# Sour Dough Starter



## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 29, 2019)

The first couple of days the starter smelled kinda of sweet.  I was pretty sure got the right yeast going than yesterday, the final day, started smelling a little sour.  Not sure if that is normal?  Its in the fridge now and was planning on using next weekend.


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## SmokinAl (Apr 29, 2019)

Where did you get the starter at?
Ours came from King Arthur.
I just smelled it & the smell is hard to describe.
Kind of earthy & a bit sour.
Is it bubbly?
Al


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 29, 2019)

I started it just mixing water and flour and letting sit out.  I think it probable fine.  My other one is from a friend and is liquid.  Dost not really have much smell but pretty sure it was started years ago from packaged yeast.  I wanted one from wild yeast.  Want to make that bread Devo1 made.


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## HalfSmoked (Apr 29, 2019)

You are probably fine. I can't remember ours lost it a while back but it should have some what of a sour smell.

Warren


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## Devo1 (Apr 29, 2019)




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## daveomak (Apr 29, 2019)

Once you get the starter going, you can leave it at room temp and feed it periodically..  

 Sourdough starter King Arthur method

.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 29, 2019)

Devo1 said:


>




That the one I used.  Will give it a go this weekend.


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## normonster (Apr 29, 2019)

Yay to SD! 

I started one a year or so back, the same way as you and it is awesome (maintenance every 2 days is admittedly getting old though...going to fridge-store it soon).  It is so strong though, if you dropped a rat in there it would be eaten alive.

As long as you don't see any black blobs you're good.  Should smell sour, but can take on other smells depending on the bacteria-yeast combo. Mine has actually evolved. Started only semi-sour but has since picked up nice sourness.

Next thing you gotta do is try to get a good crust that won't cut your mouth (egg wash, bake in a dutch oven, steam in the oven, etc).


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## BrianGSDTexoma (May 4, 2019)

Guess starter not ready.  Bread has not risen all day.  Been that kind of week.  Threw 8 lbs bacon in trash this week.  Some how went bad during cure.  Cut finger on mandoline.  Hit stump and broke mower yesterday, broke favorite glass  and so on.  Doing high heat grilled ribs tonight.  Maybe luck will change.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (May 5, 2019)

I threw in the towel to make my own starter.  Just order this


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## bregent (May 14, 2019)

I've been making sourdough bread for many years. This is the best starter management procedure I've ever used: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/40918/no-muss-no-fuss-starter

Really simple, no waste, and starter lasts months between feedings.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (May 15, 2019)

With my schedule I pretty much just have weekends to do.  I could start it Friday afternoon.  Is the levain usually ready by the second day?  Is it OK to leave out over night after the 3rd feeding to use next morning?  Guess I need to take a class on this!


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## flatbroke (May 15, 2019)

Brian Trommater said:


> Guess starter not ready.  Bread has not risen all day.  Been that kind of week.  Threw 8 lbs bacon in trash this week.  Some how went bad during cure.  Cut finger on mandoline.  Hit stump and broke mower yesterday, broke favorite glass  and so on.  Doing high heat grilled ribs tonight.  Maybe luck will change.


 The odds are in favor of change, buy a lotto ticket.


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## bregent (May 15, 2019)

Brian Trommater said:


> With my schedule I pretty much just have weekends to do.  I could start it Friday afternoon.  Is the levain usually ready by the second day?  Is it OK to leave out over night after the 3rd feeding to use next morning?  Guess I need to take a class on this!



The levain has always been ready a few hours after the 3rd feeding. There are several ways to make it work around your schedule. The 4 hour feeding schedule does not need to be strictly followed. You can let it go 5-6 hours or more if necessary. When I building the levain, I will usually start it in the morning. If it's a Saturday, then I can feed it during the day. If a weekday and my wife or son are home, I can have them do the feeding. If nobody is home,  I will start it in the morning and take it to work along with pre-measured water/flour mix for the second feeding, then do the 3rd when I get home.

Once fully active, I put the levain in the fridge and keep it till the next morning, or up to 24 hours before I make the dough. So you could make the dough the next evening. Once the dough is made, you can either let it rise and then bake, or retard it in the fridge for several days.

So you have a lot of flexibility with it and should be able to work it around most schedules.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (May 15, 2019)

bregent said:


> The levain has always been ready a few hours after the 3rd feeding. There are several ways to make it work around your schedule. The 4 hour feeding schedule does not need to be strictly followed. You can let it go 5-6 hours or more if necessary. When I building the levain, I will usually start it in the morning. If it's a Saturday, then I can feed it during the day. If a weekday and my wife or son are home, I can have them do the feeding. If nobody is home,  I will start it in the morning and take it to work along with pre-measured water/flour mix for the second feeding, then do the 3rd when I get home.
> 
> Once fully active, I put the levain in the fridge and keep it till the next morning, or up to 24 hours before I make the dough. So you could make the dough the next evening. Once the dough is made, you can either let it rise and then bake, or retard it in the fridge for several days.
> 
> So you have a lot of flexibility with it and should be able to work it around most schedules.



Great advice.  Thanks.


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## darwin101 (May 26, 2019)

Lookup Northwest Sourdough on YouTube.  Teresa has good videos on making your own starter and breads. She also has her own website and paid courses on Udemy.  Google will also find you lots of good free content, some good and some not so much.  Wild Yeast and The Fresh Loaf are two good sites worth a look.  Good bread does take a bit of practice, but the ingredients are cheap. :)


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## daveomak (May 26, 2019)

I just made a batch of sourdough starter using the King Arthur flour and method...  In 3-4 days, it was bubbling and smelled sour...


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## forktender (Aug 8, 2019)

My starter smells and tastes sour, don't be affaid to taste a small amount. I started my sourdough with Bob's organic Red rye flour and Central Mill's organic flour by feeding it 3x a day for two weeks. Once it got to the point that I wanted it to I built it up to 1000 grams then gave a bunch away and dried two 200 gr rescue batches  and froze a 200 gr rescue batch. I keep 550 grams in the refer and feed it a table spoon and a splash of good water once a week. I make 6-8 pizzas a week using it. I take the starter out of the refer Tue. morning and feed it 200 grams of organic flour and 150 g of good water twice a day until Friday evening when I make my dough. I feed my starter about 4 hours before I make my dough. Then it's ready for the pizza oven two days later. I bulk ferment for 24 hours in the refer then toss it into the mixer to de-gas, then I kneed for 5 minutes then form into 260 gram balls then back into the refer for another day or two depending on which day I get around to making my pies.  Then I feed the starter a full feeding of equal parts of water flour. Then back to the tablespoon once a week until I need it next. It's very easy to keep a starter going in the refer. Some times I will crush and use a small amount of my dried mother starter and add it into the jar to keep it heathty. 
It's easy and very forgiving, actually one of the most forgiving aspects of baking. One you start using it you will never go back to instant yeast. 
Good luck.


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## bgaviator (Aug 18, 2019)

I may have to start making my own sourdough. It’s almost impossible to find where I live in north Mississippi. Not sure why sourdough isn’t more popular down here....
I LOVE sourdough with soups or just getting some crab salad and putting it on toasted sourdough.


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## forktender (Aug 18, 2019)

I could eat a whole loaf, with Abalone, or like you said a nice minestrone, clam chowder or cracked crab, crab or shrimp  Louie or a nice big bowl of pasta or ravioli
Or a nice crab and shrimp salad.
I have no idea how people can eat carb free/Keto, I "kneed" lol!!!
my bread  and butter and pasta.
I just cannot do it.c


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## forktender (Aug 18, 2019)

I can send you a few grams to get it started, I got it from a well known   pizza guru in Manhattan New York. Anthony Falco from Reberta's Pizza.
It makes amazing bread and pizza dough. I make 6-8 pizzas a week so instead of feeding it twice a day I
Keep it in the refrigerator then you only have to feed it once a week.
I take it out 2 days before I want to bake or make pies. Then feed it morning and evening until I need it again. Its way easier than feeding it twice a day yr round for me.
If you'd like some I dried an emergency batch just in case mine croaks out.
I have plenty
Dan


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## SlowLeadBullets (Sep 8, 2019)

Another plug for Teresa Greenway. Her videos are good. This is a link to a series about making a starter.


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