Dehydrator Sour Dough Starter

[Chef Munky]

Seems to me that getting it started and maintaining it takes some patience. I've noticed that when starting out people recommend that you use..
Bottled water over tap.
King Arthur flour over all purpose white bleached flour.
When to feed it and how much
Pouring out the hooch, or incorporating back into the starter.
Optimal temps for maintaining it

Now to add one more thing. Might need a scientific approach for this one.
Using a dehydrator for starting the sourdough? Another use for the Excalibur?
Would it even work?
It's just an idea from reading all the sourdough questions, and trying to start my own and watching it turn to mold wasn't my best day. Researching the topic people have their own opinions about it. Just curious to know if anyone here has done it using a dehydrator?

What would take a week or more to perfect to your own tastes. Could be done in half the time if that. Should you do it in the dehydrator that maintains the optimum recommended temps?
Love my Bunn coffee pot to. That's what got me to thinking about using the Ex . Room temps change like the seasons.

Hopefully you guys will chime in with your thoughts and opinions on this. I'm very curious about it.

Thank you

Munky.

 

[FrankZ]

Are you trying to dry out a starter or use the dehydrator for maintaining temperature while the thing incubates?

If you are trying to start one can you keep it in the right range? I have never used one or looks at the instructions so I just don't know.

 

[Chef Munky]

Frank: It would have to be to start it. I'm thinking for a quick batch on the weekend type of thing. Nothing that you feel pressured to keep around for years.

From what I've been reading and researching the optimum temp needs to be maintained at a normal room temp of 70 degrees? The lowest temp that is on the Excalibur is 85 degrees. That's a little high. But still might be doable. Which could cut down the time it takes to build up enough sour for a batch of bread.

While the starter is in the Ex it's maintaining a low temp. Enclosed in the dehydrator. I think all I'd have to really be concerned about is the timing and feeding of it. People do that yogurt stuff in it. Maybe a sourdough starter will work.

I've been reading up on a few sites,Sourdough bread recipe|Sourdough bread baking|Natural levain bread recipe|Artisanal Bread|Artisan Bread|Autolyse|Sourdough Photos

Sourdough Companion | A community of bakers interested in naturally leavened breads. but have yet to find any article on using a dehydrator for it. Figured I'd have better luck asking in here.

Thank you

Munky.

 

[Selkie]

Burning electricity for two weeks to keep a sourdough starter warm, when there are other non-energy wasting methods, seems extreme to me. But if you insist on using electricity to keep a starter warm (spending more than it would cost to purchase a sour dough yeast), use something more practical... a heating pad.

 

[Chef Munky]

Burning electricity for two weeks to keep a sourdough starter warm, when there are other non-energy wasting methods, seems extreme to me. But if you insist on using electricity to keep a starter warm (spending more than it would cost to purchase a sour dough yeast), use something more practical... a heating pad.

Selkie: Personally I don't need the lecture on what my other alternatives could be!
It's my time to waste isn't it? If I choose to waste it well so be it. You apparently missed my point. Doesn't a heating pad require electricity?

 

[FrankZ]

There is a lot of dissension on the optimum temperature to keep your starter at. The range seems to be 70-85F and at 90F being the bottom end of the harmful range. You also need to be sure the water you put in stays in (more or less) and I would be worried about losing too much water.

I have 4 starters going right now, trying to find my path into what will work for me. Flour and water are cheap. I would say if you think you have a neat idea give it a go, the worst should be you toss the mess in a week. Let us know how it turns out.