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Sourdough Starter

Prep Time 7 days

Equipment

  • Digital kitchen scale
  • Glass bowl
  • Silicone spoon
  • Mason jar

Ingredients

Ingredients for Sourdough Starter

  • warm water
  • unbleached all-purpose flour

Ingredients for Plain Sourdough

  • 300 gram warm water
  • 90 gram sourdough starter
  • 10 gram salt
  • 525 gram unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions

Making the Starter

  • Day 1: In glass bowl, stir 50 grams flour and 50 grams warm water. Let sit at room temperature, covered.
  • Day 2: Add 50 grams flour and 50 grams warm water to bowl. Stir and let sit at room temperature, covered.
  • Day 3: Discard half the starter. Add 100 grams flour and 100 grams warm water. Stir and let sit at room temperature, covered.
  • Day 4: Discard half the starter. Add 150 grams flour and 150 grams warm water. Stir and let sit at room temperature, covered.
  • Day 5: Discard half the starter then pour remaining starter into Mason jar. Add 150 grams flour and 150 grams warm water. Stir and let sit at room temperature, covered.
  • Day 6: Discard half the starter. Add 200 grams flour and 200 grams warm water. Stir and let sit at room temperature, covered.
  • Day 7: Place warm water in bowl and add spoonful of starter to water. If it floats, it’s ready to make bread. If it sinks, repeat Day 6 instructions. If not floating by Day 10, throw out and start over.

Plain Sourdough

  • In medium bowl on zeroed out digital kitchen scale, combine warm water, sourdough starter and salt. Stir well then add flour. Using silicone spoon, mix dough to sticky ball. Let rest, covered, about 45 minutes.
  • Pull dough from bottom and stretch to top of dough ball. Repeat around entirety of dough ball a few times then cover. Repeat process four times then cover and let sit at room temperature at least 6 hours but no more than 14 hours. Dough should double.
  • Sprinkle flour on counter then spread dough flat on floured surface. Fold dough from sides then turn and roll into ball. Place on parchment paper and put back in bowl 1 hour.
  • Heat oven to 500 F with uncovered Dutch oven inside.
  • Using sharp knife, score dough then place parchment paper and dough in Dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake 20 minutes then remove lid and lower temperature to 475 F for 25 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 195-205 F. Let rest at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.

Notes

Tips: If making bread every day, starter will need fed every day. If not making bread every day, starter can stay at room temperature and be fed every other day. If starter can’t be fed, it can be safely stored in refrigerator up to 10 days, covered, without feeding.
To measure correctly, place empty bowl on scale then clear to zero before each measurement.