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sourdough starter in a jar
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5 from 1 vote

How to make Sourdough Starter (for Beginners)

A no-nonsense guide to making your own sourdough starter
Author: Andra Constantinescu

Ingredients

  • strong white flour ideally organic
  • water ideally filtered

Instructions

  • Day 1 - 09:00AM
    Mix 50g flour with 50ml water straight in the jar.
    Loosely cover with lid and set aside on the countertop.
  • Day 1 - 09:00PM
    Transfer 50g of your initial water & flour mix into a bowl. Discard the rest.
    Add 50g flour + 50ml water, mix and transfer into a clean jar. This is what will be called 'sourdough starter' from now on.
    Loosely cover with lid and set aside on the countertop.
  • Day 2 - 09:00AM 
    Transfer 50g of your sourdough starter into a bowl. Discard the rest.
    Add 50g flour + 50ml water, mix and transfer into a clean jar.
    Loosely cover with lid and set aside on the countertop.
  • Day 2 - 09:00PM 
    Transfer 50g of your sourdough starter into a bowl. Discard the rest.
    Add 50g flour + 50ml water, mix and transfer into a clean jar.
    Loosely cover with lid and set aside on the countertop. You might begin to see some activity, that is small bubbles within your starter - which is a sign that you're on the right track.
  • Day 3 - 09:00AM 
    Transfer 50g of your sourdough starter into a bowl. Discard the rest.
    Add 50g flour + 50ml water, mix and transfer into a clean jar.
    Loosely cover with lid and set aside on the countertop. The yeasts are slowly developing at this stage, so you might notice signs of some activity. Your starter should have a fresh smell and a nice texture.
  • Day 3 - 09:00PM 
    Transfer 50g of your sourdough starter into a bowl. Discard the rest.
    Add 50g flour + 50ml water, mix and transfer into a clean jar.
    Loosely cover with lid and set aside on the countertop. The yeasts are slowly developing at this stage, so you might notice signs of some activity. You might want to set a mark on the jar, either by using a rubber band or a marker pen. In this way you will be able to observe if ths starter shows signs of increasing in volume.
  • Day 4 to Day 10  
    Continue with the same routine and refresh your sourdough starter at 12 hour intervals.
    By day 10 your sourdough starter should double in volume within 4-5 hours. In warmer seasons/regions the sourdough starter may double in volume within 3 hours or even less.
  • Your starter is ready to use when it is at its peak volume (which should be roughly after 4-5 hours from refreshing it).