Sourdough Starter from Scratch

2 day old sourdough starter

Over the years I have made sourdough bread many times. Always from a purchased starter that was in a dry form you added to and had good success. Ultimately I would get out of the habit of making sourdough and let the starter run a muck.

Recently I was reading the King Arthur Flour Website and happened upon how to start your own starter from scratch. I found it really interesting and of course....got the bug and started one of the versions.

To make starter you need:

2 C. warm water, (preferably non chlorinated)
1 T. sugar or honey (I used honey)
1 T. or packet of yeast
2 C. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Pour the water into a 3 or 4 qt. glass or ceramic jar or bowl and add the sweetener and stir to dissolve. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Gradually stir in the flour. Cover the container with a clean kitchen towel and place it in a warm place. Do not use plastic wrap. You want to capture any wild yeasts in the air and let them pass into your brew!! The towel will allow this.

The mixture is very active and will bubble and brew. Let it work from 2 to 5 days, stirring about once a day as it will separate. The bubbling should subside and smell yeasty, sour aroma when it has developed. Stir once more and refrigerate in a jar with a tight lid until ready to use.

To keep it going you have to feed it occasionally and if you remove some to use it will need replenishment. I will write more about this as I go along in the process or please feel free to check out yourself at the King Arthur site.

I think it looks really funky so I wanted to take a picture so if you try this you will not be surprised.

Mine ran over onto the kitchen cabinet right away the day I started it so beware and use a large enough container.