How do make sourdough bread

If your recipe calls for more than 1 cup of starter, give it a couple of feedings without discarding, until you've made enough for your recipe plus grams to keep and feed again. Transfer the remaining grams of starter to its permanent home: a crock, jar, or whatever you'd like to store it in long-term.

If you're storing starter in a screw-top jar, screw the top on loosely rather than airtight. We recommend feeding once a week, if possible. The more frequently you feed it, the less time and effort it takes to get your starter ripe and ready for baking.

Why do you need to discard half the starter? It seems so wasteful But unless you discard starter at some point, eventually you'll end up with a very large container of starter. Also, keeping the volume down offers the yeast more food to eat each time you feed it; it's not fighting with quite so many other little yeast cells to get enough to eat. You don't have to actually discard it if you don't want to, either; you can give it to a friend, or use it to bake.

There are quite a few recipes on our site using "discard" starter , including pizza crust, pretzels, and waffles, and even chocolate cake. If you're still uncomfortable dealing with discard, though, try maintaining a smaller starter : the smaller the starter, the smaller the amount of discard.

Why does this starter begin with whole-grain flour? Because the wild yeast that gives sourdough starter its life is more likely to be found in the flora- and fauna-rich environment of a whole-grain flour than in all-purpose flour.

What if all you have is all-purpose flour, no whole wheat? Go ahead and use all-purpose; you may find the starter simply takes a little longer to get going. Also, if you feed your starter on a long-term basis with anything other than the all-purpose flour called for here, it will probably look different thicker or thinner, a different color and act differently as well.

Not to say you can't feed your starter with alternate flours; just that the results may not be what you expect. Bake it better! View our privacy policy. Recipes Bread Sourdough Sourdough Starter. Save Recipe. Hide images Instructions Day 1: Combine the pumpernickel or whole wheat flour with the cool water in a non-reactive container. Tips from our Bakers Why do you need to discard half the starter?

Most people use water in their starters. Chlorine is inhibitory to yeast and bacteria, and in high enough concentrations will kill those essential microbes, effectively impeding fermentation.

The best way around this? Use bottled or filtered water. Alternatively, leaving tap water out uncovered in a wide container overnight will allow that chlorine to evaporate over time. In this case, carbon or reverse osmosis filtering are your best bets.

Some people advocate adding beer with wild yeast, such as Hefeweizen which contains yeast sediment after bottling to give their new starters a head start. Others steep grape skins into their water or use grape must, which are rich in lactic acid bacteria LAB and yeasts. And some opt for whey, banking on that added boost of LAB to inoculate their culture. But those are uncommon methods, and beyond the scope of this guide. Temperature has a significant impact on the development of your starter, since it influences the level of fermentative activity.

Mature starters can survive and grow over a relatively wide range of temperatures as low as 41 degrees Farenheit, and as high as degrees. Ambient temperature in the middle of an Atlanta heatwave is considerably higher than room temperature in the dead of winter in Montreal. The effective range for the development of a new starter and maintaining it lies between 70 and 80 degrees.

In this range, yeast can grow steadily, and lactic acid bacteria can flourish. Based on several sources, keeping the temperature around 80 degrees is optimal for reliable development early on. If held at higher temperatures 85 and higher , undesirable microbes such as E. Assuming you have some degree of control over the temperature where your starter lives, you can and should play with this variable until you find what works best for you.

For example, if your starter ferments at a faster rate than desired—peaking well before its next feeding—you can slow things down by lowering the fermenting temperature. No matter what temperature you choose, make sure you can keep it consistent. I keep my starters in a cool off! During this time, you may observe rapid gains in height and sour flavors. The culture is still normalizing, zeroing in on that proper balance of microbes.

For instance, at a feeding ratio of or , a healthy starter should peak in at most hours. How do you spot the peak? There are certain visual cues: More than doubling or tripling in volume, some bubbles on the surface, a dimpled and uneven, slightly domed top, some lingering strength in the mixture.

If your starter is alcoholic, pungent, soupy with small or weak bubbles, and there are visible streaks on the inner walls of the jar a sign that the starter has already risen and started to fall , then the starter is past peak. Ultimately, finding the peak involves monitoring your starter over a number of days. Predictability is the name of the game. So it helps to take pictures, keep a journal, and use rubber bands to measure gains in height over time.

In my tests, my starters matured after about two weeks, but yours might take far longer. Just keep going. Overall, it helps to keep feeding times and temperature consistent and strict. Keep feeding, keep taking notes, and keep feeding again. Remember: Natural selection takes time. Say your new starter has matured after a couple weeks. According to Trevor, the float test is a fallacy.

Want a better indicator? Look for signs of vigorous fermentation. A healthy starter should triple, or even quadruple in volume in a short period of time under the right conditions for example, hours at 80 degrees, fed at The starter should feature uneven dimples on its surface, evidence of a few big, sturdy, bubbles on the top, and should feel like bubbly whipped cream when you stir it.

Most of all, this activity should be predictable and consistent every day. Keeping your starter healthy involves sustained feeding. How often do you feed it, when do you feed it, and in what ratio?

That largely depends on your schedule and some trial and error. The goal is to feed at peak, or as close to peak as possible. For example, if feeding or , then a healthy starter usually peaks in 4 to 6 hours at a warm temperature degrees.

One way to feed less frequently is to keep your starter in a cooler place around 72 degrees , slowing down fermentation slightly. Another way to slow down fermentation is to increase the dilution of flour and water relative to starter—feeding or higher. If you wish to feed once per day, then your feed ratio must be considerably higher. But at least anecdotally, Kristen Dennis and I have both found that less frequently fed starters show slightly less vigorous activity than starters fed on a more frequent, lower-ratio schedule.

I like to feed twice a day: once every 12 hours at a ratio of , kept at 72 degrees. Following this schedule, my starter peaks every 12 hours. On the other hand, Kristen likes to feed three times a day, keeping her feeding ratios smaller. One common solution is to stick your starter in the fridge.

You can either store your starter just as it has peaked, or you can store it about an hour after feeding. Gradually, you can ramp up the feeding ratio and schedule to build the starter back to proper activity for baking.

There's no set schedule that will work for everyone, but it can help to see examples of what a feeding schedule might look like. Here is a table showing my own schedule and ratios over the two-week period that it took me to make a stable sourdough culture from scratch.

I encourage you to keep similar records to help keep track of your own starter. For such a seemingly simple process, there is no shortage of variables factoring in the development of a sourdough starter. I would just change one variable in your next go around. Keep using the same amount of starter, but reduce the water. Hope that helps! Hi Alexandra, Would my bread come out ok if left in the fridge for 60 hours? I just wanted it to me warmish when I deliver it and today was the only day I could make it.

Hi Carol, I think you could, especially since you were conservative with the bulk fermentation. I have had success leaving the dough to proof in the fridge for over 2 days, but the success of such a long proof definitely depends on the state of the dough when it enters the fridge.

Go for it. Design by Purr Support by Foodie Digital. This is the increase I have the most success with. Save Recipe Recipe Saved. Notes : You need an active sourdough starter. I have had success activating starters from: King Arthur Flour Breadtopia As always, I highly recommend investing in a digital scale before beginning any bread baking adventure. This is the Dutch oven I use for sourdough breads. Flour sack towels are a great investment because they ensure your dough will not stick while it is proofing.

When determining how much starter to use, consider a few things: If you live in a warm, humid environment, 50 g should suffice. If you plan on doing an overnight rise, 50 g also should suffice. If you want to speed things up or if you live in a cold environment, consider using g starter. Note: If you use g of starter, your dough may rise more quickly, so keep an eye on it.

A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled. Make the dough: Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl with a fork or spatula. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, finishing by hand if necessary to form a rough dough. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold: After 30 minutes, grab a corner of the dough and pull it up and into the center.

Let dough rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. If you have the time: do this twice more for a total of 4 times in 2 hours.

Note: Even if you can only perform one series of stretches and folds, your dough will benefit. Note regarding timing: If you are using g of starter, the bulk fermentation may take less than 8 to 10 hours. If you live in a warm, humid environment, the bulk fermentation may take even less time. Shape: Coax the dough onto a lightly floured surface.

If you have a bench scraper, use it to push and pull the dough to create tension. Rest: Let the dough rest seam side up rest for 30 minutes. Using a bench scraper or your hands, shape it again as described in step 4. Place the round into your lined bowl, seam side up. Proof second rise : Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or for as long as 48 hours. Note: I prefer to let this dough proof for at least 24 hours prior to baking. See video for the difference in the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for 6 hours vs one that has proofed for 24 hours.

The original recipe calls for a 1-hour rise, and if you have had success doing that, by all means, keep doing it. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the size of your baking pot. Score: Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot.

Carefully cover the pot. Bake the dough for 30 minutes, covered. If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5 to 10 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing. This loaf will stay fresh up to 3 days stored at room temperature in an airtight plastic bag or container. It freezes beautifully, too. Changes I have made to the original recipe include: Using 11 g salt as opposed to 9 g. Performing 4 stretch and folds during the first 2 hours of the bulk fermentation, which build strength in the dough.

Doing a cold proof for at least 24 hours before baking, which produces a lighter airier crumb. In the video , you can see the difference between the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for only 6 hours vs a loaf that has proofed for 24 hours.

Finally, I like preheating my Dutch oven, which makes a crisper crust. Buy My Cookbook! Recipes for no-knead loaves and meals to savor every slice. Want to Sharpen your Knife Skills? Get your free 8-video tutorial. Cat — September 19, am Reply. Alexandra Stafford — September 20, am Reply. So wonderful to hear this, Cat! Alexandra Stafford — September 24, am Reply.

Carol Avalos — September 24, am Reply. It does have some structure structure. I shaped it and placed in the fridge. Alexandra Stafford — September 25, am Reply. Carol — October 5, am. Alexandra Stafford — October 6, am. Bo — September 30, am Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 1, am Reply. Barb McStravick — October 1, am Reply. Amy — October 5, am Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 5, am Reply.

Shannon — October 11, pm Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 12, am Reply. Awwww yay!! So great to hear this, Shannon. Happy happy baking to you!! Carol Napier — October 13, am Reply. Michelle — October 16, am Reply. Love this recipe- thank you for the step by step videos! Bread turned out perfect. Alexandra Stafford — October 18, am Reply. Grace — October 20, am Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 20, am Reply.

Grace — October 21, pm Reply. Lynda — October 21, am Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 21, pm Reply. Megan Lowe — October 25, am Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 25, am Reply. Sue — October 26, pm Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 27, am Reply. Beverly Wells — October 28, pm Reply. Alexandra Stafford — October 29, am Reply. Kim — October 30, pm Reply. Alexandra Stafford — November 1, am Reply. Nicole — October 31, pm Reply. Rohini — November 1, am Reply.

Alexandra Stafford — November 3, am Reply. Rohini — November 3, am Reply. Dawn — November 1, pm Reply. Barbs — November 2, pm Reply.