The key to any successful journey is understanding what you might encounter along the way. When I first started, I did my research, but I quickly found myself getting distracted by all the delicious-looking recipes. Instead of thinking logically about the process, I let my stomach take the lead—big mistake! Let’s just say things didn’t go as expected. I got my sourdough starter, and within a month, I had nothing but a mess. But before we get into that, let’s break sourdough down.
Sourdough Basics: What I Wish I Knew
When I first received my starter (I purchased a dehydrated one for my first attempt), I followed the instructions to bring it back to life. But after that, I found myself lost in a sea of unfamiliar terms. Here are a few key things I wish I had known from the start:
- Discard – This is the portion of the starter you remove after its 4-12 hour rise. You can either save it for recipes or toss it out—totally up to you! I initially thought I had to keep it, but that’s not the case. If you do save it, keep it in the fridge and try to use it within a week. In my experience, after a week, discard-based recipes don’t bake quite right.
- Fun fact: If needed, refrigerated discard can often be fed and revived into a new starter.
- Rise – This is when your starter is at its bubbliest and most active—ideal for baking! It usually takes 4-12 hours to reach this stage, depending on temperature and humidity. Finding your starter’s peak time in your home may take a little trial and error, but don’t get discouraged.
- Stretch and Fold – This is one of the most satisfying parts of making sourdough (at least for me!). Just make sure your hands are wet before handling the sticky dough. Grab one side, stretch it as far as it will go before it resists, then fold it over the top. Turn the bowl and repeat three more times.
These are just a few basics, but honestly, every loaf I’ve baked has taught me something new.
My Biggest Takeaway
Before you start with any sourdough starter, please, please, please… plan! Plan when you’ll feed your starter so it’s at peak fermentation when you need it. Plan your stretch and folds. Plan for fridge fermentation. Otherwise, you might find yourself (like me) doing stretch and folds until 2 AM—very tired and regretting your life choices.
If you’re on the fence about starting your sourdough journey and looking for a sign—this is it! Yes, it can be tiring, but I promise you, nothing beats the taste of freshly baked bread that you put time and effort into making.
Follow along as I share more helpful tips, tricks, equipment recommendations, and some of my favorite recipes!
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