How Do You Maintain a Sourdough Starter?

The easiest way to maintain a sourdough starter is with frequent feedings. Add equal amounts of flour and water to the sourdough container, allow this to rise, then pop this into the refrigerator.

How Long Should a Properly Maintained Sourdough Starter be Kept?

Your starter should be at least 2 months old before it can be refrigerated without any attention.

Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Every Time You Feed it?

Yes. You must discard a portion of the starter before each feed. This is a necessary step in achieving a healthy sourdough starter.

How Often Does Sourdough Starter Need to Be Fed?

Your starter needs feeding every 12 hours. Once it starts to double or triple in volume within 6 or 8 hours, it's ready to bake with.

Sourdough Starter Maintenance: How to Feed and Maintain Your Starter

Name: Sourdough Starter Maintenance: How to Feed and Maintain Your Starter
Prep time: 12 hours
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 14 hours
Yield: 1 loaf, 5 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 150g bubbly sourdough starter; 250g filtered water; 25g olive oil; 500g bread flour; 10g fine sea salt; Fine ground cornmeal (for dusting)

Ingredients

Scale

150g bubbly sourdough starter
250g filtered water
25g olive oil
500g bread flour
10g fine sea salt
Fine ground cornmeal (for dusting)

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Instructions

Combine the starter, water, and olive oil in a large bowl. Add flour and salt, then combine everything together using your hands, until the flour is well absorbed.
The dough should be dry and shaggy. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, reusable wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
After the dough has rested, work the dough in the bowl into a rough ball for about 15 seconds.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen cloth. Let this rest in a warm spot to rise. The dough should be ready when it has doubled in size. This can take 3-12 hours depending on the temperature of your ingredients, and the maturity of your starter.
During the bulk rise, perform 6 series of stretches and folds every 30 minutes, with 30 minutes resting period.
Divide your work surface in half, and lightly flour one side, leaving the other half clean.
Remove the dough from the bowl, and place it onto the floured section, so that it doesn’t stick. Don’t worry about punching the dough down, as it should slowly deflate as you fold and shape.
Cut the dough in half for 2 loves, or leave it whole for a single loaf.
Shape your dough, then flip it over the seam side down.
Dust the bottom of your Dutch oven with cornmeal or add parchment paper to prevent the dough from sticking to the bottom.
Place the dough in the Dutch oven for a 30-minute rise. The dough should be ready when it’s slightly puffy but not doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 450F or 232C.
Before placing your bread in the oven, make a shallow slash around 2-3 inches long. Use a bread lame or sharp knife for this step.
Place the bread in the oven on the center rack and reduce the temperature to 400F. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid of the Dutch oven and continue to bake for 40 minutes until the bread is a deep golden brown.
Remove the bread from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before slicing.

Author: Natasha Krajnc
Prep Time: 13 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: bread
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 250 kcal
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 140 g
Protein: 50 g