The Foolproof Way To Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch

There probably isn't a sociological study about why Americans have continued to turn to sourdough during tough times — but there needs to be one. Most recently, during the nationwide quarantine predicated by COVID-19, homemade sourdough became a household staple. What makes sourdough stand out from other breads is that it comes from a starter that's organically fermented.

Many who wish to make their own sourdough do this at home. But like many other basking tasks, making sourdough starter from scratch is no cakewalk. Sheena Otto, executive baker at Sheena's Cocina, gave us her expert tips on how to achieve a great sourdough starter at home, so you'll be on your way to perfectly scoring a freshly baked sourdough loaf. The required tools are a bowl, a scale (measuring cups work just fine), cheesecloth, a utensil to mix, and a container for the starter to rest in. The necessary ingredients are simply organic flour and water.

To begin, combine equal amounts of flour and water and let the mix rest overnight at room temperature for two days. "When you notice bubbles or any kind of activity, discard about 70% of the starter and add enough flour and water (equal amounts again) to replace what you discarded," Otto told The Takeout. "Repeat until the sourdough is rising and falling in a predictable pattern and smells pleasantly like sour dough." Keep at this process for another 10 days to 2 weeks and your starter will be ready.

Keeping a bakeable sourdough starter entails daily maintenance. It's important to continuously discard and refeed the starter to ensure it's always fresh to use. Otto said that if you aren't baking on a day-to-day basis (like most home cooks), keeping the sourdough starter in a fridge is the best way to keep it fresher longer. Letting it sit in a cool refrigerator means you only have to go through the refresh process once a week.

Making a sourdough starter that will last even longer involves some more care. "For longer storage you can spread a thin layer of starter on a piece of parchment, let it sit out overnight until it's completely dry and dehydrated, and then store it in a container in your freezer," Otto said. "To bring it back to life... add it to a mixture of equal parts flour and water, refresh it daily, and you'll have a viable starter in around 3 days instead of the 10 to 14 days it would take you to do from scratch."