Sourdough Mishap

[mneeley490]

I bought a dried commercial starter a while back and decided to revive it about 5 weeks ago. After religiously feeding and tending it for all that time, it just sat there in the mason jar, like a pancake batter. I'd get a bubble or two if I was lucky. But I stubbornly stuck with it.
Yesterday morning, I discarded and fed it again, same as always. And when I came home last night, I found it had erupted like Vesuvius all over my counter. Should have taken a pic, but I was too busy cleaning up the mess before I went to bed. This morning, eruption number two greeted me. Ugh. Ok, I don't have time to deal with it right now, so it went into the fridge. I've never had one be so dormant before, and then so active later. I'll pull it out on Thursday, and finally see about getting a loaf done this weekend.

 

[sandyut]

strange, but good. yeast is hard to kill. look forward to seeing some breads! Good luck

 

[chef k-dude]

I was given a starter from a neighbor recently. I had no idea what a pain in the rear it was to deal with it! From what I understand it becomes easy over time. I keep it in the fridge and remove the allotted amount and feed with flour and water as specified every Sunday. I forgot I need bread flour to make the recipe base she gave me, so waiting until I get that and the wife and I have been sick for the last week, so no trip to the store.

The starter she gave me was maybe 1/3 of a pint jar and was at room temp. My wife misunderstood that it was supposed to go in the fridge and the neighbor wasn't totally clear that it needed to be fed. So I read some more and removed 113 grams to a fresh pint jar, then 113 grams fresh King Arthur AP flour and lukewarm water and on the counter for a few hours to activate, then back in the fridge. At that point its at least 3/4 of the pint jar. Instructions out there dont tell what size vessel to use so far that I've found but I feel like when I'm ready to really make bread it will need to go in larger than a pint jar. I'm a total newbie with sourdough so maybe some folks doing it here can help guide me along!

Of course now summer is coming and I wont want to be heating the oven!

So far I have only experimented with a brownie discard recipe, and it was good once I baked it for at least twice the instructions! It was gooey on the first run following the instructions but I suspect my oven is having issues. Another thread to come on that directly.

 

[sandyut]

I was given a starter from a neighbor recently. I had no idea what a pain in the rear it was to deal with it! From what I understand it becomes easy over time. I keep it in the fridge and remove the allotted amount and feed with flour and water as specified every Sunday. I forgot I need bread flour to make the recipe base she gave me, so waiting until I get that and the wife and I have been sick for the last week, so no trip to the store.

The starter she gave me was maybe 1/3 of a pint jar and was at room temp. My wife misunderstood that it was supposed to go in the fridge and the neighbor wasn't totally clear that it needed to be fed. So I read some more and removed 113 grams to a fresh pint jar, then 113 grams fresh King Arthur AP flour and lukewarm water and on the counter for a few hours to activate, then back in the fridge. At that point its at least 3/4 of the pint jar. Instructions out there dont tell what size vessel to use so far that I've found but I feel like when I'm ready to really make bread it will need to go in larger than a pint jar. I'm a total newbie with sourdough so maybe some folks doing it here can help guide me along!

Of course now summer is coming and I wont want to be heating the oven!

So far I have only experimented with a brownie discard recipe, and it was good once I baked it for at least twice the instructions! It was gooey on the first run following the instructions but I suspect my oven is having issues. Another thread to come on that directly.

maintaining a starter is easier than most of the internet describes-IMO. I leave mine in the refer till the morning I plan to make a dough in the afternoon. I loosen the lid and let it get bubbly, then I use what I need for a loaf, add roughly a 1/4 cup of flour than filtered water to the tick consistency, crank the lid on tight and toss it back in the refer for next time.

its not traditional, but it works and there is little discard, refeed, etc.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Yup it happens.
Sometimes I get a Mt St Helens eruption starter.

 

[mneeley490]

Yup it happens.
Sometimes I get a Mt St Helens eruption starter.

Tried your discard starter loaf recipe yesterday, BGKYSmoker . Probably could have left it in the over for a couple more minutes, but it still came out pretty good.

Also moved my starter to a larger container.

 

[chopsaw]

Looks great !
My Son has one of those breakfast sandwich makers . Works pretty good .

 

[Fueling Around]

Great loaf Mike.

...
Probably could have left it in the over for a couple more minutes, but it still came out pretty good.
...

I probe my loaf bread and when it gets around 190° I pull and put on the cooling rack, but leave in the pan for another 5 minutes. If I goof and let it go higher, drop from pan straight out on the cooling rack. I prefer a butter baste on the top to keep the crust softer.
There are different strains of yeast native to flour.
The yeast in your starter is only good enough to get the culture active until the yeast in the flour you add is what gets it active and growing. It takes a bit of patience to get the Mount Saint Helens reaction. The secret is to stay with the same brand and type of flour so you feed the same natural yeasts.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

looks good from here, I can even see whipped honey on a slice

 

[chef k-dude]

maintaining a starter is easier than most of the internet describes-IMO. I leave mine in the refer till the morning I plan to make a dough in the afternoon. I loosen the lid and let it get bubbly, then I use what I need for a loaf, add roughly a 1/4 cup of flour than filtered water to the tick consistency, crank the lid on tight and toss it back in the refer for next time.

its not traditional, but it works and there is little discard, refeed, etc.

How long in the fridge without feeding? I like this idea.

Just made my first loaf and other than a bit over-browned it is delicious. I can see doing it every week.

What is your experience with storage of the baked bread? Wondering how long it can sit on the counter, bagged, without growing unwanted stuff.

 

[sandyut]

How long in the fridge without feeding? I like this idea.

Just made my first loaf and other than a bit over-browned it is delicious. I can see doing it every week.

What is your experience with storage of the baked bread? Wondering how long it can sit on the counter, bagged, without growing unwanted stuff.

I think I have left the starter in the fridge for months at a time without issue. I bake much less in summer as we dont have AC.

Storing cooked bread is easy. I usually half it and leave one half at room temp to eat withing a couple days. the other half I wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer ziplock and freeze. stays real fresh.

 

[chopsaw]

how long it can sit on the counter, bagged, without growing unwanted stuff.

I use these bags . They don't hold the moisture like plastic , and are great for
gift giving too .

 

[mneeley490]

I use these bags . They don't hold the moisture like plastic , and are great for
gift giving too .
View attachment 715519

Can I find that on Amazon?

 

[chef k-dude]

I think I have left the starter in the fridge for months at a time without issue. I bake much less in summer as we dont have AC.

Storing cooked bread is easy. I usually half it and leave one half at room temp to eat withing a couple days. the other half I wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer ziplock and freeze. stays real fresh.

I stashed some discard back in the fridge without feeding it. I'm going to try setting it out at some point for a test-run on this. It really would be a game changer and I'm just getting started...a good time to learn this!

It's really hard to not eat the bread pretty much right away, But I'm trying not to go totally carb crazy.

My instinct was to cut ends/sides off for eating with dinner last night (baked it yesterday too so it was soooo good!), then cut the center piece in half, put half in the freezer and the other in the fridge.

If the starter will keep for a month or months at a time like that, it will make summer much easier. We have AC, I just try not to fight it with the oven. I need to look at our baking vessels and see if we have anything with a lid I can fit in my portable oven and bake outside. I dont think the Dutch oven will fit.

I use these bags . They don't hold the moisture like plastic , and are great for
gift giving too .
View attachment 715519

Nice. Seems like they could be technically reusable too for a couple loaves.

Amazon.com

Anyone try the reusable bags?

Amazon.com

 

[chopsaw]

Can I find that on Amazon?

Yes . That's where I got them . 50 bags for 15 bucks or something like that .

Seems like they could be technically reusable too for a couple loaves.

Yep . I don't save them , but reuse them if I have another loaf . I normally bake more than one .

Anyone try the reusable bags?

I have those too . Work good for freezing . Good for taking to someone's house too . The time I tried to use them to store at room temp , I got mold right away . I don't use them really . The paper works a lot better .

 

[mneeley490]

Finally got around to making a proper loaf last weekend.

Turned out so good, I have another one started today.

 

[chopsaw]

Looks good . Love the color .
Been raining for 3 days here . I'm feeding starter and mixing some up myself .
Squeezed a batch of pizza dough in there too .

 

[Fueling Around]

You nailed the 3 C's
Crumb, Color, and Crust

Been 90's for the past few days and the A/C kicks on around 10 AM so baking been put on hold until midweek when it cools off to highs in the 70's.

 

[chopsaw]

baking been put on hold

Fire up that jumbo Joe .

 

[mosparky]

I had a starter going well but after much abuse I finally ruined it.
Lessons learned, maybe
1. use a jar that holds at least twice as much as the starter you put in it. It will double or more in size.
2. if you store it in the fridge, put a solid cover on it. I did not and after a couple months it was dried out and had to be chipped out. Try that in a glass jar, 2 hours of butt-pucker.
3. Don't leave it on the counter, ignored for 6 weeks or more. Gnats found their way under the cheese cloth covering and it was covered in black nastiness. At this point I threw the jar and all away.

Someday I'll start again, but working 7 days a week Daily feedings for a few weeks straight until it is mature enough to put in fridge was a PITA.
4. Once you get the starter mature enough to put in fridge, dry one of the discards and store it away.
Do this periodically to stay up to date as the starter will change over time and with cross feedings. This way if anything goes arie, you have a way to recover without completely starting over. Wish I had done this.