Start Your Starter!

When I learned that bread could be baked without commercial yeast, I had to give it a try. I love finding new ways to become self-sufficient, and making bread with a wild yeast culture definitely appealed to me. Plus, it sounded like a fun science experiment with the added result of delicious homemade bread.

To bake with wild yeast, the first step is to create a starter. This starter serves as a master culture of the organisms necessary to leaven a loaf of bread. A portion of the starter is used each time you bake, and the rest of the starter is refreshed for next time.

The goal is to harvest wild yeast organisms (which are present in the air you’re breathing right now) and friendly bacteria (lactobacilli). The lactobacilli and wild yeast have a symbiotic relationship.  The lactobacilli feed on flour and produce simple sugars, which the wild yeast need for sustenance.  Lactobacilli also produce acids which give sourdough its flavor.  The acids also keep other “bad” bacteria and yeast strains out.

There are many different ways to begin a sourdough culture, but I decided to use a simple method requiring just whole wheat flour and water.  Some methods use different amounts of fruit, fruit juice, commercial yeast, or multiple types of flour.  I found this simple recipe to work for me, and perhaps it will work for you as well.

Why whole wheat flour?  I have read that whole wheat flour contains more wild yeast and bacteria then all-purpose flour.  Also, I generally keep whole wheat flour in the house along with all-purpose flour, so it was readily accessible.

The length of time needed to cultivate a starter depends on a number of environmental conditions.  The temperature of the air, the type of wild yeast organisms found in your area, and the water you use to feed your starter can all have an effect on how quickly the starter gets going.  Mine took 4 days to become established.  

The first thing you’ll need is a container that can hold at least 3 cups.  It’s best to use glass, ceramic, or even plastic.  I use an old applesauce jar.  Make sure it’s been cleaned out well and then sterilized (I just run the jar through the dishwasher).

Add 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water and stir well.  Cover the jar loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit out at room temperature. I started this culture in the evening, so I’ll refer to this photo as Day 1, evening:

Do not disturb the starter for 24 hours.  Here is what my culture looked like on Day 2 (evening):

That layer of liquid on top is called hooch.  It does contain alcohol, and will probably smell like it.  It’s harmless to the culture, so you can pour it off or just mix it back in.  I usually mix it back in, unless the starter is very liquidy already.

Stir the culture a bit, and then add 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours.  On day 3 (morning), here is what I saw:

The culture is coming to life!  This is a good sign.  You can see many tiny bubbles throughout the culture, and it has risen a bit.

Stir the culture to collapse it.  You’ll need to give it another feeding at this point.  However, if we continue to double the volume of starter it will take over the kitchen.  Discard half of the starter before feeding it another 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup water.  Cover loosely and let sit for another 12 hours.

Day 3 (evening):

It’s still looking lively!  I’m not sure that it’s ready because the smell is not quite right.  It should have a sour smell but not too sour or acidic.  Stir the culture, discard half of it, and add another 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water.

Day 4 (morning):

Hmmm…not as lively, but still bubbly.  And it has separated a little.  Sometimes the sourdough will go through a dormant period, so don’t give up! If you see any bubbles at all in the mixture that’s a good sign. Stir the culture, and discard half of it.  Then add 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water.

Day 4 (evening):

This looks like a healthy sourdough culture to me! It’s bubbly and frothy on the surface, with tiny bubbles throughout the culture. It smells pleasantly sour. Keep in mind that you won’t always see the culture when it has doubled. Mine takes about 4 hours to double, so I’m usually asleep or at work when it’s at its peak.

Once your starter becomes established, you’ll only need to feed it once a day. You can either discard half of the starter or use it in baking. Then refresh with another 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water. If you’re not going to bake with it very often, you can store it in the fridge and feed it just once a week.

Sometimes the starter will develop a layer of mold on top. I’ve seen both white and black varieties of mold in my starter. This usually happens if I forget to feed the starter. Just scrape off as much of the mold as possible and proceed with the feeding. The good guys in the starter will generally demolish all the bad stuff after a good feeding.

If you’d like to read more about sourdough, here are some of my favorite sources:
Sourdough Basics by S. John Ross
Sourdough Home
Wild Yeast Blog

Get started on a sourdough culture, and check back in a few days for a sourdough bread recipe!