Your starter is the most important thing when making sourdough. Keeping it happy and bubbly is key! Check out my Sourdough starter tips for more tips I share about your starter!
When you feed your sourdough starter you want to keep your flour the same. I like using more of a bread type flour or a flour with a higher protein over an all purpose flour. It’s okay to add rye or whole wheat to your feedings. If you do need to change to a different flour, you may need a few feedings for it to get used to the change!
Use filtered water or non-chlorineated water. If your water has chlorine in it, you can let your water sit on the counter for 24 hours the chlorine will evaporate out.
Not everybody uses a scale. I feel like I need to measure out my feedings using a scale! If I don’t over time my starter begins to slack so I always use the scale!
All you need when you feed your starter is water, flour, and some starter. A scale, a jar, a stirring spoon and some sort of cloth/coffee filter/paper towel to cover your jar. You want your starter to be able to be in contact with the air to ferment but you don’t want bugs or anything to get inside your jar.
There are two types of feeding. One is the “maintain feeding” and the other is the “bulk feeding”
“Maintaine feeding” this means your just keeping a small amount of your starter to feed. I like to keep around 1 tablespoon-1/4 cup or around 10-30grams. I feel like I don’t waste flour when I keep it at a small amount. I do these “maintain feedings” every 12 hours to keep a very happy, bubbly starter! Here’s how to you feed it. You will want about 1 Tablespoon/30 grams of starter, 1 Tablespoon/30 grams of water and 1 heaping Tablespoon/30 grams of flour. In a container, I like to use a 2cup or 1 quart jar. Stir well and cover with a cloth. Repeat this feeding every 12 hours. The next “maintain feeding” will have more then 1 Tablespoon/30 grams so you will have to discard some before you feed it! This is for storing it on your counter. If you store it in the fridge, you don’t need to do these “maintain feedings” just make sure to feed it before you put it back into the fridge.
“Bulk feeding” this means to feed your starter more so you will have enough to use for Baking. Using your starter, your going to want to give it more water and flour. You may need a bigger jar, I’ll use a 1/2 gallon jar for my “bulk feeding” just so I know it won’t go over, a quart jar will work as long as you don’t go over half way because your starter will double! You can start with just 1 Tablespoon/30 grams of starter. I use anywhere from 30-100 grams of starter to feed. I don’t necessarily measure out my starter when I “bulk feed” because I known I’ll be feeding it more. Measure out 100 grams of water and 100 grams of flour and add your small amount of starter all to a jar. Stir well. Cover and let rise/peak (4-12 hours). When it has peaked or doubled it will be ready to use!
After doing it a while you will realize how much you need to feed it for how much you need to bake with. If I’m making lots of bread, 6-8 loaves, I’ll feed it more, around 300-400 grams of both water and flour. After you use your “bulk feeding” make sure to keep a little bit to “maintain feed” until you need to bake again.
You may be left with extra starter after baking. You can save that for discard recipes, you can find lots to do with sourdough discard!
Since your “bulk feeding” is a little different then the “maintain feeding” it may rise faster or slower, so keep that in mind!
I hope this helps with understanding how to feed your sourdough starter!
