How to Make a Sourdough Starter From Scratch

Learn how to make an easy sourdough starter from scratch for baking traditional breads. Also learn about the history of sourdough, the health benefits of fermented breads and get some ideas for using your homemade starter.

Baking with sourdough is very trendy at the moment. Certainly you’ve heard of it, and you’ve probably seen pictures of gorgeous looking loaves all over the internet. I’m not one for following trends, but I am happy to see a traditional food making a comeback. Sourdough is not a new. In fact, it is ancient! For most of human history sourdough was a necessity. All leavened bread, up until the introduction of commercial yeasts in the late 1800’s, was sourdough.

I have been maintaining my same sourdough starters for years (I have two, a rye and a wheat starter). Sourdough is an essential part of my traditional foods kitchen, and my starters get used nearly every day. For example, I use my starters to make pancakes, crêpes, biscuits, English muffins, rolls, crusts, and of course breads.

Where did Sourdough Come From?

We have records of sourdough bread dating back to ancient Egypt. We don’t know exactly how it was discovered, but we do believe it to be connected to beer brewing.

Sourdough starter is made by combining flour and water, and allowing it to ferment. Wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, which are naturally present in the environment, leaven the dough and give it its namesake sourness.

Traditional bakers would also soak flour in buttermilk, yogurt, whey, or even vinegar to create a soured dough.

Sourdough starter culture played an important role in home kitchens for centuries. Starters were maintained and passed down through the generations, similar to family heirlooms.

What are the Benefits of Sourdough?

Grains like wheat and rye contain an anti-nutrient called phytic acid. This anti-nutrient makes the grains difficult to digest. By first fermenting the grains we activate an enzyme called phytase, which breaks down the anti-nutrient. When we ferment our flour we also get lactic acid, which helps to break down complex starches and increases nutrient availability.

Have you ever wondered why modern folk are unable to handle grains in their diets, when these were staple foods for humans for thousands of years? The people of old knew the importance of properly preparing their grains through soaking, souring and sprouting.

What Does Sourdough Taste Like?

Sourdough is, of course, sour. But a good loaf shouldn’t be overly tangy. It should have a subtle sour flavor, an airy crumb and a nice chewy crust.

It can take practice to bake the perfect loaf. Sourdough requires time, patience and specific measurements to be just right. But if you are willing to keep at it, your reward will be delicious, healthy, easy to digest breads that couldn’t be bought at the store.

How to Make an Easy Traditional Sourdough Starter

I have tried many different ways of making a sourdough starter. Here is the way I have found to be the easiest and most effective.

Ingredients

Flour (Unbleached all-purpose, whole wheat, spelt and rye can all be used)

Purified Water (The chlorine in tap water will kill the bacteria needed to create the sourdough culture. Here is the water filter I use and love. I also recommend Berkey filters)

Unsweetened Pineapple Juice (The acidity of the juice helps with the fermentation process)

Tools

Glass Bowl

Wooden Spoon

Cotton or Linen Tea Towel

Glass Jars (I love Weck jars)

(Do not use metal bowls or spoons when baking with sourdough. The acids present in the sourdough culture react with the metal)

Process

• Days One and Two:
  – First, mix 3 1/2 tablespoons of flour with 1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice in a clean glass jar. – Next stir the flour-juice mixture with a wooden spoon.
  – Then cover with a clean tea towel and let sit at room temperature for 48 hours.
  – Stir the flour-juice mixture two more times that first day, and then three more times the second day.

• Days Three and Four:
  – Now add 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of unsweetened pineapple juice to your original mixture.
  – Then cover with a tea towel and let sit at room temperature another 48 hours.
  – Stir with a wooden spoon two more times the third day and three times the fourth day.
  – You should begin to see signs of fermentation at this point (like some bubbling). If you don’t, it is best to throw it away and start over.

• Day Five:
  – Now add 5 1/4 tablespoons of flour and 3 tablespoons of purified water to your original mixture.
  – Cover with a clean tea towel and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

• Day Six:
  – Lastly add 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup purified water to your original mixture.
  – Now you have a healthy sourdough starter ready to use!

Storing Sourdough Starter in the Refrigerator

You should store your starter in the refrigerator if you do not plan to use it regularly. The cold from the fridge slows down the fermentation process and will allow you to go a while without having to use and feed your starter.

If you store your starter in the refrigerator you should plan to feed it once a week, even if it is not being used.

Storing Sourdough Starter at Room Temperature

You should store your starter at room temperature if you plan to use it regularly. That way it is always ready to go!

If you store your starter at room temperature you will need to get in the habit of feeding it every day.

I feed my starter every morning and use the “discard” to make things like pancakes, crepes, crackers, cookies, cakes, etc. Then if I am going to make bread I do that in the evening with the active bubbly starter.

Either way, whether I am storing it in the fridge or on the counter, I keep my sourdough starter in a glass Weck jar with the lid on, but rubber gasket removed. This allows some air circulation but protects the starter from dust, insects, etc.

Feeding Your Sourdough Starter

Feeding your sourdough starter is easy.

Here is how I feed my sourdough starter:
30g sourdough starter
125g purified water
140g flour

Every morning I feed my starter. I grab a clean jar (these are my favorite) and measure out 30g sourdough starter into the jar using a kitchen scale. Then I pour in 125g of purified water and stir with a wooden spoon until milky. Next I add in 140g of flour and stir to combine. It will be thick! Lastly I place the lid on, with the rubber gasket removed, and I set it in my pantry.

You know your starter is ready to use for bread when it has doubled in size and is very bubbly.

If you try this recipe and enjoy it, I would be so grateful if you could come back and give it five stars! And I love to see your pictures of my recipes, so be sure to tag me on Instagram @verityfolkschool.

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