Fresh, homemade sourdough bread is just about the closest thing to heaven on earth! But in order to create real sourdough bread, you must first create a sourdough stater. Once you have your mature starter going, it's time to choose how you will maintain it to keep it strong and active for years to come!
We have a new website, Little Spoon Farm, dedicated to sourdough recipes for beginners and home bakers. It includes our updated tutorial for making a sourdough starter. It's even easier than this one! We've got a bunch of beginner's sourdough recipes to choose from too!
As you know by now, I like to keep things simple. I've kept my sourdough starter active and strong for well over a year now with the instructions I'm sharing with you today. Creating and maintaining a starter can be a little intimidating at first, but if you keep it simple, you'll find that it's very rewarding and you'll be able to bake anytime you wish!
How much flour do I feed my starter?
Whether you follow a daily or weekly maintenance of your sourdough starter, the measurements will be the same. This keeps things easy to remember and consistent.
- 25 grams mature starter
- 100 grams filtered water
- 100 grams flour
With these measurements you will have 225 grams of mature starter at anytime.
Daily Sourdough Starter Maintenance
Use the daily sourdough starter maintenance schedule if you plan to bake several times a week. This will keep your starter active and available anytime you wish to bake.
Once a day discard all but 25 grams of mature starter. Place the 25 grams of starter into a clean jar and add 100 grams of filtered water and 100 grams of flour. Mix vigorously with a spatula, cover lightly and set on counter to ferment until the next feeding.
I like to do a daily feeding in the morning so that it has a chance to ferment during the day. That way, if I feel like putting a dough together the next day, I will take from the starter that evening to build my levain overnight, and then continue with the daily feedings as usual.
Weekly Sourdough Starter Maintenance
Use the weekly sourdough starter maintenance schedule if you plan to bake once or less per week.
Once a week, remove the jar of starter from the fridge and let it come to room temperature on the counter. Discard all but 25 grams that you will put into a clean jar. To the starter add 100 grams of filtered water and 100 grams of flour. Let the starter sit on the counter for a few hours and then place it back into the fridge until the next feeding or you are ready to make sourdough bread.
What kind of flour do I use for maintaining a sourdough starter?
You can use any kind of flour you prefer for the maintenance of your starter. To keep things simple, I prefer to use a 50/50 mixture of unbleached all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I take 4 cups of each these two flours, mix them together in a large mixing bowl. I then transfer the mixture to a container with a tight fitting lid. This makes feeding easier as I do not have to weigh out two separate flours every time I feed.
What kind of water should I use?
Make sure that the water you use to maintain your starter does not contain chlorine, which can kill the yeast and bacteria. Either use filtered water or fill a container with water and let it sit for an hour which will allow the chlorine to dissipate before using.
So to recap, the original starter is never fully used up. It is fed regular feedings, daily or weekly, in order to keep it going! When you are ready to bake, take a small amount from the starter to build a separate levain for your dough.
Saving Sourdough Starter
It's wise to save some of your starter as a backup, just in case! You never know what can happen. You could accidentally drop your jar, the starter could become contaminated, and the last thing you want to do is start all over again!
Instead of discarding the extra starter leftover after feeding, spread it out in a thin layer on a silicone mat. Let it dry completely and then break it into pieces and place in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Store in a cool dry place.
If you need to revive the dried sourdough starter, add a little water to re-hydrate and then give it daily feedings until it is active again!
Tools needed to Maintain your Sourdough Starter:
BAKER’S KITCHEN SCALE A kitchen scale is a must-have for baking sourdough bread.
BALL JARS Pint size, wide-mouth ball jars are the perfect size for 225 grams of starter.
PLASTIC BALL JAR LIDS These lids make storing the starter and other foods easy.
OXO SPATULA This spatula is my favorite because it is very sturdy and I only use it for my starter.
SILPAT MAT This is the silicone mat I use for drying out my starter.
Sourdough Starter Maintenance
Ingredients
- 25 grams mature starter
- 100 grams filtered water
- 100 grams unbleached flour
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a clean jar, stir vigorously and cover lightly, allowing the starter to "breath".
- Daily Maintenance: Feed the starter once a day, pick morning or evening, and allow to set at room temperature until the next feeding.
- Weekly Maintenance: In the morning take the starter out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Feed the starter and let sit on counter for a few hours or until right before bed. Store in the fridge until the next feeding.
Notes
- Any unbleached flour can be used to feed your starter.
- Make sure water is free of chlorine which can disrupt or potentially kill the yeast and bacteria in the starter.
Maria says
I think I read somewhere when I was researching that you fed the starter weekly and didn’t have to discard, You discarded only with the daily feed at the beginning but then you didn’t have to, that is what I’ve been doing. It still works. Your thoughts
Thank you.
Amy Duska says
Go to my new tutorial on how to feed, maintain, store and save a backup of your starter. It will show you my new methods on maintaining a starter with and without discard!
jen evanson says
Amy, you are awesome! Thank you for all your careful instructions and all the help you have provided to new user like me in the comments section. You are a gift from above. The results of my first four loaves (all baked this week) have been wonderful. I am thrilled. I have never had such a total culinary success in my life, and all that with simple ingredients that I've had in my home all along. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Amy Duska says
That's so nice to hear 🙂
Margaret says
I’m going away for 4 weeks will my starter be ok if I store it in the fridge
Amy Duska says
Yes it will!
Kristin says
How tight should the lid of the jar be when you store the mature starter in the fridge?
Amy Duska says
Cover it loosely!
Lily says
How much water to add on to the dried sourdough starter? A tablespoon?
How long can I keep the dry sourdough starter?
Can I use all purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour?
Amy Duska says
Check out our new post Sourdough Starter 201: How to feed, maintain, store and backup
Manali says
Hi Amy,
For the weekly maintenance , are you discarding the starter every time you take it out of the fridge and then following the 25g-100g-100 g ratio ?
Amy Duska says
Check out our new post Sourdough Starter 201: How to feed, maintain, store and backup
Alexandra says
Hello Amy,
I want to ask a question, can I feed my starter like this? 12.5 gr starter, 50gr water and 50 gr flour?
Thank you!
Amy Duska says
Check out our new post Sourdough Starter 201: How to feed, maintain, store and backup
Alexandra says
Hello!!!
I have been maintaining my strater for 2 weeks now and I really find feeding it daily better because my family consumes it in two days so i bake really often..i also use it for your sourdough pizza which is really really tasty!! But I was wondering if i could cut the recipe for maintenance in half like 12.5 gr of starter, 50 gr water and 50 gr flour because two days i feel like I'm wasting too much flour for 2 loafs every 2 days...
Thank you for THE GREATEST RECIPE ♥️♥️
E says
Nice and simple, thank you!
Mary Ann Van Cura says
I want to do a weekly feeding of my starter and also make a loaf of bread. Wondering about sequence of steps.
I'm clear on how to do the weekly feeding if I just want to return the starter to fridge.
To make loaf, do I wait til starter is at room temp and take out enough to make the Levin and ggthen discard and feed?
Amy Duska says
Yes, remove from the fridge and take enough to build the levain to feed.
Deb says
My neighbor gifted us a starter last week. I fed it once without reducing the amount. Today, I’m following your method. Both times I’ve pulled it out of the fridge, it has a layer of water on the top. I’ve just mixed it in both times before setting it out to reach room temp. Why is it separating?
Amy Duska says
How long was it in the fridge between the two times you removed it?
Miranda Konz says
The one thing I’m missing from most tutorials, is how to begin getting my refrigerated starter ready for baking, time, feeding etc and then how to re prep my starter. Any instructions??
Amy Duska says
HI Miranda! Check out this tutorial on my sourdough website under How to Maintain a Starter with or without discard. You can choose from two different options!
Jen says
Hey Amy! I have been using this ratio, but I am coming up short of the 250g I need for my recipe. Would you just double this feeding to increase the starter! I bake 2 loaf 2X a week 🙂
Thanks.
Amy Duska says
Yes you can do that
Amanda says
Hi Amy, I fed my newly gifted starter 2.5 hours before it was ready to use for bread, not knowing I should have just left it. I did this because there were no bubbles on top but only in the bottom. The starter of course dropped. I’m brand new to this! I now know not to stir halfway through the process, but now what should I do? Should I just leave it until tomorrow’s feeding, and bake my bread with it tomorrow eve or should I discard and re-feed it now?
Amanda says
I meant to say I stirred my starter 2.5 hrs before! Not fed it 🙁
Amy Duska says
Feed it now
Kathy says
I've had my starter going for 2weeks now & every friday I feed it. My problem is when I take the amount to keep it going the left over which I want to use is not enough for a recipe. How can I increase the leftover starter without making 2 jars or is that what I have to do.
Jill says
Hey Amy,
As with so many others, I am on the sourdough journey during this 'shelter-in-place' time. Your posts and videos have been so helpful! Thank you!
Quick question, your maintenance program (which I have been using successfully for the past 2 weeks) is not a ratio of 1:1:1 like many other sites suggest. I know there are lots of ways to do this, but just curious, why do you not suggest this ratio?
Thank you and stay safe!
Amy Duska says
The less amount starter you add to the feeding, the slower it is to rise. I like this ratio because it keeps a really healthy balance of yeast and bacteria, and it allows me up to 12 hours at room temperature (68°F) to use my starter for baking bread. The more starter that is added when feeding, the more frequent you will have to feed. I hope that makes sense!
Clair says
Ahhhhh!! This is the missing link for me. Thank you. I didn’t realize quantity of starter effected the growth speed. I did notice the temperature of the water also made a difference in the speed. Thank you! Your website has been extremely helpful!
Lisa says
Hi there! I love your blog and info on sourdough. I was wondering how/why you recommend 1/4 part starter (25g) to 1 and 1 parts water and flour (100g each)? Most sites I've seen seem to say equal parts for all three. Also, if I store in fridge and feed weekly, can I use the starter to bake on the same day as feeding? If so, how long after feeding? Or if I bake on another day, do I just take it out of fridge for a few hours and then use without feeding? Thanks!!
Amy Duska says
Hi Lisa! Go to my new blog that is dedicated to sourdough. I have detailed instruction for your questions. Just skip to the section on how to maintain starter with or without a discard.
Sara Page says
Can I double this? It’s great but too little
Amy Duska says
Yes you can 🙂
Avril Reid says
Hi Amy ! Thanks for the recipes! Two queries -: if I halve the amounts for the bread do I then halve the amount of starter? Secondly can you advise me on making sourdough buns - do I need a mould for these or would the dough be strong enough by itself?
Many thanks,
Avril
Amy Duska says
Yes, half the amount of the starter. For buns it should be strong enough but you can use muffin tins.
Katie says
Hi Amy,
I have tried the float test but my starter has sunk. I did not realise I needed to discard all but 25grams, I have just been adding equal parts of water and flour to the starter without discarding. Do you think this is why it isn't passing the float test?
Ideally, I was hoping to get my dough ready to proof tonight and bake tomorrow. Do you think it is too risky to bake even though it hasn't passed the float test? The starter is quite bubbly and smells ripe..
Thanks!
Amy Duska says
Hi Katie, has your starter been rising in it's container after feedings?
Chuck says
Hi Amy,
It seems like the 25 grams of starter, 100 grams of water and 100 grams of unbleached flour yields a very thick, pasty starter. Is that how it is supposed to be? I used a digital scale for all 3 measurements.
Thank you,
Chuck
Amy Duska says
Hi Chuck, yes it is. It will thin over the 24 hour period as the yeast eats the flour 🙂