Want a healthy bread? A “true” sourdough bread is a great healthy bread to consume. You can read my article about all the health benefits in sourdough bread in my article A Healthy Bread That is Good For You. To make your own sourdough bread, you will need a sourdough starter. It is not hard to make a sourdough starter, it just takes a little time. In this post, I will show you how to successfully start your own sourdough starter. Once we master the sourdough starter, I will then show you how to make your own sourdough loaf.
Here is what you need to start your sourdough starter. You will need some whole grain spelt flour and some fresh oranges. Fresh pineapple juice can also be used instead of fresh orange juice. To start your sourdough starter, simply add 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice with 2 tablespoon of spelt flour. Place in a small bowl and mix well. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours. We will continue a 7-14 day feeding schedule to make your sourdough starter. Once you have your starter, you won’t have to go through this whole process again, you will just use and save some of this starter for future uses. This recipe was adapted from The Fresh Loaf website.
DAY 1: Add 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 2 tablespoons whole grain spelt flour to a small bowl. Stir vigorously, cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave on counter for 24 hours.
Here is what your starter will look like after 24 hours at room temperature. I will post a picture daily so you can see how it changes and what you are looking for. If you notice, not much has changed after day one.
Day 2: Add 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 2 tablespoons whole grain spelt flour to your mixture. Stir vigorously, cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave on counter for 24 hours.
Here is what your starter will look like after 2 days. Not much has changed after day 2 but look for changes coming real soon.
Day 3: Add 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 2 tablespoons whole grain spelt flour to your mixture. Stir vigorously, cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave on counter for 24 hours.
Here is what your starter will look like after 3 days. Notice all the bubbles starting to appear.
Here is what the starter looked like after 3 days. Little change, as of now. Yours might look different by now and that is fine. Your sourdough starter will grow on its own terms.
Day 4: Stir down your sourdough starter. Measure out 1/4 cup starter and discard the rest. To this starter add 1/4 cup filtered water and 1/4 cup flour. At this point you can add any flour you would like (excluding coconut flour and almond flour). I usually stick with spelt flour because it has a better result. I tried all purpose organic flour and didn’t have the best results. Stir vigorously, cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave out at room temperature.
Repeat day 4. Repeat day 4 for days 4-14, (Stir down sourdough, measure out 1/4 cup and discard the rest, add 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup flour. Stir vigorously and loosely cover and leave at room temperature) once daily until your sourdough starter starts to expand and smells yeasty. Your sourdough starter might become very bubbly and then go flat. That is ok. If it doesn’t become bubbly again by day 6, add 1/4 tsp of apple cider vinegar with the daily feeding.
Day 6: Here is my sourdough starter on day 6 right before the feeding. You can tell it is time for a feeding because it has deflated. Notice how far it raised up by the lines on the sides of the bowl. When it falls it is ready for a feeding. I needed to feed mine about every 8-12 hours now.
Day 7-14: I finally have my starter. Here is what a healthy starter looks like. Look how high it has risen. It has more than doubled in volume and it has a lot of air bubbles.
I will continue to feed it (the normal feeding: 1/4 cup starter (throw out the rest), 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup flour) and keep it at room temperature for 1 more week (a total of 2 weeks) to make a strong more favorable starter. My sourdough starter is now ready for use. At this point, you can make a fresh loaf of sourdough bread.
After 2 weeks of storing and feeding your starter at room temperature, you will need to now store your sourdough starter in the refrigerator. At this point, you can feed it once a week by using the same method. At the top of the starter will be a liquid called the “hooch” and that is normal. Simply pour the hooch off and discard it and measure out your 1/4 cup starter and add to it 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup flour. Mix together and store back in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to make a loaf of bread, simply pull the starter out, pour off the hooch and give your starter a feeding (1/4 cup starter (discard the rest), 1/4 cup filtered water, 1/4 cup flour). Leave out at room temperature for 8 hours and give your starter another feeding. This might be enough to activate your starter (remember you are wanting it to almost double in size and you are wanting it to be bubbly, like champagne). If it is not bubbly then you might need to give it one more feeding. You are now ready to use your sourdough starter in your recipe. Remember to save a little for your next recipe and store it in the refrigerator.
I know you all might have questions along the way. Please feel free to leave your comments below in the comment section and I will answer your questions for you.
Liquid hooch picture courtesy of Bradyrevisited.com.
yes, but not yet…get this starter good and started and then you can do that! Right now it is not sour enough and hasn’t fermented enough. But yes by the end of this week, beginning of next you can do that. Then you would weigh that starter that you were going to throw out (use your scale)and add equal parts water and flour to that to give you the 2 cups you need. Does that make sense?
yes thanks 🙂
Ok, Catherine How does your starter look today?
PLS SEND HELP! I tried to post on Day 6 but it appears it didnt go thru. On Day 6 – my starter looked more like Day 3 (with the liquid at the top, seperated). Day 7, it DID rise and double in size but hardly any bubles. 🙁 The starter and I got off to such a great start (lots of bubbles and looked just like your pictures) but it all changed on Day 6. Today is my Day 8 and I think I should add apple cider vinegar … thoughts? Thanks so much for the great recipe – my fingers are crossed it works out for the starter and me. 🙂
@Jaclynag It sounds like your starter is doing just fine 🙂 It doubled in size, then it is active and you can start using it, but keep it at room temperature and feeding it for 1 more week to mature your starter. You won’t necessarily see the bubbles sometimes, they are in the dough, that is why it is doubling in size. You can add the vinegar, it won’t hurt anything. Around day 7 mine started to need more feedings, and I started feeding it every 8-12 hours (2x a day). Remember, this will only be for 1 more week and then you will always have this starter. If it falls like the picture in day 6, that is a sign you need to feed it. Keep us posted, sounds like you have a great starter on your hands!!
@hallecottis
Thanks so much for getting back to me. It’s a releif to hear I’m on the right path – phew! 🙂 This morning, the starter had a crusty flim over the top and had not yet deflated. I waited till mid-day to feed it but it never fell. (shrug) I have high hope after reading your reply so … we shall see how this goes. 🙂 Thanks again!
@Jaclynag I set mine outside one day to help it along and it got that crunchy top from to much air/wind. I just skimmed it off and went about my day 🙂 Your starter sounds like it is doing great! If it hasn’t fallen, then it doesn’t need fed. Let your starter dictate when it needs to be fed! Either way feed it at least once a day. Please do keep us posted!
Day 6 it “rose” with liquid on bottom. We are now on day 8 and see liquid on top and no indication of rising much. Your suggestions?
There’s some controversy about whether spelt is safe for people with wheat allergies. I’ve not tried it yet but wondered if others with known wheat allergies have.
My husband is gluten sensitive with serious gut issues. He has recently been on an elimination diet and they now want him to try spelt sourdough bread as the best healthy option for him and are confident he will tolerate the spelt fine. It is low in gluten and high in protein. I’ve just started the spelt starter, looking forward to trying this bread recipe in a couple of weeks!
Some people with gluten intolerance may tolerate spelt and kamut flour better compared to other hybridized flours. Sourdough bread is typically a better bread to eat since it has a natural yeast like substance. The gluten in spelt sourdough bread is broken down and easier to digest.
Halle, thank you so much for sharing your spelt sourdough bread starter with us!
Thanks so much for this post!! I am excited to try this! Question – how much of the starter do I use to make a loaf of bread and how much do I save?
@nsusie367 You use about 1/4 cup per loaf but many of the recipes out there vary. I save my sourdough starter and make pancakes with the “discarded” starter.
Ok – 1/4 cup. Thanks for the great idea! Make pancakes with disgarded starter!
help! I am on day 9 and my mixture has still not risen? i put cider vinegar on sunday but no luck. any suggestions?
@allisonabbott Ok, try this. Preheat your oven to 200 F. As it begins to climb (when it hits 105F), turn off your oven and place your starter (with loose plastic wrap on top of jar) into oven and turn on the light. This will create a warm environment and help the bacteria to form and the bubbles should start to form. Do not open the oven door. Try this and see if it works. Take a peak after 4 hours and let me know what happens.
I’ve just taken your advice. It’s in the oven. I really hope it will rise because my other batch didn’t and I threw that out after 10 days thinking it was dead, but this one doesn’t look good either. It doesn’t rise, has the liquid on top and only bubbles when you stir very vigorously. I’m in day 9 and have fed it apple cider vinegar yesterday. Can you give me some more advice on what to do? If you’re still active on this site. Thank you very much!
Hi! I was in a similar situation. I tried as you suggested above and after 4 hours, the the hooch has risen to the top but the starter still doesnt appear to have risen at all. I can see very finy tiny bubbles here and there coming to the surface of the hooch. What should I do now? Leave on counter again? Up the feed schedule? On day 8 now. Thanks in advance!
can you use other citrus fruits for the starter such as lime? as I can’t have oranges. Thanks
@crazylady yes you sure can. Lime would work fine.
@hallecottis
Thank you really looking forward to making my first sourdough loaf 😉
Ok, I started the starter and so far so good- but I can’t get past the whole measuring 1/4 cup out and discarding the rest-part. I am so confused… this would render me with very little starter, most bread recipes call for 1 cup+ of starter…. And how will I have any left to “save for later” when I make my first bread with such little amount to use in the first place?
I’m so very eager to make my own bread because regular store-bought breads have been difficult on my health in the past; I’m anxious to know if it’s the processing of the breads or the grains itself. So I’ve been as thorough as possible in creating my first-ever starters using various flours and have actually had much success with Bob’s Red Mill Organic Whole Wheat Flour- but I’m a bit worried about this particular starter using Bob’s Red Mill Spelt Flour because of how little starter we are left with to use… I’ve actually been saving the “discarded” part and trying to keep the original starter recipe going in case the “1/4 cup” measured out version flops, but I don’t have any idea how much I should be feeding the original starter/the discards in order to keep it alive. I would prefer to have more than 1/4 cup of the “right” starter for this recipe anyways so if I MUST keep this particular starter recipe to such little quantity, please explain how far that will take me in:
1. How much bread I can expect to make from 1/4 cup of starter
2. How much starter should save from that to grow another starter
3. ^What is/how long that process take before I can make bread again
Thank you very much! This is really exciting for me, I’ve never made starters before and I just want to get the most out of the quality of the ingredients and recipes I’m using.
Best,
Bo
@Boboshadodo Hey Bo, I know it is a bit confusing why we throw away the starter and certainly you can keep it and use it for something else, maybe pancakes…so you are not being wasteful, but we do this to create a very strong starter.
Once you have your strong starter then you will have your starter that you will feed and it quickly accumulates.
So right before I make bread I oftentimes have to give the starter 2 feedings to activate it again and after the two feeding I have over 2 cups of starter. Once you add equal parts by volume of starter/water and flour…you will have plenty for the recipe as well as for leftovers for your next loaf of bread.
You then store the starter again (whatever you have left is fine) and say a week goes by and you are ready to make another loaf, then you simply take 1/4 cup of the leftover starter out and feed it the water and flour again until it becomes very active or bubbly. You may need to feed your starter once or twice which then gives you another 2+ cups. My recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of starter per loaf. Hope this makes sense.
@hallecottis @Boboshadodo Like Bo, I am a little confused…if I take my starter out of the fridge once a week to feed, I just add the feeding to what’s already there? Or do I scoop out the 1/4 cup and then feed? Also, if I need say, 2 cups for a recipe, do I do a 2 cup feeding, or several smaller feedings? Do you always recommend a 1/4 cup ratio feeding, or is it dependent on the starter size? And should it grow as I do more feedings? I have been struggling with sourdough for 2 years yielding mediocre results and would love to make something really good with this start so I want it to work so badly.
@LeahH @Boboshadodo For the starter, I recommend only 1/4 cup to create a strong starter. Once you create the strong starter then you can keep it and add equal parts water and flour to starter. It grows super fast!
So when you take it out of fridge for feeding, scoop out 1/4 cup and then add equal parts water and flour to that…stir. If you need 2 cups of starter then you keep adding to your starter until you come to 2 cups. To get 2 cups you probably only need to do 1-2 feedings. It grows and gets higher in volume quickly.
I am on day 8 and I do not have the bubbly pics like you have. My start seems to grow like it is supposed to. It also seems to be overly watery even though I do the 1/4.1/4.1/4 ratios. I feed it twice a day. But since I have had NO luck with starts in the past, I want to make sure this is a strong one. The stuff that I throw off is making fantastic pancakes but I’m worried about when I go to make bread….Do I need to add some apple cider vinegar? What should I do?
@LeahH yep Leah, sounds like you need a little ACV. Try this. Turn your oven on to 200F. When it reaches 125, turn your oven off. Place the starter (covered loosely with plastic wrap) in the oven and close door. Turn light on. Do not open the door and take a peak after 4 hours to see if it is rising. Let me know how that works.
@hallecottis Do I add the ACV first? Or not till the feeding? And can I do this before the feeding?
@LeahH I would just add it with the feeding. And don’t put into oven until you give it a feeding. So feed it and add the ACV, cover loosely and put in oven.
@hallecottis After the oven and the rising, it now has a watery level on the top. Do I pour it off or stir it in?
@LeahH Pour it off. So it rose nicely? If so, you have an active starter 🙂
@hallecottis I looks like it’s rising ok. Now the liquid on top is black. Sorry to bug you. I just have had the worst time with sourdough starts and my bread is always insanely dense and not very good and I really want to get this!
I am sure you were hoping I would be on my way and no longer bugging you but that doesn’t appear to be the case. I have the worst time with sourdough – my bread does not rise well at all.
I thought making this start would make a difference and my bread was about a half inch thick. Seriously. My start seems fine. When I feed it, it grows. Why does my bread turn out so dense and does not rise?
I have used a recipe from Nourishing Traditions (style, WAPF hand out) and the one from Cultures for Health. Do you recommend one to do with spelt flour? I am so frustrated!
@LeahH HELP!
@LeahH spelt will be dense. Given your history, I would start with an all white flour recipe and then work your way to a spelt loaf.