Calling sourdough starter experts!

[stclair]

As I can’t find yeast for love nor money, I’m on day 3 of a sourdough starter (from bbcgoodfood recipe). What I am confused about is the pouring off of half the starter when ready to bake. Is this to be used to add more flour and water to keep the starter going? Otherwise It seems wasteful! If it isn’t, why pour it away?

[gingerbubs]

Those loaves look amazing!
My starters still seem to be doing nothing. I'm so impatient that I now have a third one on the go since yesterday (the BBC recipe with milk and yoghurt). But my first 2 are just sitting there doing nothing. I have fed them a couple of times, but still nothing. They have both been going for a week now and other than brief minimal bubbling a couple of days in there seems to be no activity. Any suggestions what I might be doing wrong/what I could try? I had really hoped to start making bread with them this week.

[IpanemaGallina]

I have half of my sourdough started in the freezer but I’m nervous about getting it out until there’s more bread flour in shops. I just can’t get hold of any.

[ExpletiveDelighted]

Are you keeping them in a warm place? Mine was the BBC one, I kept it in my Instant Pot on the yogurt setting, which is a steady warm temperature, an airing cupboard might work? It wasn't overly bubbly but you could see it rise.

I have a question. Mine is in a pyrex jug covered in cling film. Can you keep it in a sealed container eg jar or do the gases need to be able to escape?

[gingerbubs]

I'm not sure Expletive. I've been keeping them in the kitchen as that's the warmest place during the day, last few days it's been around 22, though the whole house gets cooler overnight. Will maybe try airing cupboard and see if that helps.
From what I've read you shouldn't use an airtight glass container as there is a chance it will shatter. Not sure about airtight Tupperware.

[Grrrpredictivetex]

How do you make hot cross buns? We're going to try a sourdough bread again as it was quite solid after being cooked. Would it need more proving?

[AnnaNimmity]

I've finally got a starter (took me ages to find wholemeal bread flour) and it's now sitting waiting to bubble. I'm using the Brickhouse bread method linked to below.

[cloudspotter]

@gingerbubs

Mine took 3 weeks to be ready - I was ready to give up!

The things I read that may have helped:

• using mineral water rather than tap water, especially if yours is heavily chlorinated.
• pouring most of the old starter away each time and leaving a smaller bit for the next day (say 25g rather than 100g)
• putting a proportion of wholemeal flour in

Whether these two things made a difference or whether it just finally worked, I don't know.

[gingerbubs]

Thanks @cloudspotter
Reassuring to know that more time may help. I initially used water straight from the tap but have moved to using water that I've left to sit for 24 hours, in the hope chloride has gone.I will bear in mind perhaps pouring more of the starter away, and consider different flour (though one of my non rising starters does have wholemeal).
Appreciate the pointers!

[Livingoffcoffee]

@cloudspotter Any tips on dealing with "the hooch"? I'm on day 7, but definitely not ready yet. The past 4 days it's had a lot of liquid on top and smells really vinegary.

I've been just feeding it per the recipe I have, mixing in the hooch, and it's gets nice and bubbly as soon as I feed it. But the next day it's back. Would it be better to skim this off?

[cloudspotter]

@gingerbubs - I did that too. Boiled it then left it in a bottle for 24 hrs then used it. I got into a routine if tending it each day and replacing the water.....

I had read that in the early days the pH is suitable for bad bacteria, but as time goes on, the pH lowers, it gets more acidic, and that's when the right bacteria thrive. Then they take over.

I'm not sure whether any of that helps - I think patience. I did also keep it slightly warmer in the days before it started to work.

[cloudspotter]

@Livingoffcoffee

I just poured it off. It's a sign that you have a "hungry" starter - the hooch comes in once it's finished all the available "food". As long as you are feeding it every day, keep pouring it off when you discard half.

Some people say stir it in, but I think that's once you have it well established. I wouldn't chance it before it's got going.

[picklemewalnuts]

Jolly that's amazing! I've some dried starter in the fridge from last time I tried. If I could get hold of some flour I'd resurrect it!

I'm feeding a normal yeast starter on the side at the moment. A lump of dough from the last loaf I made, fed every day until used for the next loaf.

[Frenchfancy]

I've been struggling to get my loaves shaped and risen. I've finally cracked it. A combination of things I found on this thread have helped as well as splitting my starter so I could feed a smaller amount. I also cooked it inside a large lecruset casserole as some of the links suggested. Now I just need to find some more flour.

[Livingoffcoffee]

Thanks @cloudspotter, I'll start discarding it and see if that helps. I'm determined to crack it!

[LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow]

that looks lovely @Frenchfancy

My loaf turned out really well...but i cannot post pictures....MN hates me :D

My started now seems to be quite bubbly, but it's really not rising much? ...anyway I have started another loaf, I am going to leave it to prove until the morning, then shape it, and let it rise all day and see how that goes.

Dh really enjoyed the bread, and said it had a "malty" taste, which it did, but apart from a couple of days of rye flour its been white bread flour or plain to feed it.

[LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow]

Testing!

[LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow]

ahhhhhhahhhh! it worked! :o

[ppeatfruit]

Wow, well done Laurie That's beautiful !!!!

[rainbowwelly]

My first ever sourdough loaf. Tasted beautiful. I used cheap 75p happy shopper flour for my starter.

[meg70]

I've done one loaf. Not great but I meant to try again. Then put the starter in the fridge and forgot about it, about a week ago....do I need to chuck it out now? Was thinking of trying it for pizza dough but don't want to waste precious flour if it's going to be rubbish.

[TuscanGreen]

I ended up throwing mine away as it smelt so foul - like vomit. I need advice please

[raspberryrippleicecream]

Meg no you you don't need to throw it out. Just feed it. You can discard half first depending on which method you are following.

[jcurve]

@rainbowwelly that looks great! Very tasty.

[APurpleSquirrel]

This was DH'a Sourdough Rye loaf yesterday - yummy.

[Whataroyalannoyance]

if i dont want to bake daily can i leave it in the fridge and feed every few days instead of daily?