Everything You Need to Know

I keep 1 ounce of starter and feed it with 1 ounce of flour and 1 ounce of water because I rarely need a massive amount of starter on hand, but various other sourdough luminaries advise different amounts. If you don't have a scale, go for 1/4 cup starter to 1/2 cup of flour to 1/4 cup water. (Flour weighs less per volume than the water or starter.) I've found that for maintenance, it's fine to just have a small amount, and since starter is infinite, you can always feed it more if you need more starter. (The famous-among-bread-people Tartine country loaf recipe, for instance, only needs 1 tablespoon of starter for the whole loaf.) I keep 1 ounce of starter and feed it with 1 ounce of flour and 1 ounce of water because I rarely need a massive amount of starter on hand, but various other sourdough luminaries advise different amounts. If you don't have a scale, go for ¼ cup starter to ½ cup of flour to ¼ cup water. (Flour weighs less per volume than the water or starter.) I've found that for maintenance, it's fine to just have a small amount, and since starter is infinite, you can always feed it more if you need more starter. (The famous-among-bread-people Tartine country loaf recipe, for instance, only needs 1 tablespoon of starter for the whole loaf.)

A little bit of starter can eat a lot of flour and water. Once you feed it, reseal the jar, but leave the starter with some access to air — I leave mine with the lid on it but not screwed tightly. Some folks cover it with cloth. Whatever works for you. If you're baking frequently, feed it once or twice a day and leave it out at room temperature to keep it active. For less frequent baking, feed your starter just once a week and keep it in the fridge. A little bit of starter can eat a lot of flour and water. Once you feed it, reseal the jar, but leave the starter with some access to air - I leave mine with the lid on it but not screwed tightly. Some folks cover it with cloth. Whatever works for you. If you're baking frequently, feed it once or twice a day and leave it out at room temperature to keep it active. For less frequent baking, feed your starter just once a week and keep it in the fridge.

The only really solid rule of feeding is to make sure you're not feeding your starter boiling hot water or overwhelming it with a vastly unequal amount of flour or water. Lukewarm or cold is fine. Boiling is one of the few things that can actually kill your starter, so avoid that and you'll be set. If you keep the starter in the fridge, when you feed it, let it chill out on the counter for an hour or two with the lid off, then screw the lid on and put it back in the fridge. The only really solid rule of feeding is to make sure you're not feeding your starter boiling hot water or overwhelming it with a vastly unequal amount of flour or water. Lukewarm or cold is fine. Boiling is one of the few things that can actually kill your starter, so avoid that and you'll be set. If you keep the starter in the fridge, when you feed it, let it chill out on the counter for an hour or two with the lid off, then screw the lid on and put it back in the fridge.

What flour should I use?

Starter really likes whole wheat, whole grain, spelt, or rye flour, but I've always just used what I have on hand, which is usually bleached all-purpose flour, and it works just fine. Don't obsess over the flour unless you really want to! Just use what you have.

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