Sourdough starter epic fail but first try :)

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Sourdough starter epic fail but first try :)

Postby Willma on Mon May 02, 2016 3:31 pm

Starter made only from ww flour and water. Showed evidence of fermentation although not as prolifically as I had expected. Smelled a bit weird and unpleasant but not awful, just not as sour and yeasty as I had expected. Fed it everyday. Tried a recipe to use it last night and...wow...epic fail. No rise, just a disc-like flat blob with a dried up top surface. Didn't bother baking for obvious reasons :(

It seems none of it went particularly well. What flours do you use and inwhat quantities with the water. Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance :)
Willma
 
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Re: Sourdough starter epic fail but first try :)

Postby Tibor on Mon May 02, 2016 11:59 pm

I use rye flour. Equal parts rye to water. Rye makes great sourdough.
To start a sourdough, use 2 cups of each and stir well ,as often as you think of it but each day for sure. Cover with a cloth or a loose lid and keep it in a warm place. Don't feed it till it shows bubble signs of fermenting and that might take a week. Then you can start feeding it at least a couple of TBS flour and water. If you refrigerate it ,you need to feed it at least once a week. Take it out, feed it and leave it out for 6 hours and you can stick it back in the fridge. If you plan on using it ,take it out the night before, feed it and leave it out.
Tibor
 
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Re: Sourdough starter epic fail but first try :)

Postby Willma on Mon May 09, 2016 6:43 pm

Thanks for your info...it's significantly different to most of what I've read.So, you don't discard half of it when you're going to feed it? Also, most of what I've read says to feed it with quite a bit more flour than what you suggest but I went through quite a lot of flour just making the starter that way. Would you mind sharing the actual recipe and technique you use to make the bread once your starter is ready?
Willma
 
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Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 9:00 pm

Re: Sourdough starter epic fail but first try :)

Postby Tibor on Tue May 10, 2016 11:41 pm

The directions for making a sourdough starter and for making the 100% sourdough onion rye bread is out of Sandor Katz's book Wild Fermentation. I'm not sure if you can pull it up online but you could start by clicking on "resources" or "books"at the very top of this page and that may get you there. The bread recipe is a bit involved but well worth it. You can maybe get the book at the library or buy a copy if you are into fermentation in general. Great book to get you inspired.
Tibor
 
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