Feeding Sourdough Starter: My Best Tips & Tricks

Step 1

Remove and discard half of your sourdough starter from the jar.

Step 2

Feed what’s left in the jar with equal parts flour and water by weight (1:1:1 feeding ratio). You need a digital kitchen scale for this. Because we all work with different quantities of starters, this 1:1:1 feeding ratio is best understood by example. So, if you have 60 g of starter in the jar, feed it with 60 g flour + 60 g water. If you have 30 g of starter, feed it with 30 g of flour and 30 g of water. Mix well with a fork, scraping down the sides as needed. Cover the jar with a lid. The lid can be airtight or loosely placed on top- your choice. Note: if the jar is airtight, the pressure will build up fast. Keep an eye on the jar so it doesn’t burst.

Step 3

Let your starter rise at room temperature, ideally 75+ F (the warmer it is, the faster it will rise), until bubbly, active and double in size (2-12 hrs). When your starter is at peak height, it’s ready to use. Eventually it will fall back down, and become inactive again. Then, you’ll need to repeat the feeding process.