Bread starter...still Alive!
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OP
OP
supposedly still free up here - if you can understand the parameters of a bunch of links that lead you on a 2 hour journey. or 5+$
I know I'm a dud when it comes to things like that - Why do I keep getting excited about Sourdough?
Was really interested until then. Lots of links on utube.
I know I'm a dud when it comes to things like that - Why do I keep getting excited about Sourdough?
Was really interested until then. Lots of links on utube.
Kathleen
Cupcake
You need a pet. Sourdough is rather like a pet. You feed it...make sure it has water. Clean up after it. It gives you edible love.
OP
OP
I did love it. I gave it a name. It still died on me. I mourned it.
I had one I ignored for more than a year, maybe even two. Came back to life 3 times and then
... gone.
I had one I ignored for more than a year, maybe even two. Came back to life 3 times and then
Haydensgampa
Assistant Cook
I'm new to this and just started my "sourdough starter" about a week ago. I have a neighbor that enjoys baking and I've asked her some questions to get me going. Everything I have read says to use wheat flour the first time to help get things rolling, then use either all purpose flour or bread flour after that to feed the starter. My neighbor told me to use wheat flour the entire time to make your starter. Thoughts and comments on this please?
OP
OP
I thing it is entirely up to you which you use.
Do you like whole wheat bread or white bread? I personally start with all-purpose, then while making the actual loaf I would then add my whole wheat if that's what I wanted.
I have a friend who actually does both. Has 2 starters, one with whole wheat and one with all-purpose. But she bakes a lot of bread!
Do you like whole wheat bread or white bread? I personally start with all-purpose, then while making the actual loaf I would then add my whole wheat if that's what I wanted.
I have a friend who actually does both. Has 2 starters, one with whole wheat and one with all-purpose. But she bakes a lot of bread!
Haydensgampa
Assistant Cook
Thanks for the reply. So if my entire starter was going to be made with wheat flour, but I was going to bake my bread with strictly white bread flour, the bread would ultimately have some taste of wheat to it, correct? This is what I am trying to figure out. Can I make a starter with strictly all purpose flour only........or strictly bread flour only......? Is there an advantage to either one or is it all personal preference?
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OP
OP
Absolutely yes. It is how I've done it.
I don't know. I've never done it.
Jack of the YouTube channel, Bake with Jack, uses organic rye flour for his sourdough starter and recommends that. If I remember right, he says that the extra nutrients in the organic rye flour are good for growing the yeasts in the sourdough starter. The reason for organic flour, is so there won't be any fungicides in it.
BAPyessir6
Senior Cook
I'm having such issues with getting my sourdough starter active. (This always happens I swear( I even bought rye flour! I discard down to 120 grams daily, then feed it 120 g each water and bread flour. For the first few days it was ALIVE! Now after 5 days of daily feeding Larry (I named my starter) just sits there, hooches (lets off the "getting hungry") signs, but doesn't do much else. I'm using filtered water, though a few days ago said filtered water was fridge temp. Could that be the problem? My house sits at about 65 F
OP
OP
Temperature around the house could very well be the factor. One of my problems is cold here as well.
Yeast is activated by warmth. Once established you can put it in the fridge but take it out about 24 hours prior to use to warm up.
Try reading these articles by King Arthur Sourdough. But stick to one method, don't try mixing your methods. Aunt Jane does it one way and Fred the Baker does it another - you can't do half of one and half of the other and expect success.
Yeast is activated by warmth. Once established you can put it in the fridge but take it out about 24 hours prior to use to warm up.
Try reading these articles by King Arthur Sourdough. But stick to one method, don't try mixing your methods. Aunt Jane does it one way and Fred the Baker does it another - you can't do half of one and half of the other and expect success.
BAPyessir6
Senior Cook
Yeah, with baking I try to keep it more scientific as baking requires more precise-ness than cooking, but I swear all my starters just. . .go inactive within a few days. It must be the cold house. Also having a starter started in the middle of a Minnesota December when it's -10 F doesn't help with that.
OP
OP
Try a bunch of towels with a heating pad under.
Once it warms up they should become active again. Make sure it doesn't get too hot though, keep a thermometer close till you know how many towels to fold under it.
It really depends on how often you are going to use it.
The King Arthur website has oooodles of suggestions.
Once it warms up they should become active again. Make sure it doesn't get too hot though, keep a thermometer close till you know how many towels to fold under it.
It really depends on how often you are going to use it.
The King Arthur website has oooodles of suggestions.
pepperhead212
Master Chef
Didn't you love those pilot lights? 
Seriously, though, you don't usually want to heat up sourdough starter too much, as it can quickly get too acid, at least the loose type, or Barm, and this can separate, and get acidic, as well as alcoholic, when left in the fridge too long, though it usually can be saved. This is why I switched over to a firm starter, which doesn't get quite as sour, but is easier to control. Either type starts easier with some organic rye flour, then they can be switched to white (or WW, if you wish). Usually you will read about "only" using bread flour, which is better, because the acid in the starter degrades the gluten, but you can still use regular UB flour, since most of the gluten is added later - this is only a small percentage of the gluten.
The firm starter I make started with an equal weight of rye flour and filtered or bottled water (only 50 g each in a 2 c container, with lid), and mixed, and it sat, covered, for 2 days. Not much happens. Then the "refreshing" starts: 10 g starter, 25 g water, and 45 g bread flour, or 50 g, if using AP flour. Each time you roll this in your hands, until it is totally homogeneous, then put the ball into the container, put the lid on loosely, and let sit 2 days. This time, it should expand some, though it's still early. Refresh again (I always use the excess in some bread sticks, or something like that), and it might double or triple in just a day; if not, let it sit 2 days again, and next time it should take a day or less, and the last time should only take 4-5 hours.
The recipes calling for this firm starter only require 2-3 tb of it. Even after it has sat my the fridge for 6 months, it only takes 2-3 of those "refreshments", to bring it back to normal.
Seriously, though, you don't usually want to heat up sourdough starter too much, as it can quickly get too acid, at least the loose type, or Barm, and this can separate, and get acidic, as well as alcoholic, when left in the fridge too long, though it usually can be saved. This is why I switched over to a firm starter, which doesn't get quite as sour, but is easier to control. Either type starts easier with some organic rye flour, then they can be switched to white (or WW, if you wish). Usually you will read about "only" using bread flour, which is better, because the acid in the starter degrades the gluten, but you can still use regular UB flour, since most of the gluten is added later - this is only a small percentage of the gluten.
The firm starter I make started with an equal weight of rye flour and filtered or bottled water (only 50 g each in a 2 c container, with lid), and mixed, and it sat, covered, for 2 days. Not much happens. Then the "refreshing" starts: 10 g starter, 25 g water, and 45 g bread flour, or 50 g, if using AP flour. Each time you roll this in your hands, until it is totally homogeneous, then put the ball into the container, put the lid on loosely, and let sit 2 days. This time, it should expand some, though it's still early. Refresh again (I always use the excess in some bread sticks, or something like that), and it might double or triple in just a day; if not, let it sit 2 days again, and next time it should take a day or less, and the last time should only take 4-5 hours.
The recipes calling for this firm starter only require 2-3 tb of it. Even after it has sat my the fridge for 6 months, it only takes 2-3 of those "refreshments", to bring it back to normal.
Haydensgampa
Assistant Cook
I made my first loaf yesterday. It turned out rather dense. I even noticed when I was "stretching and folding" that the dough felt very dense. I used 150g = 2/3 cups of starter. I fed my starter about 2 hrs prior to putting everything together. I baked it at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. The bread wasn't fully cooked. I threw it back in the oven for another 10 mins. (need to figure this out also. I'm ASSuming it wasn't fully cooked at that time and temp because of how dense it was?????). I'm going to attempt another loaf tomorrow (3/7). My plan (with a little help from a neighbor) is to feed my starter 1:3:3 this evening (3/6) around 6 PM and then put everything together tomorrow morning around 6:30-7:00 AM. Practice makes perfect!
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OP
OP
Dense makes good toast!
Do you use a thermometer for doneness. An instant read is what I use to make sure it is done in the centers. I go for 200 ℉. I check it about 5 minutes before it should be done and then every 5 or 10 minutes after.
Do you use a thermometer for doneness. An instant read is what I use to make sure it is done in the centers. I go for 200 ℉. I check it about 5 minutes before it should be done and then every 5 or 10 minutes after.
OP
OP
all my loaves have these little holes where I've taken the temperature. LOL not that many people even see the bread I make but I try to choose an inconspicuous spot.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
I got into sour dough few years ago, not because of sour dough per se, but because I had cravings for Ukrainian rye bread. I worked on it for couple of years. Everybody seemed to like it, especially because it was a novelty, 80 to a 100% rye bread. Nothing like that in stores. But to me it was the taste and it was not what I wanted. Even bought a "Rye dough bread" book, which was a huge disappointment, they did not have Ukrainian rye. Email the author, he gave me some BS line about why it was not there. Back in soviet days people who would come to Kiev, would buy that bread as a present to bring home all over soviet union and he was telling me that Riga rye bread was better. I lived in Riga for two years. The bread was, how should I say it politely, well, not so good. Any way, I make the 60% (20% whole wheat and 20% bread flour) rye bread now, but not sour dough, plain yeast.
My daughter thou got into sour dough making few month ago, I don't think I care much for it.
My daughter thou got into sour dough making few month ago, I don't think I care much for it.
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OP
OP
I once made a new recipe with my sourdough and although it turned out well I didn't really care for it. It actually tasted too sour!
pepperhead212
Master Chef
That's a problem with sourdough - it can get too sour, or have little flavor, and unless you control the rising temps exactly, it's hard to get that perfect flavor. In a commercial setting, they can do that, but not in home kitchens! That's why I prefer using regular yeast, with long early rises, to get some sour, esp. with those rye breads I make mostly.
On the subject of dense breads, there is a sourdough rye that I occasionally make, that is made with 100% rye flour (besides that small amount of sourdough starter), that is delicious. I think it has some soaked rye berries in it, too, that give it some texture.
On the subject of dense breads, there is a sourdough rye that I occasionally make, that is made with 100% rye flour (besides that small amount of sourdough starter), that is delicious. I think it has some soaked rye berries in it, too, that give it some texture.
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