How to Make Sourdough Starter III - A Step-by-Step Guide

For anyone interested in making their own sourdough bread at home, a good sourdough starter is essential. This simple mixture of flour and water acts as the foundation for creating the unique, tangy flavor and chewy texture that sourdough bread is known for. Sourdough starter is alive, containing wild yeast and lactobacilli bacteria that naturally occur in the flour and air, and it requires regular feeding and care to keep it healthy and active.

Creating a sourdough starter from scrat...

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Ingredients

  • 2 peeled and cubed potatoes
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar (Optional)
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

Information

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Additional Time: 4 days 20 hrs 30 mins
  • Total Time: 4 days 20 hrs 40 mins
  • Servings: 3
  • Yield: 3 cups starter

  • In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with water. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove potatoes and reserve for other use. Let cooking water cool to lukewarm.
  • Mix flour and 1 cup potato water. Set aside in bowl with cloth or wax paper to cover. Mixture does not have to be mixed smooth: the batter will work out any lumps as it sits. Stir once or twice a day until it smells right. It will have a nice sourdough smell to it after about 4 or 5 days, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. You can add a teaspoon of sugar to quicken the process. If you want to speed the process even more you can add a package of yeast to the water before adding the flour. Use as directed in your favorite Sourdough Bread recipe.
  • Nutrition

    425 cal.

    • Total Fat: 1g
    • Saturated Fat: 0g
    • Sodium: 11mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 91g
    • Dietary Fiber: 6g
    • Total Sugars: 3g
    • Protein: 12g
    • Vitamin C: 28mg
    • Calcium: 31mg
    • Iron: 5mg
    • Potassium: 734mg