Make your starter in a glass container and store in the refrigerator after fermentation has occurred.

Sourdough Starter

(.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

water

all-purpose flour

In large non-metallic bowl, mix together dry yeast, 2 cups warm water, and 2 cups all purpose flour and cover loosely.


Leave in a warm place to ferment, 4 to 8 days. Depending on temperature and humidity of kitchen, times may vary. Place on cookie sheet in case of overflow. Check on occasionally.


When mixture is bubbly and has a pleasant sour smell, it is ready to use. If mixture has a pink, orange, or any other strange color tinge to it, THROW IT OUT! and start over. Keep it in the refrigerator, covered until ready to bake.


When you use starter to bake, always replace with equal amounts of a flour and water mixture with a pinch of sugar. So, if you remove 1 cup starter, replace with 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Mix well and leave out on the counter until bubbly again, then refrigerate. If a clear to light brown liquid has accumulated on top, don't worry, this is an alcohol base liquid that occurs with fermentation. Just stir this back into the starter, the alcohol bakes off and that wonderful sourdough flavor remains! Sourdough starters improve with age, they used to be passed down generation to generation!


Use this starter to make the Sourdough Chocolate Cranberry Cake, and the Sourdough Chocolate Cake.


I let mine sit out for 4 days before transferring it to a mason jar and storing in the fridge.  WARNING:  Don't put an air tight lid on.  If you are using a mason jar, just lightly close the lid allowing some air in.  Otherwise you may have a problem!  The starter is fermenting and has a tendency to "grow".  Make sure there is some room at the top of the jar for this.

This starter has been working out really well for me.  I used this basic recipe but fed the starter twice a day for a week with 1/3 warm cup water and 1/3 cup flour.  Right before I put it in the fridge I added a pinch of sugar and more flour/water.  The 4 stars is because the results are much better if you feed it.  I made San Francisco Sourdough Bread by Donna on this website.

I may be back to edit this review but for now I have to criticize it for not telling me to feed it daily once I start with 1/4 flour and warm water. It's been in my oven with the light on for 4 days. I figured there must be a problem since it was not rising. I opened the reviews and see that this step was missing. FEED IT...anyway I threw it out and  started again. Hopefully I will have better results

I absolutely love sourdough bread but was never sure about the whole starter thing... finally I gave in and did some research. I found a website that went on and on about how 'starter newbys' fail repeatedly, the difficulties of starting starter, etc.... obviously they didn't try this recipe! I've kept mine alive for 2 weeks now and made my first loaf of sourdough. Not too sour yet but rose to gargantuan proportions!
I feed mine 1/4 c of flour, 1/4 c of water every day. It always has a nice layer of brown fermentation on top. Just mix it in, it's apparently normal! 

Very good and easy even for me. I've never made a sourdough starter. I kept feeding it (eery day) for 4 days before I made my first loaves (rounds) of San Francisco Sourdough bread. My family ate one up in about 10 minutes! I had enough starter to give away to two more people and mine went in the fridge to 'sleep'. I love it. It's like a pet you need to feed and take care of.

This starter is very forgiving! I was worried my home wasnt warm enough for fermentation since it is a cold winter here but it did ok! I put it in the oven with the lioght on for 7 days...feeding 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup flour every day. I used it to make San Francisco Sourdough on this site and it was a hit!!! It had a great sour taste so i am sure it will only get better. I even gave some starter to my mom!! This makes a lot!

I started my starter based on Esther's recipe, 5 days ago. It didn't say to feed it so I didn't know. Saw others say they feed their every day, either 1/4 cup, or 1/3 cup. Somebody help me. What is feeding Do I remove any of the starter when feeding If I keep adding 1/4 cup it will outgrow my house Thanks anyone that knows, please post, I read everyday

When I started making this I knew nothing about starters.  After some supplemental research, I realized that not only did I have to continuously feed the starter but I had to discard half of the starter at each feeding.  At first I kept feeding it and feeding it and it kept getting runnier and runnier, but I just thought it was due to my hot &amp; humid Asian climate.   There was definitely fermentation going on, but none of the bubbly froth that is supposed to happen.  So I took 20 grams of the super-wet starter and added 50g of flour and 50g of warm water.  I realized in the process that it is VERY important to measure by weight rather than volume.  When I did this ratio, the starter became really thick but it started bubbling immediately and doubled in volume within a few hours (signs of a healthy starter!)  In the end, rather than starting with 2 cups water/2 cups flour, I wish I would have started with much smaller volumes, because it doesn't need to be giant at first, and you can always grow it in size later, once the starter becomes stable and healthy.  P.S. in hot &amp; humid weather (I live in SE Asia) it should be fed 3x a day at first - morning, afternoon, and right before bed.  The heat makes the yeast extra hungry!

Be sure to use a LARGE container - I mixed mine up in a 4-cup tupperware and it oozed all over the counter within a couple hours (albeit during 31C/88F weather).
Otherwise, seems to do the trick.

I've used a sourdough starter in the past using yogurt and lowfat milk, but this was so easy and I had everything on-hand, so I tried it and my starter was actually ready within 24-hours.I am very pleased with this recipe.
Thank you Esther for sharing!

I've tried several different sourdough starter recipes over the years with dismal results.  I made my first batch of sourdough bread yesterday with this recipe.  Thanks Esther.

i did like this starter recipe; although there are some quirks not answered here. to feed:  after removing what ever you are going to use to make a loaf or several loaves, add 1 cup water and 1 cup flour back into the starter to keep it going for each sup of starter removed in the first place, this is feeding the starter. crust on top: cover the stater with saran never foil.

This is great. I use this with a super simple sourdough bread recipe that's just 1 1/2 cups of starter, 2 cups flour and 3/4 tsp salt. It's been great both as a traditional loaf and in the bread machine. I've had this starter going about a month now and it's starting to get a really nice sourness going, but even when it's not yet sour it still tastes really good in a simple dough.

This starter really does do the trick.  Like another reviewer, I've visited all the sites and learned of all the failures.  Poppycock. This is just great and doesn't suck up your life.  The brown liquid on top is called hooch and I bet it would knock your socks off if you drank it:-)  I found this to be very forgiving and haven't fed it every single day, yet it does the trick.  The first batch of bread was excellent, even if it wasn't sour--the consistency was fantastic.  Since all starters will taste different depending on where you live and the yeast in the air, I keep mine covered with a very clean wash cloth and secure it in place with a rubber band so yeast in the air can get in.  We also use 1/2 white whole wheat flour because it has more natural yeast.  If stored in the refrigerator, let the starter sit out until room temperature before using.  This starter will be willed to my daughter when I leave this world.  It's that good.

I have read most of the comments...and this is my first time ever making a starter.  Different things seem to work for different people.  I never knew anything about "feeding" the starter so I did nothing but what the instructions said.  My bread was FANTASTIC...my husband is a huge critic of sourdough bread and he loved it.  I hope it only betters with age.  My starter sat on a shelf for 8 days...liquid formed on top..I stirred it in and then made my bread.  I never got it to the fridge before I used it.  It had a pleasant sour smell.  The bubbling had subsided a few days before I used it.  I agree with some others that "feeding" the starter is when you take some out you put some in.  That is how it will work for me.  Hope others have as great of success as I did with this recipe!

The first starter to ever work out for me--I didn't have any issues with discolored starter which thrilled me because it seems like every other starter I tried was an epic failure (one I made even exploded--I have no idea how I achieved that, but it was one really memorable experiance, I'll tell you). I cannot WAIT to use this with something. Thanks! NOTE: I waited almost a week for mine. It's purely up to you how long you wait, I just chose to wait longer.

I tried to create a starter without using yeast for months with poor results.  I used this recipe and made great sourdoughs for a year!  You must let this starter sit for a minimum of 2-3 days before you use it.  I was able to reduce the volume of this starter and make it a bit firmer by eventually using about 1/4 cup starter and feeding it with 1/4 cup warm water and 3/4 cup flour.  (I use about 1 - 1 1/2 cups starter for my bread.)  If it ever started acting less active, I just threw in a pinch of rye flour and that did the trick.

Excellent all purpose starter! Just need to remember, it likes to be used. Try to use it at least every 2 weeks to keep it "active".

This is a good starter, but the instructions are lacking. It fails to specify the fact that because your starter is a living thing, it needs to be fed on a regular basis with the frequency depending on how often the starter is used and whether or not it is refrigerated.

Very confused about the whole feeding thing...I started 2 seperat ones because I was so unsure that my first one was ok...it seems to be.  I have been "feeding" everyday but not sure I am doing it right...will find out soon!!!  I really wish the directions were a bit more precise...thanks though!

This is the bomb!  I've kept the starter alive for a whole month (yeah me!), and it just keeps getting better every week.  I use it with the San Francisco Sourdough and I get awesome results.  We've named the starter Frank, and he's starting to make the rounds in my friends' kitchens all over town!  ;-)

I think the recipe will be fine but like many others I feel the directions are very poor. Afer three days my starter smelled good and had the brown liquid on top. But it did not expand. I read the reviews and researched a few other sites and found out about feeding it. The recipe here should mention that you still have to feed it during it's birth. I just added 1/3 cup warm water and 1/3 cup rye flour and I am hoping it will bubble and expand. The directions should be upgraded for us beginners. I deducted two stars becasue of the poor directions.

I'm having trouble with this one. The first time I think I let it sit too long (about 5-6 days) and it developed a funny color and was not bubbly (it only bubbled the first day). The second time I only let it sit for 2 days and put it in the fridge as soon as it was bubbly. I used it in the San Francisco Sourdough and while the bread baked fine it had NO sourdough flavor. So I fed the starter and have been letting it sit but again it's lost it's bubble after the first day and is starting to develop a funny brownish color (not pink or orange). Should I throw it out or try to use it?? Any suggestions?  
Perhaps I should find a different recipe. 

I have always wanted to make sourdough bread but was always intimdated by the starter.  Well I finally took the plunge with this recipe and it turned out great.  I did as another reviewer suggested but I only fed it once aday 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup flour.  On the fifth day I made the San Francisco Sourdough and it turned out great.  Now my biggest concern is keeping my starter fed.  Thanks for sharing this easy recipe.

Worked well! This is my first time ever doing a starter and it was great! I aged it 7 days and made San Francisco sourdough from this site.  I fed the starter every day about 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water, it fermented and got liquidy and I'd just stir it in....I also kept it primarily in the oven with just a light on as suggested by another.  I have it in the fridge now, and plan on aging it some more, and making another batch of bread.....

Great starter, just made my first loaf with it and turned out super!  My starter was ready on day 2, so it's been fed again and is happily bubbling away.  :o)  After looking at all of the other starters on this site, I'm glad I chose this one.  Thanks so much!

make this for oatmeal sour dough and turn out great. i use it while it 4 days old but already can taste faint sour dough taste. will make it again for another sour dough when the started 2 weeks old. great!! my first time but the result is fantastic. i feed mine once or twice a day 1/4 c flour and water also a pinch of sugar. i make a very nice sweet rice wine smell and also a nice brown liquid on top which completely normal. i dived the started to 2 container so it doesn't over flow. after i use it i replace it with 1 cup of water and flour. leave it out side for 1 day then go back to the fridge.

Does the Starter continue to foam for the entire time.  If so, what am I doing wrong...mine only foams up for that first day and then settles down.

I noticed that several reviews mentioned the lack of instructions to "feed" the starter.  The book "The Heritage of Southern Cooking" by Camille Glenn, whom I've always greatly admired, includes a Sourdough Starter Recipe exactly like this one, with exactly the same instructions.  The starter isn't fed until a portion is used.  I'm making up a batch right now.

This worked out really well. The reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that the directions were a bit confusing and seemed a little incomplete. But after reading up on sourdough starters I decided to try this one. It might not be a "true" sourdough, but that doesn't bother me - I just want to eat some bred.  I fed my starter one cup of all-purpose flour and one cup of warm water (110 degrees F) once a day for four days. On day four I came home and it smelled like beer, which I took as a sign that it was fermented enough for it's first bake.   After the first use, I fed the starter, whisked some air into it, then put the lid on my container and put it in the fridge. After a week I took it out again and it had that light brown liquid that it talks about in the recipe. I stirred it in, put 4 cups of the starter (I had a lot because I wanted some to share) in a fresh bowl, added 4 cups water and 4 cups flour (1 cup of flour was rye flour, because I hear that sourdough starters can really get going with a little rye flour added to it). I bubbled up just fine in a couple hours. One more feeding and it's ready for baking.

Awesome, thanks. It was easy and it worked out great. I just turn on my oven to 400 degrees for a minute or two and shut off just to get the air warm and let it sit in there (just make sure your spot isn't too hot - like more than 95 or so - I killed a starter by doing that!) And watch out, it quadruples in size!!

I had excelent results with this starter.  I was a little worried, this being my first time makeing a sourdough starter, but the outcome has been wonderfull.  The only reason im giveing a 4 star is because there was no mention of "feeding" in the directions. I took other reviewers comments and feed once a day 1/4c each of warm water and flour.

This is a real good starter!!  Good sour smell and flavor. It has become like a pet of mine, feeding it and checking on it regularly.  I let this starter rest for about a week in the refigerator until ready to use. After taking it out, it did need to be stirred as it (like most starters) seperated but that is nothing to worry about.  When I fed it after using it, I kept it on the counter in a warm place and it raised right back up. I plan on having this around my kitchen for years.

This is my 3rd attempt in the last 2 weeks at making this. I went back and forth about to feed or not to feed. From what I've read, it doesn't HAVE to be fed bc of the spike with the active dry yeast. The only reason I restarted it was bc I was doubting myself and shouldn't have. I didn't even start feeding it until day 3 on the most recent batch. I added a pic to the gallery and it is now day 5.  Technically, to feed it you discard 1/2 of it and add flour and water in equal amounts by weight. I do not have a scale so I just discard 1/2 and stir in 1/4 cup warm water and 1/4 all purpose flour. It is still very active and rises and falls for the same amount of time daily. I also mix in the hooch, as I read many places that it can help the flavor a great deal. It smells wonderful, not much of a sour smell yet though probably because my house is very cool. I am planning on making some pancakes with the discard tomorrow. I'm super excited:) thank you for this recipe, Esther!!

Thank you, Esther!!! My starter (named "Edna" after my grandmother) turned 1 year old this past November!!!!!!!!!!!! She has been quite forgiving of me as I have learned to care for her. I have made countless loaves of sourdough bread and a couple of rounds of sourdough cinnamon rolls!!!! This starter was easy to do and has staying power!!!!!!!!!

Be careful!  When the others say that this grows quickly they're not lying.  I just made this, put it in a mason jar, read the warnings from others, turned around, and my starter had already outgrown its jar in 5 minutes!  I transferred it to a glass mixing bowl on the stove.

Ok, I need help here.  I mixed the starter and it was doing well, but was going to overflow my glass bowl after the 2nd day, so I transferred it to a large plastic bowl and it got a dry skim on top and was not very active looking so I threw that out and started a new one in the plastic bowl as I thought transferring it might have messed it up.  Now it looks the same.  My mother always had this in her fridge and I let me go years ago and wanted to try the starter but...

This is the easiest most fool proof starter I have ever seen!  I always wanted to make a started but all the recipes were so difficult. The taste is fantastic! This one is a keeper!

This starter gives a great flavor but would have been helpful to know to feed it every day.  I've baked 3 loaves in about 3 weeks.  They had a great flavor but rose and fell.  It could be that the bread recipe I used has too much yeast.  And I used bread flour.  I made a new starter today and will feed every day with 1/3 c. flour, 1/3 c. water and a pinch of sugar.  In 8 days, I will make bread and give half the starter away before feeding it.  All other recipes I've read have said to do this and maybe it will work with this recipe.  Excellent taste.

This was the first starter I've ever made, and it's fantastic!  I let it sit out for about 8 days, then stuck it in the fridge for an additional 3 or 4 days before using.  My sourdough bread turned out great, with a nice sour taste.  Next time I'll let it age even longer for a stronger flavor!

The most straightforward sourdough starter recipe I have come across

This is my favorite starter recipe.  After two months of using and feeding, I am quite happy with the taste of the bread.  I feed the starter only as I use it.  I keep it in the refrigerator and take it out the day before I want to use it.  Pancakes are fluffy, bread is beautiful.  I couldn't be happier.  Thank you very much.

Tried this starter twice and did not work at all either time. The first time it "exploded" in about 2 hrs, then just seemed to die. The second time it turned to alcohol, and tasted terrible.

Great starter recipe!  It has worked out wonderfully for me!

I don't know what I did wrong but mine did not sour at all.  I did exactly as the recipe states, plus I fed it everyday.  It did get the brownish liquid on top and was bubbling like crazy.  But it just never soured and I let it age for 8 days.  It started thickening up too.  I tried making the San Francisco Sour Dough bread with this starter hoping it would taste like sourdough bread.  But, although the bread is very tasty, it tastes more like a white bread because the starter didn't sour.  I think I will let it age some and see what happens.  But if it doesn't sour at some point I will be tossing it in the garbage.

This works great! Makes beautiful sourdough bread. I usually use it in San Francisco Sourdough. I do not feed mine every day, it works perfectly without all that... Just mix it up, let it sit for about 5 days, stirring occasionally. Then put it in the fridge. Just remember when you use it in a recipe to always replace equal amounts of what you use, like if you use 1 cup of starter than add 1 cup flour, 1 cup water, and a little sugar, stir, cover with cloth and let sit on counter again till it's all bubbly. You can refrigerate it again then till you want to use it. A different recipe I used said if starter is not used with in 10 days stir in 1 teaspoon sugar or honey. Continue to add 1 teaspoon sugar or honey every 10 days unless starter is used. I think I'll do that next time.

First time I made starter and this one is a "good ern" as we say here in the south has the perfect sourdough smell after 4 days in a hot laundry room.lol.

Accidentally used triple the amount of yeast it calls for... a nice sour aroma showed up after the first day. Put my starter in a gallon sized plastic tub with holes poked in the lid (after i tried to put it in a 6 cup glass jar. I think due to the extra amounts of yeast it had to work with it was a little enthusiastic in its expansion... never again) Its day three now and I'm quite sure I've got some form of alcohol on top. Smells extremely ripe and I will be trying out the San Fransisco Sourdough today. Will write the results. Baking is my life, I like making sweets and candies; but i LOVE making my own breads. I hope to own my very own bakery sometime in my future. This recipe might help me in that achievement and for that I thank you Esther.

  I made this recipe without modification, then 'fed' the starter once a day. After 8 days, I baked my first loaf (San Fran). There was barely an sour taste to it, so I did more research on sourdoughs. I found out that this recipe is all kinds of doomed. I highly recommend doing the research if you want a successful starter. 

My boyfriend loves sour sough bread so I thought I would make this. I turned out great! I live in the mountains and was afraid my house was too cold, but it turned out ok. I just made 2 loaves on the San Francisco Sourdough. It was awsesome!! I didn't need  to feed it throughout the week and I would think this would hinder the fermenting and sour taste. I didn't touch mine except to move it around warmer places in the house.

Great sourdough flavor and a great starter.

I LOVE this starter. It made me the san frasisco sourdough bread!
Um.....I think that you also need to feed this starter I want to ask Esther Nelson about that. But,anyways,I love this.

I have been wanting to make sourdough starter forever.  Finally tried it about 1 month ago and it was a disaster.  Found this receipe and my faith is now restored, it is so easy.  It was very helpful to read the review about keeping it warm in the oven with the light on.  I am in a mountain community and it is very cold right now.  I also learned about feeding the goo.  It is great!

We've had ours going for about 6 months, and pass it back and forward between family members.  It started out quite sweet, but has been slowly gaining a sour flavor.

I found a really useful explanation here that might help you get over day 3 that explains why the thing rises like crazy initially and then appears to go flat ... it suggests using acid  and fancy flours and all sorts of daunting ingredients instead of flour and water but a purist would have you stick with the basics and a bit of patience. Give it a chance. Note that if you manage to bake using bacteria as the leavener instead of yeast you should end up with a very sour tasting loaf anyway. If the ratings on this recipe are any indication that's just fine for many people.

I've failed at this many times though and I think part of my issue is mold... maybe it's time to clean the kitchen.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/233

I had not done a starter before and did a lot of reading through several recipes and reviews.  This one seemed to be the best one.  I did add in a tsp. of agave sweetner each morning and evening when I fed the start a 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup warm water.  My son enjoyed watching this process and the whole family has enjoyed eating the bread from this starter ever since.  I use the San Francisco bread recipe to make this bread.  I even made a whole wheat version and it came out wonderfully.

Tried this recipe for the first time this week.  I have San Fran Sourdough covered and rising right now. I can't wait to try it!  OK - as for the starter it smelled super ready but after reading the reviews I don't expect super sourdough until the replacement flour and water in the original starter have fermented some more.  I was told by a friend (who is a wonderful baker) that it could take several months to get really great sourdough flavour.  We'll see...  Thanks for the recipe!

I'm going to jump a bit ahead here and give this five stars for the ease of prepartion alone. I've not tried other starters before because they've always sounded so complicated. This was so easy! Within the first 30 minutes of mixing everything together I had a bubbly ever expanding mass of goo on my hands! Ahhh! Attack of the Sourdough Starter Monster! And its an hour later and its still expanding. I'm hard pressed to keep it in a suitable container. Next time I think I'll use a leftover plastic ice cream container instead of a glass canning jar. I can't wait until this is finished! I think I'm going to try "feeding" it as other reviewers suggested.

VERY easy to make - I used a mason jar and followed the advice to put it in a pan in the oven with the light on when I went to work.  When I walked in the door 8 hours later, my husband came to me and gently said, "I think something went wrong with what you were cooking" because it had overflowed into the pan generously.  I'm glad others advised to feed it - I've had it out for a little over a week now and I've been feeding it every morning and evening 1/4 or 1/3 cup flour and warm water.  When I baked with it yesterday, I used a whole cup and I'm back to overflowing today.

This was my first time for making sourdough starter.  I mixed it up in a two quart glass jar and stirred it daily with a wooden spoon.  Five days later I made the San Francisco sourdough bread, 1/2 of recipe.  Then I added 3/4 cup of flour and water and a pinch of sugar to the starter.  Very easy and the bread was good.

I was nervous about letting something sit around in my kitchen and ferment. I am at a high altitude (about 6200ft). I was even more nervous when it smelled strong and looked strange after about 5 days of sitting out. (The clear liquid had separated and was sitting on top making it look unappetizing. I stirred it up and it looked normal, so I decided to go ahead and stick it in the fridge. Well, today, I finally used it in the Plain and Simple Sourdough Bread recipe from this website. The bread turned out AWESOME. Some of my most favorite ever produced by my bread maker yet! I have decided to keep up my starter so that I can make more yummy bread!  I may try some with my mixer next...

This is the first time I've gotten sourdough to actually work.  Probably the tenth time I've tried.  We live in a climate where, if you set out a bowl of equal parts water and flour, you will have bubbles in a couple of hours and by the next day, it's dead.  Adding a bit of yeast (I only added 1 tsp) seemed to help stabilize this.  I fed the dough after a few hrs and then put in frig by the same night.  Waited one day and then made sourdough french bread.  It actually rose and had a nice texture.  I don't know how long the starter will last, but so far it looks great.  Thanks for posting.

Works great!  I made it a few months ago and it keeps getting better and better with each loaf.

I have tried multiple sourdough starters and this is the first one that actually worked for me!  I started it on Monday and yesterday (Thursday) I mixed up my first loaf of bread.  I let it rise overnight, then baked it this morning for our breakfast.  It was SO good!  I can't wait until the starter develops a little more so it has even more of that delicious tangy flavor!

Started on Sunday, made rolls on Wed. that were fabulous - looking forward to it aging. Am feeding it 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water each day.

Put it in a large container/jar on a cookie sheet, because it explodes! This worked really well, even using whole wheat white flour.

This is the perfect simple starter!  I feed mine 1/3 cups water and flower and a pinch of sugar once a day.  Then I feed it 1 cup each before using/storing.  Thanks for the recipe!

Sourdough starter is so basic that a baby could almost get it right. But I rate this one 5 stars because Esther detailed the instructions so well that I could hardly go wrong. When it was ready, this was the best and easiest starter recipe I have ever used.

I'm only giving three stars, because as most people have mentioned, it says nothing about how to feed it. I made mine yesterday, and today it has a crust on it...the top is hard. Is this normal????? I have NO CLUE. I don't know when to feed it or even how often to feed it.

Yay!!! Finally a starter that worked for me!!!! My only suggestion is YOU MUST FEED IT EVERY DAY WHEN STARTING!!! I began mine on a Saturday, fed it 1/3 cup water and flour every day and by Wednesday it was ready to use!!! Now to check out all the recipes that are possible now that I have a great starter!!

Ok, so I made the starter exactly according to the recipe, stirred it really well and placed it in the oven with the oven light on. Within two hours (!!!!), my starter was falling out onto the drip tray I had set up. What did I do wrong? I stirred everything back up and left it on the kitchen counter. Is it still ok to use it and how long should I let it ferment? Please help!!

Wow! This was my first attempt at any kind of bread starter. I started it on Sunday, left out on kitchen counter in glass bowl with loose lid. Fed 1/4 water and 1/4 flour daily. Made San Fran sourdough from this site on Saturday. Super easy and very delish. I wasn't sure how to replace what I took from the starter so I just put equal amounts of flour/water of what I took from the starter.

I had a little trouble with my first starter, so I threw it out and started another.  They can be a little frustrating until you get the hang of it.  My house was extremely warm and my starter was ready in 4 days to go into the fridge... I stirred it everyday and then fed it when I put it into the fridge.  I've baked with my sourdough starter 3 times now...It's about a week 1/2 old.  1st loaf didn't work!  2nd and 3rd loaf was awsome... I used the recipe here on AR for bread machine "Plain and Simple Sourough Bread"... Have fun!

This was lots of fun to try! Made the SF sourdough yesterday and it turned out pretty good! I gave 4/5 stars because the instructions were very vague and I had a lot of unanswered questions.
In the end I stirred twice a day. Fed 1/3c flour 1/3c water every morning. Kept it in the oven, that I warmed very slightly twice a day. ( it's winter here and quite chilly) I think the stirring was very important because a foamy skin would form that would probably not be so awesome after a week. I baked my sourdough on day 7, gave him a little food and let him sleep in the fridge. I'll feed him every week. How much fun was this! I can make my own sourdough!

Really easy starter.  I had a layer of hooch on my starter by the next morning.    

The instructions were somewhat incomplete for sourdough newbs like myself (feeding and taking care of the starter) but the bread I made was good.

Awesome starter.  makes really good sourdough flavor.

Did not work.  I tried and tried and tried.

I'm new to bread making so... After lots of research, I chose this recipe for the starter. Due to the reviews I've read, I decided to feed it once a day, 1/3 cup warm water &amp; 1/3 cup flour. Each day it did get the bubbles, the nice yeast smell &amp; the brown liquid. I thought it was doing great (according to my research). It did rise &amp; fall but I didn't worry too much about it since it rose back up at each feeding. 

I had placed it on the counter near my stove since it gets nice and warm near it when I'm cooking.  I only covered it with paper towels (since it said to cover loosely). I made this starter on Friday, it's now Sunday night. I just checked on it &amp; noticed that little fruit flies got into it. I live around lots of vegetation: trees, flowers &amp; vegetable garden on the property so there are lots of these around. Ugh! I was so bummed. 

I started a new batch. I mixed it in a plastic mixing bowl then transferred to a gallon size glass jar. After thinking about what to cover it with, I chose to use press &amp; seal plastic wrap since the jars' lid seemed too tight. I didn't press the wrap tight but just enough so the bugs can't fly in. My only concern is that I'm hoping it is not too tight. I'm going to resume the feeding tomorrow &amp; let it sit out for 8 days before refrigeration. I will update this review with progress.

I only gave 4 stars since the directions were unclear on what to cover with &amp; the daily feedings but it's been simple &amp; seems to be working.

Very helpful, basic recipe. I feed it to keep it going.

I am glad I read the reviews. However, I did not do so until I had already mixed two batches in 2 quart jars. I quickly located a large pickle jar and transferred both batches. I didn't know how it would turn out, but hoped for the best. Another thing I "messed up" on was to use my fine wheat flour, which is my custom, in place of the white flour. It turned out fine, so far. Others were complaining that it was not sour enough. I am fine with that. We are not sourdough fans and the only reason I am trying this is for the nutrition value, having read that wheat products not fermented are bad for the teeth. Having 5 children, I am tired of the dentist bills! (I recommend googling "cavity reversal.") I make rolls every day, so this starter will constantly be in use. I only waited 24 hours to use and it was fine. Overall, I am happy with this recipe.

this is a beautiful sourdough starter.  works like a dream smells fantastic and makes a wonderful dough.

Brilliant little starter I started mine with a pinch of sugar and a couple of drops of Lindersfarn mead to give it an extra little kick. Bread tasted amazing with a slight subtle twang of honey from the mead in the starter. Really gives it that extra edge.

Great taste especially as it ages. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Well I  just made my first ever starter. What I want to say is I understood the video to say whenever you USE a Cup of starter then replace it with a cup of flour and a cup of warm water and a pinch of sugar stir it all up, and refrigerate it until you make another loaf then replace it again the same way. if any is using a jar like the video use a larger one than a Quart jar. my dough is going to run over for sure. is this normal? All of the above is after the 4-8 day's. Please let me know. thank you. Linda.

It helps a lot if you add a teaspoon of sugar each time you split it, which for me is weekly.  The first time you split the starter it works if you give it away to a friend for their own starter.  If you make bread with the first split it has a very weak sourdough flavor.  It took a month before my sourdough bread had the same sour level as what my family is used to.

Had a bit of trouble with the first batch, but I think that was due to my "beginner" status when it comes to sourdough bread.  Worked out really well the next time - will make again!

i couldn't believe how easy this was!  i considered giving only 4 stars for not explaining when/how much we need to feed, but this starter was so forgiving!  i'm not entirely sure i fed it enough, but i used it to make 'san francisco sourdough' and it came out perfectly!  it is now nearly a week old and i've put it in the refrigerator.  i'll be using this starter again and again!!

This is my very first try at sourdough starter, or making sourdough anything for that matter, and it's excellent!!!  It's SO EASY, and my family LOVED the sourdough bread I made - even my picky daughter!  I've used this starter in the Chocolate Chip Sourdough Muffins, as well, and am tryin the Sourdough Chocolate Cranberry Cake today, too!  YUMMY!!!

Lost a star for not explaining you need to feed the starter. My experience has been to always leave it out and feed it every other day, doubling it's volume each time. White flour is the best way to nurse up a starter, but once it is established and you are looking for more flavor, switch to wheat flour instead of white. You'll get a funk faster since the wheat still has the nutrients that are taken out of white. You can go back to white once you've harvested the funk from the wheat, but I never went back! Different flours will add different flavors.

Very forgiving. I left it on my mom's counter for a week and it was fine. I left it for another week at my apartment and came back to grey hooch. Didn't deal with it and just left it in the fridge for another week while I was on vacation. The internet told me to scrape it off and start with just a tablespoon from the bottom that had been untouched by either the hooch or the tool(s) you used to get rid of the hooch ( I used about 10 spoons to avoid contamination). It came back just fine. It's been three months now and my sourdough bread is finally where I want it in terms of sourness.

I loved it. Very easy for me to make. Never had made before this one.

Great starter recipe and easy too.  I made sourdough pancakes for a large group and there was not one left.  I can't wait to make bread.

I used the receipt for the my starter, it didn't look like the video. Because the weather here is very dry, I find adding at least a cup more water is best. The end result was very good. It's like it's alive! This is my first starter.

This is a great basic sourdough starter. I tend to depend on reviews before purchasing products or in this instance, selecting a recipe. While reading through those posted, I noticed quite a few with the same comments and concerns regarding the procedure for this recipe. Hopefully, the following will provide some clarification. 

First and foremost - feeding the starter should be considered an essential step, even though some reviewers had a successful outcome without doing so. After the initial ingredients are combined in a plastic or glass container, the mixture should be loosely, but securely covered. Cheesecloth or a lint-free tea towel, held in place with a rubber band is a good choice, as either allows for ventilation.

*Note: allowing the yeast to proof by mixing it with a pinch of sugar and a portion of the water to be added (100-110 degrees), then letting it sit for 10 min. until foamy and doubled is recommended to encourage vigorous activation.* 

Depending on the ambient room temperature, the starter will need to be fed one to three times each day, after the first 24 hours. Warmer environments cause the yeast to grow more rapidly, requiring the more frequent three times a day feedings. Cool temperatures have a reverse effect. The appearance of 'bubbling', an indicator of activity is also affected by temperature. Bubbling or foaming up then receding is normal, especially after feeding. 

Generally, a range of 70-85 degrees is acceptable for successful ripening or fe

Great starter recipe! I used mine on the 7th day to make the San Francisco Sourdough Bread recipe on this site. It turned out perfect with a very definite, tangy sourdough taste. I'll keep feeding it and use it over and over. Thanks, Esther....I very much appreciate this recipe!

Best one I've tried.  Great flavor after just 2 days, than even better a week later.

I made this starter about a year ago, and have been using and feeding it about once per month. The older it gets, the better the flavor. Recently I made a loaf of sourdough and needed about a cup less flour than normal, I'm attributing the change to the age of the starter.

See how to make sourdough starter for your homemade baked goods.

sourdough starter

Servings: 3

Cost: $4.63 /serving

Author : Esther Nelson

Ingredients

Instructions

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