation to bake. The starter failed the float test every time. I finally lost patience and made the dough anyway. Interesting observation: when I added all the ingredients by weight, the dough was so dry, sandy, could not form into the “rough ball” you mention. So I added a little more water as your recipe says it is okay to increase water up as much as 300 to 350g. I didn’t weigh the addition it was about 3T, just enough so a rough ball could form. Now hours later in the bulk rise stage it is not rising, it is not stretchy to fold. I will let it sit overnight and bake it tomorrow morning. I followed your recipe to the exact measurement with a scale, except using the GF flour substitute. Well, they say the 3rd time is the charm, I will attempt it one more time, this time be truly loyal to wait for the starter to be truly ripe…I put my GF starter back in the refrigerator now, after taking what I needed and feeding it, and it looks great, a bubbly, batter like, it didn’t really look like this afternoon, now I’m really suspicious the starter wasn’t truly active, it was a little bubbly, but wasn’t really ready. I have to try this one more time, I’m learning so much from your blog about starter, thank you! Yes, I’ll peruse to find a GF sourdough bread recipe if it exists?
Paul Young says
I’ve been trying to create a starter now for several weeks. My first 2 efforts bubbled and rose in the first 2 days, but then went and stayed flat. The consistency went from elastic, to pourable batter, and bubbles stopped. My recent efforts (named Penelope) started slower, meaning no serious rising in those first days, and smelled a bit sour, but by day 3 or 4 they changed also from elastic consistency to pourable. I’ve split Penelope into 2 efforts. Thing One got a wetter feeding, Thing Two got not as wet a feeding. Currently day 4 and they were both pourable before feeding. Am I missing something? Thanks Emilie, I appreciate your site and the knowledge you share!
Vanessa says
I think I read (not sure) in one of your pages that I could freeze the starter after Day 7 when it’s active? I tried to find the page again but I couldn’t. Is this the case?
After Day 7, the starter will keep growing and that’s when we need to move it to another clean container. I’m assuming that the base will stay in the pretty airtight container, but after day 7, when we remove half of the active one, that one will have to go to a second container but if we don’t use it immediately can we freeze it? If yes, how do we reactivate it when we are ready to use it?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Vanessa! You can freeze sourdough discard for pancakes, waffles and other baked goods that do not rely solely on the starter to leaven the product.. I do not recommend freezing starter, after day 7 or otherwise, to bake bread dough. The acids will break down overtime which decreases its rising power.
After Day 7, the instructions suggest moving the starter to a clean jar. This is optional. If your original starter looks clean, keep it there!
Hope I’ve answered your questions!
Stevie Nash says
Hi, I have been trying to make a successful starter since the first lockdown with little success. I enrolled on a Webinar with Barney from the GoodFood magazine last week hoping he would be able to help. However, I am now on day 8 of feeding the starter and although I had bubbles after day 3, I now have a very flat starter together with a layer of hooch on the top. I am determined to make sourdough bread, but it is becoming quite expensive, flour-wise! At the bubbling stage I have tried the float test, only for the mix to sink. Any ideas of what is wrong?
terry says
I am experiencing the same here on my end. I am determined, researching various blogs, etc., but my levain will not become active. It did initially, but not responding now. Sigh…
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Terry! Please see my response to Stevie below :)
For more information, you can also read: Troubleshooting Sourdough Starter
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! In order to help troubleshoot, I would need the exact method you’re following from Barney. There might be some variations which could be causing the issue. Additionally, if you can provide the flour type and brand you’re using, water (tap or bottled/filtered) and the current room temperature that would be great.
In the meantime, you can also check out: Trouble Shooting Sourdough Starter for more information.
Russell Fong says
Hi Emilie,
I posted a question for your previous reply I think in Dec 2020 or Early Jan this year about how much sourdough starter to use for 300g of bread flour with 325ml water….but I cant find it…possible to repost your reply?
Thanks,
Russ.
Emilie Raffa says
Russ, I’ve linked my reply here. Apologies for the delay- the holiday season swallowed me alive, lol. If you have additional questions, please let me know!
Russ F says
Hi Emilie,
Thank you for relinking the messages. So your advise of to use the following for my recipe:
375 g bread flour
280 g water
50 g starter.
My question is I cant determine what’s the ration of water and flour in my starter (as I modified accoding to texture) or it doesn’t really matter? Just use 50g of the starter when it rises to peak after feeding?
Do I need to stretch and fold and then put the dough into benetton and into the fridge over night?
If no need to put in fridge, how long to place the benetton and dough under a warm place to rise the dough before I can pop it into the oven?
My oven max is 250°C, what temp and duration do you recommend if I use :
A) an iron dutch oven pot?
B) just baking tray with a container of hot water into oven for steam?
Thank you.
Regards,
Russ
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there!
1.) Don’t worry about the hydration of your starter too much. It’s completely fine to go by texture when you do not have the exact weights of the flour & water. Just use the 50g of starter when it’s at peak height after feeding.
2.) Stretch and folds are optional. You can do up to 4 sets, spaced 30 minutes apart if you’d like. Please reference this post for guidance.
3.) Regarding technique, there are many ways to make sourdough. You can rise the dough overnight to bake in the morning. Or rise the dough during the day, shape and chill overnight in a proofing basket; it’s up to you. Length of time depends on the recipe you’re following. Check out the method in this post, and substitute with the quantities I gave you above.
4.) Typically, I bake most of my loaves at 450 F. Dutch oven pot is more effective for artisan-style boules rather than a baking container with water for steam.
Russ says
Hi Emilie,
Thank you so much for your kind advise. I will try it out with 50g starter at peak with 300g flour. Hope it works.
Regards,
Russ.
Emilie Raffa says
My pleasure! Enjoy!
Orit says
Hello Emilie, I have your book and cannot tell you how many times I look at it and “study” the recipes and instructions. I love it. One question I have for you is about timing. You say that Thursday-Saturday we should feed our starters. If I understand correctly that would mean feed Thursday night, Friday morning, Friday night, Saturday morning before we can use in our dough? Aren’t 2-3 feedings sufficient? My starter lives in the fridge and is fed every 2 weeks.
Julia says
Following:)
Aaron Gage-Cole says
Thanks for all the tips. I bought a started powder online but so far I haven’t had any luck with it so I am going to try and start from scratch again.
One question I have that I can’t seem to find an answer to is how often you change the jar you keep it in? I bought 2 jars and have two starters going. But I am starting to think they may need a wash. Do you recommend transferring the starter to clean jars at every feeding or every so often? The jars in your picture seem very clean so I am wondering if I have been leaving it too long.
Thank you for your help.
Emilie Raffa says
Great question. There’s no set rule for this. You only have to change the jar if it looks crusty (yes, it will get that way at some point!). Just use your judgement and you’ll know what to do :)
kathleen allen says
Hi Emilie: After having total success with the beginner sourdough bread, I got your latest cookbook. I made the high hydration bread recipe. It turned out beautifully. It is very high and I did a fancy scoring which makes it special. I did the stretch and fold four times so maybe Ithat’s why I achieved such a high loaf. Your book is great. I want to try the sourdough cinnamon rolls and the sourdough chocolate chip cookies. My only problem is measuring the gluey starter in a cup and getting it out and into the jar for feeding or the bowl for the recipe. Then dealing with all the discard is also a mess. Is it just me? Anyway, thanks for your fantastic instructions. I never thought I could make a loaf of sourdough bread. I can!!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kathleen! Thank you so much for the kind words- I’m picturing that gorgeous loaf as I type!
Regarding the starter- if you weigh your ingredients, you’ll never need to touch the discard at all! Place a bowl onto a scale and set it to zero. Then pour your starter into the bowl and voila! You have the starter weight. If you prefer to use a measuring cup, using a spoon or mini rubber spatula helps to get the starter out (sometimes I just use my finger!).
Hope this helps :)
Ann says
Your book has been so helpful to me. I had spent so many times trying to make sourdough only to come up with a brick. I have not had one failure since using your recipes and techniques….it’s all in the techniques! Thank You!
Floyd Berthiaume says
Why is my starter after the first or second day have a crust on it and what do I do then
Emilie Raffa says
Floyd, it’s because there is too much air in your starter; the surface has formed a crust. Peel it off and continue to feed what’s left underneath. Going forward, keep the jar covered or loosely covered as suggested in the FAQ section of this post.
Vinita says
Hi, Emilie
This is really helpful, I would like some insight in what flour I should buy for my sourdough baking as I am confused between t55 and t65 type of flour and what will be the most favourable type to buy.
Thankyou
Emilie Raffa says
Your note is so timely- I was just reading about French t55 flour yesterday :)
From what I understand, t55 is similar to US all purpose flour and t65 is similar to US bread flour. So technically, you can use either one to feed your starter. However, because t65 is higher in ash and mineral content (which is what you want to boost enzyme activity in your sourdough starter), I’d go with t65 to start. In a pinch, I do believe t55 would work as well.
Vinita says
Thankyou so much!
Jennie says
I started my starter a week ago and had great success the first three days. Since then my starter has not risen anymore but still has some bubbles when I go to feed it. Part of the problem might be that our house is about 68-70 degrees. I have been putting in oven with light on during the day and I used an instant thermometer to see temp inside and it’s been between 76-80. Which I thought was perfect. Any tips or ideas why it’s not rising anymore? Should I start over? Thank you and I just got your book and can’t wait to try your recipes. They all look so delicious.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Jennie! Once you start feeding your starter with ap or bread flour (after starting with whole wheat flour) the activity will slow down. This is because your starter is getting used to the new flour for the feedings. Not to worry. Your starter needs time to build up strength and to cultivate yeast. Continue to feed it, store it in a warm spot and/or try warm water in your feedings.
Rachel says
First off let me say I LOVE your recipes they are brilliant!
I created my sourdough starter from your recipe and have been making loaves for a few months now (once every week or two). I keep my starter in the fridge and feed once a week. When I go to use my starter I’m just using it straight out of the fridge and feeding AFTER. But my dough and the bread still rises well and tastes good! Now reading back on your feeding tips I see I’ve been doing it wrong! I’m now confused about my bread still rising? Should I continue doing it the same way or will I get a drastically better loaf feeding before making a dough?
Thank you! :)
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Rachel! The interesting thing about sourdough, is that everyone’s experience will be different. While I don’t recommend baking bread with unfed starter, yours might be very strong which is why the dough is rising- amazing! Moving forward, you don’t have to change your routine if it works for you. However, if you run into trouble at some point, go back to feeding it every time prior to baking.
Dustin says
Great instructions and tips, thanks for sharing! Just looking at these photos makes me hungry!
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you Dustin! Enjoy!
Kristina says
Thank you for the recipe. My friend gave me some of her starter. I measured out 60g of the starter and mixed equal parts of bread flour and water into a new jar. I plan to use this for my dough following your recipe above (in a few days) .
I have a lot of extra starter that I would love to keep for more bread. It’s in the fridge and I’m not sure it’s weight since it was given to me in a jar container. How do you suggest I feed the remaining starter? Should I remove it from its jar to get the exact weight for feeding?
Last, how often do you discard if you are storing starter in fridge and feeding once a week.
Thank you so much in advance !
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kristina! Great questions.
Right now, since it’s already in the jar, you would have to remove the starter and weigh it separately to get the exact amount. Next time, record the weight of the empty starter jar first, mark it on a piece of tape, and put it on the bottom of the jar. To find the weight of your starter for the feedings, weigh the whole jar (with the starter inside) and then subtract the jar weight.
When storing starter in the fridge, I discard every time prior to feeding it. So if I feed 1x/ week, I discard 1x/ week. The amount doesn’t always have to be half; it’s up to you.
Hope this helps!
Jennie says
Hi I am currently on day 4 of making starter and it doubled on day 3. The question I have is most recipes call for 120g or more and if I want to make some it would take all my starter. How do I make it so I have enough to make recipe and still have enough to maintain starter
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! My sourdough starter recipe makes about 236 g starter, so I think you should have enough? However, you can easily increase the quantity of starter so that you always have enough. Either feed it daily without discarding, or discard only a very small portion before feeding it until it reaches the quantity you desire.
Glenda Meyer says
If I don’t have time to see my dough finish rising, can I stick in fridge & finishing the rising process later .?
Emilie Raffa says
Yes. But sourdough won’t rise much in the fridge (unlike doughs made with instant yeast). Give it more time, if needed, to bulk at room temperature or in a warm spot when you’re ready to continue.
Long says
Thanks for the tips! Love your post, advice, and your site too!
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you SO much, enjoy!!
Laura says
I’ve been given a starter from a friend, fed it and in the process of making my first loaves.
I fed the leftover starter at about midday and now at 6pm it’s doubled in size- a LOT quicker than I expected (left the first lot 12 hours) – what do I do if if don’t want to use it straight away ? Many thanks
Emilie Raffa says
If you can’t use the starter right away, you can save some of it to make sourdough discard recipes. Read Sourdough Discard 101: Recipes and FAQs Answered.Or just leave it to fall back down.
Steve Snyder says
I had originally created my starter using whole wheat flour and had some decent success. I then have transitioned it over to feeding it with bread flour but have not had any luck. I use King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour but the starter does not react with any life. Minimal bubbles, doesn’t rise in the jar, etc. I use filtered water and have been feeding daily but it has yet to show the life I saw when I used Whole Wheat Flour. The Bread Flour was a resent purchase and is dated to have an expiration for next year so I assume it to be fresh enough.
I had read that it’s better to create the starter using the flour that you would be using in the breads you were baking and I was looking to start using bread flour.
Any thoughts on what may be going wrong? I saved some of the original starter in the fridge and was going to dump the bread flour starter and go back to the whole wheat. any suggestions would be appreciated.
Emilie Raffa says
You are doing nothing wrong. When you transition from whole wheat flour to bread flour, it takes time. The starter needs to adjust. How long has it been since making the switch?
Here’s what I’d do: continue to feed it with the bread flour for up to one week. Use warm water in your feedings, and keep the starter in a warm water bath (details in the FAQ section here). This should help.
Alternatively, if you’d like to include some whole wheat in the starter, you can use a 50/50 blend in your feedings.
Leslye Borden says
I found the tips very helpful. I was not pouring off half the starter but only about a 1/2 cup. I always stirred down my bubbly starter before feeding it or using it. Is that correct? Right now I have 2 qts of discard in the fridge. I can’t make any more bread, rolls, scones, crackers, etc. right now. We are overwhelmed with baked goodies. I didn’t know I need to feed the discard when it’s in the fridge. So many good tips. Thank you so much. Hope you answer my questions.
Emilie Raffa says
The amount you pour off is not set in stone. If 1/2 cup works for you, there’s no need to change it! I only recommend “half” as a guideline. The discard quantity will change depending on what your starter looks like.
When my starter is bubbly active, I do not stir it down first before using to make bread dough. Some bakers do this. However, pouring it directly from the jar works best for me.
Two quarts of discard- wow! While in the fridge, technically you do not have to feed it because you’re not using it to leaven bread (you don’t have to maintain strength). But you are more than welcome to do so, if you want. You can also transfer the discard to the freezer.
Laura Carapellese says
My bread doesn’t come out very “sour”. How can I change my starter to make it more “sour”? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
For more sour bread, changing your starter is only one piece of the puzzle. There are additional steps to take.
First, to change your starter, feed it less frequently so the friendly bacteria becomes more acidic. Your starter will actually smell more vinegary than yeasty.
Second, consider temperature. In my experience, bulk fermenting the dough at 80 F followed by an overnight second rise in the fridge adds more flavor.
Third, consider the ingredients. Usually a bit of whole grain flour (10-15%) adds flavor as well. But this is not always the case.
There are other variables to consider, including adding a small amount of sugar to the dough, but these 3 points are enough to get started. With sourdough it’s all about practice and patience!
Carol Bell says
This post was very helpful. Once again I see the errors of my ways. I appreciate you stepping me through the feeding process and I love how you broke it down. I would love to print this out without all the advertising in it. Would you be able to explain how to do this? This would be extremely helpful, thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
My pleasure, Carol. Because this particular post does not have a print button (only my recipe posts do), I’m unable to control the ad placement. Send me and email and I’ll get you a copy.
Colleen says
I turned my oven on to preheat, went downstairs and got on the treadmill. My husband comes down and asked what am I cooking? Oh no!! Wally! I forgot my sourdough starter was in the oven with the light on. Yep I cooked my starter. Anyway I am starting a new one and I am using your directions this time and my starter looks great at 3 days. Wally made us some great bread and your cracker recipe before his demise. RIP Wally.
Emilie Raffa says
Colleen, omg… This made me laugh (I almost spit out my coffee, lol). Good luck with your new starter!
Lucia says
Hi,
Besides being able to know when the starter will be at its peak, is it necessary to feed it on a schedule? Will I hurt my starter by not feeding it at the same time everyday? Thanks!
Stupid Swede says
I believe the schedule is more about the baker, gaining them an understanding how long it takes for the starter to activate and helping them not to let it die from neglect.
Emilie Raffa says
100% correct!
Emilie Raffa says
It’s helpful, yes. Here’s why: feeding your starter at approximately the same time each day will train to rise and fall predictably. Once you have a predictable starter (meaning you know how long it takes to rise) then you’ll know when it’s ready to make bread dough.
If you miss a day, or your timing is off- don’t worry. This does not hurt your starter. However, when trying to get it back on track, you’ll need to give it a few days to adjust.
Danielle Godfrey says
Hi Emilie! I received your cookbook as a Christmas gift and am so happy!!! I read it cover to cover in one sitting. I have bread and goodies to use up in my freezer but once those are done, I’ll be making my sourdough bread again. My starter is in the fridge patiently waiting, I do feed it weekly! Love it, thanks for this post, so clarifying!
Emilie Raffa says
You are very welcome, Danielle! Enjoy :)