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Managing Your Sourdough Starter
Once you have a viable sourdough culture, please know that it really isn’t a big deal to keep it alive and healthy. A good starter is naturally very hearty and robust. At a minimum, all you have to do is mix in some flour and water once in a while to keep it alive during periods when you’re baking infrequently. To keep it near optimum health, feed it once a week or so and keep it refrigerated. Watch this video and read the following points and you’ll know everything necessary to succeed.
If you’re baking regularly, say weekly or bi-weekly, it’s easy enough just to feed it after using the amount called for in your recipe before returning it to your refrigerator. If you really want to be sure your starter is in optimum shape, feed it once or twice the day before baking or the two days prior to baking day. In addition, here are a few points that are worth noting…
I’m really belaboring this subject. Once you’ve played around with sourdough starters for a while and baked some with it, you’ll know all you need to know and develop a sense for what works best. If your bread is not rising as much as you think it should (you’re not getting the desired oven spring) then try what I said about feeding your starter a couple of times in the 12-24 hours before starting your recipe. A healthy starter rises well in its container and becomes bubbly and spongy after a good feeding. Spongy is the best word to describe what a starter should look like a few hours after feeding. If your starter rises well after feeding, there’s a good chance your bread will too. And vise versa.
Check out this FAQ if you’re having trouble with your starter: What to do if your starter is sluggish or seems “dead.”
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Managing Your Sourdough Starter