A simplified sourdough recipe that won't take all day - ABC Everyday (2024)

FAQs

Can I feed my sourdough every day? ›

You will need to 'feed' it every day (at the same time, if possible). A sourdough starter stored at room temperature and fed everyday will have a milder flavour than one kept in the fridge and fed once a week.

The type of flour used — all-purpose, whole wheat, rye — can affect the nutritional content of sourdough bread, says Wee. But generally speaking, sourdough bread is a healthy option and can be eaten regularly as part of a nutritious, balanced diet.

Don't worry — everything will be just fine. A sourdough starter is often likened to a pet, but unlike a puppy, if you forget to feed it when you're supposed to, nothing bad will happen. Because even though starters are technically alive, they're incredibly resilient.

The sourdough starters are quite resilient, and can be left unfed, but in the fridge, for quite a long time. The longest I've left mine was for 8wks. Lid loose. A dark watery layer, called 'hooch' (see this video) will appear on its surface, but that's absolutely normal – it doesn't mean your starter has died.

Do I have to discard my sourdough starter? It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Discard a portion of the starter and feed it with fresh flour and water every 24 hours. Twice-Daily Feeding: In warmer environments or if you prefer a faster fermentation process, you can feed your starter twice a day, approximately every 12 hours. This helps maintain a more active and vigorous starter.

Because whole grains boost the nutritional value of sourdough bread, whole grain sourdough bread and whole wheat sourdough bread are both great choices when looking to opt for the healthiest sourdough bread option.

The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.

“Sourdough microbes degrade the phytic acid, enhancing the nutritional quality of the bread.” If you make your own sourdough bread at home, using whole-grain flour or a combination of white and whole grain in your recipe will increase the fiber and nutrients a bit.

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

Why discard half of sourdough starter? ›

In order to allow your starter to grow and flourish, you need to "refresh" it with fresh flour and water. Discarding some first allows you to add this fresh food, whilst maintaining your starter at a manageable size.

Can I feed my sourdough starter more than twice a day? No there's no reason to feed your sourdough starter more than twice a day. If you are feeding it more than twice a day, then you risk diluting the natural population of yeast and bacteria and throwing the balance of the starter out completely.

Keep feeding your starter, and you'll see normal activity (bubbles) return in a few days. If your starter has a bit of dark liquid on top, it's not dead! It simply means it's hungry and that it's time to feed it. Unless your starter has a pink or orange hue or is beginning to mold, you probably haven't killed it yet.

Can I use sourdough discard to make a new sourdough starter? Absolutely! You can take a portion of sourdough discard and add a few grams of flour and a few grams of water to create a healthy active sourdough starter. You may need to feed your revived starter a few more times before its ready to make bread.

Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

Overfeeding a sourdough starter will put the culture out of balance. When you don't feed your sourdough starter enough, it will become very acidic because you aren't giving it fresh flour or fresh water and the waste will build up inside the jar.

20-30g should be sufficient, even as little as 5/10g if you feed your starter every day or every second day.

Like most things, if you eat too much sourdough bread it can make you very gassy.

A starter stored in the fridge can be fed once a week. If you plan to use it often, you can store it for up to two months without feeding. When you want to use the starter again, remove it from the fridge for a few hours, then feed it every 12 hours for 36 hours before you make bread with it. Need a really long break?