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.
Hi – I followed the instructions to the letter but at 4 days I found mould growing….any idea why? Thanks
This is the best explanation I have seen on how to make sourdough starter. I am currently on day 5 and am thrilled with my result. Thanks for going to all the trouble to make this so clear!!
Glad you find this useful Linda! Do let us know how your starter turns out!
Could you use kombucha instead of using orange juice? Just curious if it needs a specific acid.
I’m not sure, I’ve never tried kombucha.
Yes there is a Kambucha recipe and similar results, the recipe ask for sugar to activate Kambucha or orange and pineapple have natural sugars
Hello my name is Derek I’ve been doing the starter I’m on day6 I added a quarter teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with my water and flour but I forgot to scoop a quarter cup of it out first is it ruined or what do I do
No, it’s not ruined. Just continue on the next day and scoop out double the amount.
[…] have made my own with some great success, but it left me with a more dense loaf and this sourdough starter creates an […]
My family has lots of health issues with what, but no problems with organic spelt. For everyone with what versus spelt questions, please check out the documentary “What’s with wheat” (currently on Netflix). It will answer a lot of questions. Sorry if this is already mentioned in the comments.
This is my first time to try sourdough starter, so I’m not sure if something is wrong. On day 4, it smelled like fruit going bad, and there appeared to be a little mold growing on one side. On day five, the smell was even stronger, and it looked like a film of mold was growing all across the top, but the mold looked different from the one the day before. Is it bad, and do I need to throw it out?
It sounds to me that it has gone bad. I’d scratch this starter and start again.
Hi Halle,
Thanks for posting these instructions!
I’m on day 12 of the starter and I’m not sure where it’s at. In the last several days I’ve noticed hooch form on the surface, so I stir it all down before I take out the 1/4 cup (to add the fresh 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup flour).
It seems like the starter bubbles and pulls the hooch into it, but then the hooch separates and is only on the surface again. Also I don’t think the starter has ever doubled in size and then flattened out.
I added a 1/4 tsp of ACV last night and poured the hooch off this evening, there are some bubble but not like in your photo – so should I continue with the feeding tonight, or do you think the starter is a dud?
Thanks in advance!
N
Hey Nic,
Sounds like you have a healthy starter, you just need to feed your starter a little sooner and/or more frequently. Are you feeding it every 8 hours? Also, be sure to pour the hooch off instead of stirring it in.
[…] is not hard to start your own sourdough starter. You can learn how to do it in this recipe: How To Make Your Own Sourdough Starter. Once you have your starter, you can easily make this recipe. This recipe was adapted from a recipe […]
Hi Halle,
Thanks for such great directions and tips. I have a question about using my starter after it’s been in the fridge. I get that I need to take it out and give it a feeding and then leave it out at room temperature for 8 hours and then feed it again. So after that feeding I can bake right away with it?
If it’s not bubbly, though, do I wait 8 hours before giving it that second feeding and then can bake with it right away or do I need to wait another 8 hours before baking with it?
You will need to wait another 8 hours until it becomes bubbly. Once bubbly, it is ready for use.
Hi Halle,
Thanks for such great directions and tips. I have a question about using my starter after it’s been in the fridge. I get that I need to take it out and give it a feeding and then leave it out at room temperature for 8 hours and then feed it again. So after that feeding I can bake right away with it?
If it’s not bubbly, though, do I wait 8 hours before giving it that second feeding and then can bake with it right away or do I need to wait another 8 hours before baking with it?
Thanks so much,
I am on day 14 and my starter has not risen. I have been feeding it 2x a day. It is bubbly and smells good, but no rise. I have been keeping it loosely covered at about 76 degrees, or a little warmer (it is warm in our house, a/c is set at at 79, but I found a slightly cooler spot for it). What do I need to do to get it more active?
Could you please tell me why a portion of the starter is thrown away? I was just wondering why you just don’t add flour and water to the original amount? The spelt flour that I bought to try this is really expensive so I hate to keep throwing away.
You certainly can save it and use it for Pancakes or other baked goods. Just do a quick google search for sourdough starter pancakes.