part0100

Sourdough has become more popular than ever, and baking at home is a wonderful way to support your health and feel connected to your food. If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, there are a few ways to get one. You can make one with this recipe, get one from a friend, or order one online. Some people even have sourdough starters that have been passed down through generations (and they’re often willing to share). Keep in mind that making a starter takes about five days with a small task every day.

MAKE THE INITIAL STARTER (DAY 1)

1. In a 2-quart glass measuring cup, jar, or large bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour and ½ cup of water. Mix until a smooth batter forms. It should resemble a loose, wet dough. Cover the container with a clean, tightly knit kitchen towel, flour sack towel, or plastic wrap. Secure with a rubber band.

2. Store the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F that’s not in direct sunlight for 24 hours. Consider the top of your refrigerator or a counter away from a window.

FEED THE STARTER (DAYS 2 THROUGH 4)

3. Each day you check the starter, it should have bubbles on top, ideally more each day, eventually appearing frothy. It may develop a slightly sour or yeasty odor.

4. Each day, at the same time of day, stir the mixture, then discard all but ½ cup of the starter, then add 1 cup of bread flour and ½ cup of water to the existing starter bowl. Mix until it forms the loose, wet dough again. Cover, secure, and store the container in the same way as you did on day 1.

STARTER IS READY TO USE (DAY 5 AND BEYOND)

5. Between days 4 and 5, the volume of starter should about double. It will look quite bubbly and smell slightly sour. If it doesn’t seem as active as the description or there aren’t many bubbles, you may need to let it go one more day, feeding it with the flour and water mixture as on days 2, 3, and 4. One way to know whether it’s done is to take 1 teaspoon of the starter from the top of the mixture and drop it in a glass full of water. If it floats, then it’s ready, and if it doesn’t float, then you should go through another cycle of feeding and resting. If the starter is very bubbly and sour-smelling and floats when you drop a teaspoon of it in water, you can start using it to bake with on day 5.

6. To maintain the starter over time, on day 5, use it in the Basic, No-Knead Sourdough Loaf or Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes , or discard half of it, and then feed it once more like you have been doing on days 2 through 4.

7. You can now store your starter in the refrigerator in a glass jar or bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap. Pour out any liquid that develops on the top. From now on you only need to feed the starter once per week. When you feed it, remember to discard all but ½ cup, then stir in 1 cup bread flour and ½ cup water. (You can use what you need during the week so long as the base amount does not fall below ½ cup.)