How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (2024)

Table of Contents
What does it mean to “feed” your sourdough starter? How to feed your sourdough starter What to do with the unused sourdough starter Dealing with Sourdough burnout How to decrease feedings Storing in the refrigerator Drying the sourdough starter Freezing What to do with your sourdough starter Frequently asked sourdough starter questions How To Feed and Maintain a Sourdough Starter Equipment Ingredients Instructions FAQs

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Learning how to feed your sourdough starter can seem very daunting in the beginning. I’m here to clear up the confusion and show you the easy (aka lazy) way to feed and maintain your sourdough starter.

And…

This method will lead to the best, extra sour sourdough you have ever made.

There are many tutorials available to teach you how to care for and maintain a sourdough starter, but it can quickly become overwhelming. The reason for much of the confusion is because there is no one way to feed and care for your sourdough starter. It is very similar to a child in this aspect. Each is unique and responds differently to it’s environment.

So now that you have made your sourdough starter (or bought/received from a friend), now it’s time to feed and maintain the starter.

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (1)
Jump to:
  • What does it mean to “feed” your sourdough starter?
  • How to feed your sourdough starter
  • What to do with the unused sourdough starter
  • Dealing with Sourdough burnout
  • How to decrease feedings
  • Storing in the refrigerator
  • Drying the sourdough starter
  • Freezing
  • What to do with your sourdough starter
  • Frequently asked sourdough starter questions
  • How To Feed and Maintain a Sourdough Starter

What does it mean to “feed” your sourdough starter?

Once you have made your sourdough starter by combining flour and water and are seeing signs of activity with bubble, it is time to feed it. Feeding means adding flour and water to a small portion of your sourdough starter to maintain a balanced flavor and control the fermentation.

How to feed your sourdough starter

Feeding your sourdough starter is really very easy.

Just scoop out ¼ cup sourdough starter and place it into a clean and dry jar.

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (2)

Add ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (3)

and ¼ cup filtered warm water

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (4)

and stir well.

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (5)

Then set it in a warm location for 12-24 hours or until bubbles start to form.

After 12 hours, repeat the feeding. Continue to feed every 12 hours until the sourdough is well established and bubbly. The bubbles indicate the starter is alive, active, and ready for baking. You can decrease your twice a day feedings to one time a day after 3-5 days.

Sourdough starter are typically ready to use in about a week when you see it doubling in size. However, if you want a really sour sourdough then it will require longer.

If you notice the starter is having a hard time becoming active then you may want to alter the environment by adding moisture and warmth. When I want to ensure increased activity then I will fill a Crockpot with hot water, turn it on low, and set the sourdough jar near it. This creates a nice moist and warm environment to get your starter going. Just make sure it doesn’t get too warm or this could negatively effect your sourdough.

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (6)

What to do with the unused sourdough starter

The original starter, after you have taken out the ¼ cup, is referred to as the “discard”. Yes, you could throw this away but that does seem like a waste of precious sourdough. However, unless you have a very busy baking schedule you will find you will have more sourdough than what you need. Your discard is typically what is used for your recipes. Just remember that you want to feed the discard and wait for it to become bubbly and active prior to using. If you are not ready to use it then you could you put it in the refrigerator for long term storage or give it to friends, family, or neighbors to use.

Dealing with Sourdough burnout

Sourdough burnout is a thing. Those first few days of starting and feeding your sourdough is full of excitement and anticipation for that first wonderful bread or baked good. Then, after you have fed this living thing for what seems like the millionth time YOU ARE DONE!

No worries.

There are several things you can do to decrease sourdough activity so you don’t have to feed it all of the time:

How to decrease feedings

If your sourdough is alive and at room temperature then it must be fed daily. In order to decrease the feeding you need to make your sourdough starter go dormant. This can be done by storing the sourdough in the refrigerator, drying the starter, or freezing the starter.

  1. Store it in the refrigerator.
  2. Dry it.
  3. Freeze it.

Storing in the refrigerator

This is my favorite preservation method by far because IT IS SO EASY. Simply put your sourdough starter, jar and all, into your refrigerator and walk away. That’s it! Traditionalists will tell you to feed your sourdough every 1-4 weeks to keep it alive and going strong.

See Also
What is sourdough discard? And what should I do with it?How Do I Know If It’s Dead? And Other Sourdough Starter Questions, AnsweredSourdough Starter vs Sourdough Discard: What's The Difference?What To Do With Sourdough Discard - BReD

However…I must admit I have went MUCH longer than this and was still able to bring it back.

In fact, leaving it in the neglected in the refrigerator is my favorite thing to do and is how I store my sourdough long term. As in I place it in the refrigerator, walk away and don’t don’t come back to it until the next Fall…8 months later!

See how I revive a black and dead looking sourdough starter.

Drying the sourdough starter

King Arthur Baking has a great tutorial on how to dry a sourdough starter for long term storage.

Freezing

The Spruce Eats explains the best way to freeze your sourdough starter for long term storage.

What to do with your sourdough starter

Now that you have an amazing sourdough starter it’s time to bake. This easy rustic dutch oven sourdough bread recipe is my favorite to date. It produces the bakery quality sourdough bread at home.

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (7)

Frequently asked sourdough starter questions

Do I need to feed my sourdough starter daily?

In the beginning? Yes. In the long term? No. A sourdough starter that is new will need to fed daily to develop that signature sourdough flavor over time. Any sourdough starter that is stored at room temperature will also need to be fed daily. Once it is established then you have several options for storage when you are not baking regularly. These storage options with decrease the sourdough starter activity and therefore decrease feedings. Long term storage options include refrigerating, freezing, or drying.

How often do I need to feed my sourdough starter?

You will need to feed your room temperature sourdough starter 1-2 times per day to keep it active, bubbly, and ready for baking. Starter that is kept in the refrigerator can be fed much less often, 1 time every 1-4 weeks. Or you can see how I avoid feeding my sourdough for up to 8 months.

What kind of flour do I use to make my sourdough starter?

The most common flours used to make a sourdough starter are unbleached All-Purpose flour, bread flour, rye flour, and wheat flour. The kind of flour you use will depend on the flavor and characteristics you want your starter to have. To see an in depth review on types of flours used and appropriate ratios you can check out Serious Eats Best Flour for Sourdough Guide.

What kind of flour do I use to feed my sourdough starter?

Once the sourdough starter is made, then use unbleached all-purpose flour to feed it. If it is sluggish then adding some rye flour into the feedings may give it an extra boost.

What if I don’t have time to feed my sourdough starter every day?

If you don’t have the time to feed your sourdough daily then you can place the starter in the refrigerator which will decrease the feeding to 1 time every 1 to 4 weeks (or not at all).

How do I feed a sourdough starter after it is removed from the refrigerator?

Take ¼ cup sourdough starter from the refrigerator and add ½ cup flour, and ¼ cup water to a clean glass jar with a loose fitting lid. Give it a stir. Feed the sourdough this way every 12 hours until it is bubbly and active, then it is ready to use. At this point feedings can decrease to one time per day or you can place it back in the refrigerator so you don’t have to feed it.

Can I use a sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator?

No, you cannot use sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator. It is in a dormant state and needs to be fed and warmed up to become active. Sourdough starter should be used when it is bubbly and active.

How do I revive an inactive starter from the refrigerator?

To revive an inactive sourdough starter that has been removed from the refrigerator you will need to feed it with purified warm water, unbleached flour, and set it in a warm location.

Is it better to refrigerate, dry, or freeze my sourdough starter for long term storage?

When deciding the best way to store your sourdough between baking periods it is important to know the length of time you anticipate between baking. If you plan on baking within a few weeks or even a month then then refrigerating your sourdough starter is the best option. If you need very long term storage then drying is likely the best preservation method, though freezing is an option as well. With this said, I have kept my sourdough starter in the refrigerator, unfed, for 8 months and it was fantastic!

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (8)

How To Feed and Maintain a Sourdough Starter

Mel | Missouri Girl Home

Learn how to make, feed, and maintain a sourdough starter with just a few easy steps [and what to do when you need a break]

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Bread

Equipment

  • 2 glass storage containers (needs to hold at least 3 cups) with loose fitting lid

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water warm, filtered
  • ½ cup rye flour
  • ½ cup flour unbleached, all-purpose
  • additional flour and water for future feedings

Instructions

Make the sourdough starter

  • Combine the flour and warm filtered water in a glass container and stir to combine.

  • Add a loose fitting lid.

  • Allow the starter to sit in a warm location for 12 hours and then begin feeding the starter.

Feed the sourdough starter

  • In another clean glass jar add ¼ cup of the sourdough starter, ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour, and ¼ cup warm filtered water.

  • Stir well and add a loose fitting lid and sit in a warm location for 12 hours.

  • Feed the starter every 12 hours (using the method just described in the step above) for 5 days, or until the starter becomes active, bubbly, and rises. At this point you can decrease feedings to 1 time per day.

  • If you are unable to feed the starter daily, or just need a break then place the sourdough starter into the refrigerator so it will go dormant.

  • When you are ready to resume baking, then remove the starter from the refrigerator and resume the same feeding schedule as described above (twice a day until the starter becomes very active and bubbly and then decreasing to one time per day).

Keyword best sourdough bread, easy sourdough starter, extra sour sourdough starter, lazy mmethod for making sourdough, lazy sourdough starter, sluggish sourdough starter, sourdough bread instructions, sourdough starter method

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home (2024)

FAQs

How To Feed And Maintain A Sourdough Starter [Without a Scale] - Missouri Girl Home? ›

Take ¼ cup sourdough starter from the refrigerator and add ½ cup flour, and ¼ cup water to a clean glass jar with a loose fitting lid. Give it a stir. Feed the sourdough this way every 12 hours until it is bubbly and active, then it is ready to use.

Continue Reading ›
Can I feed my sourdough starter without a scale? ›

To feed the starter you will add ¼ cup of your sourdough starter to a clean glass jar. Add ¼ cup filtered warm water and ½ unbleached all-purpose flour. Stir well and then place a loose fitting lid on top and place in a warm location (75-80 degrees Fahrenheit).

View More ›
How do you feed and maintain a sourdough starter? ›

How To Feed Your Sourdough Starter (at a Glance)
  1. Remove and discard half of your sourdough starter.
  2. Feed what's left in the jar with equal parts flour and water by weight (1:1:1 feeding ratio).
  3. Let rise at room temperature (covered or airtight) ideally 75+ F, until bubbly, active and double in size (2-12 hrs.).
Jan 3, 2021

Explore More ›
How do bakers keep their sourdough starters alive? ›

If you're baking frequently, feed it once or twice a day and leave it out at room temperature to keep it active. For less frequent baking, feed your starter just once a week and keep it in the fridge.

Read On ›
How often should a sourdough starter be fed to maintain an active culture? ›

On the counter, it needs to be fed daily, but in the fridge, it only needs to be fed once a week. You can even switch back and forth between the refrigerator and the counter if you use it sporadically.

Discover More ›
Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it? ›

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.

Explore More ›
How do you rehydrate sourdough starter without scale? ›

Instructions
  1. In a small bowl or jar, mix 5 grams of dehydrated sourdough starter with 15 grams of 80 °F water.
  2. Allow the starter and water to sit for about 2 hours, or until the dried starter dissolves.
  3. Stir in 15 grams of flour.
  4. Cover and put in the Sourdough Home or Proofer at 78 °F overnight, or for 12 - 14 hours.

Explore More ›
Should I stir my sourdough starter between feedings? ›

It is important that you stir the sourdough starter every day in the morning and in the evening. Feed the starter. Add 60 g flour and 60 g lukewarm water, stir well to combine, and let sit out for 24 hours.

Read The Full Story ›
Do you really have to feed sourdough starter every day? ›

Experts recommend feeding a starter twice daily. And at each feeding, you hold onto 1/2 cup of your original starter, discard the rest, and then add its same weight in water and flour. With this schedule, you'd discard almost a cup of sourdough starter every day.

See Details ›
What is the best flour for maintaining sourdough starter? ›

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour, which is a blend of hard and soft wheat, is a popular choice for feeding sourdough starter. It provides a good balance of protein and starch, which promotes a healthy fermentation process.

See More ›

How did pioneers keep sourdough starter alive? ›

Some early miners were even known to sleep with starters in their pockets on cold nights so that the yeasts and bacteria didn't freeze to death—giving the prospectors a somewhat sour smell, which may also be part of the reason they earned the sourdough nickname.

Discover More ›
Is it hard to keep a sourdough starter alive? ›

A starter is a pretty resilient thing (don't let people tell you otherwise). You don't need to make it a science to feed it. That being said, if you always give your starter too much or too little food, your starter and your dough won't rise as much as they could.

See More ›
How soon after feeding sourdough starter can I use it? ›

*Do not try baking with your starter right after feeding it. Allow time for it to grow and feast on the flour before using it. Starters are usually ready to bake with around 4-12 hours after a feeding depending on the amount you feed your starter. The larger the feeding, the more time it needs to ferment.

Know More ›
How to feed sourdough starter without a scale? ›

Take ¼ cup sourdough starter from the refrigerator and add ½ cup flour, and ¼ cup water to a clean glass jar with a loose fitting lid. Give it a stir. Feed the sourdough this way every 12 hours until it is bubbly and active, then it is ready to use.

Get More Info ›
How do you know if your sourdough starter is hungry? ›

Over time it might have a greyish liquid start to collect in it, called hooch. It is a natural alcohol that your starter produces, and it just tells you that it is hungry. You can stir it in the next time you feed or pour it off (this is what I do) and then feed as usual.

Read More ›
How old is the oldest sourdough starter? ›

The World's 'Oldest' Sourdough Starter Was Made With 4,500-Year-Old Yeast. There's no bread quite like sourdough. In addition to being tasty as a sandwich bread, delicious as sourdough croutons, and even great just toasted with butter, sourdough's production process is decidedly unlike other breads.

Keep Reading ›
Can you eyeball feeding sourdough starter? ›

You will need a digital scale for breadmaking, so make the investment in an inexpensive kitchen scale. Once you develop experience feeding your starter by weighing the ingredients, you will fairly quickly be able to “eyeball” the quantities and will not need to measure every day.

See Details ›
Can you feed sourdough starter with all purpose? ›

Here are some common flour options for feeding your sourdough starter: All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour, which is a blend of hard and soft wheat, is a popular choice for feeding sourdough starter. It provides a good balance of protein and starch, which promotes a healthy fermentation process.

Read On ›
What happens if you feed sourdough starter sugar? ›

The sugar puts stress on both the yeast and the bacteria, but the stress is less severe for the yeast. Therefore, the microbial population in the ripe sweet starter is skewed more toward yeast and also sugar tolerance, which is helpful if you happen to be making a sweet enriched dough.

Continue Reading ›
Should sourdough starter be feed by weight or volume? ›

Sourdough Feeding Instructions

Feed the starter with flour and water every 8-12 hours using one of the following methods: If using a scale to measure ingredients, combine equal amounts by weight of starter, water, and flour. For instance, 50 grams of starter, 50 grams of water, 50 grams of flour.

Learn More ›
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