Maintain Your Starter

Let's be real...

Most of us aren't baking every day, so how do we keep our starters active and ready for baking when we may only use them occasionally?

Let the fridge be your friend: Long-term maintenance

Starters keep well in the fridge, and for the best results, you only need to feed them once a week, if that. 

Remember, if you are still feeding your starter in the fridge, keep it with a loose lid as it is still producing gas; allow it to burp when needed. 

1. When you have completed a bake, feed your starter with a 1:1:1 ratio (30g Starter, 30g Strong bread flour and 30g water). Stir it very well to make sure it is all mixed together and no dry flour remains, then pop the lid loosely on, mark with your rubber band the level at this point and put it in the fridge. 

2. When in the fridge, you will still see it rise and bubble, and it will stay at a high level above the rubber band over a longer period of time. 

3. After a week, you may notice the level drop back down. To maintain a healthy starter, I would repeat the 1:1:1 feeding ratio and pop it back in the fridge with a loose lid. Keep tracking your levels in relation to your rubber band marker.

4. Weekly feedings help maintain a strong starter through fermentation, but if you miss a week or are a few days late, don't worry. You may want to bring it back to life by doing a few daily 1:1:1 feeds and leaving your starter at room temp to get it going again. 

Before each bake: Prep your starter 

To make sure your starter is ready for each bake, you will need to prep your starter the day before. 

I recommend doing this just before you go to bed to ensure your starter is as active as possible for when you mix your dough. 

1. Remove your starter from the fridge and get ready to feed. 

2. If you followed your 1:1:1 ratio, you should have at least 90g of starter to work with. From this point, work out how much starter you need for your recipe and work out how much you will need to feed your starter. Also remember to use a jar big enough for your starter to expand without overflowing, remembering that it will triple in size if strong. 

For example: if 150g of starter is needed, you will need to make sure your ratios fit this measurement. 30g Starter: 75g Bread flour: 75g Lukewarm water will give you 180g of starter. Enough for your recipe and enough left over to keep your starter maintained. 

3. Feed your starter according to how much you will need, aim for a 1:2:2 ratio and leave at room temperature overnight with a loose lid and mark your level with the rubber band to see how much it rises.

After each bake: Feed and refridgerate

Your done using your starter so to avoid wasting flour and effort feed 30g of your starter at the 1:1:1 ratio. 

Make sure you mix well, pop on a loose lid, mark your level with a rubber band and pop it back in the fridge to return back to your weekly maintainance. 

How to know if your starter is beyond saving

Fermentation is GOOD, but botulism is BAD! 

Below are some examples of signs that show your starter can be saved or if you need to throw it away and start over. 

When to save

Nobody is perfect, so if you neglect your starter, then there are indicators that it may be dormant but still savable: 

• Hooch: A dark liquid on the top of your starter. It may not look like it, but a clear, dark grey or dark brown liquid on top is just the alcohol and water escaping from your starter. 

  • Pour the liquid on top away, and feed your starter at a 30g 1:1:1 ratio to revive it. Daily feedings at room temperature until your starter looks lively again are recommended. 

• Nail polish remover or alcohol smell: just like the previous point, this is the alcohol coming from your starter. 

  • In this case, pour off any excess liquid on top and feed to a 30g 1:1:1 ratio at room temperature for a few consecutive days until it returns to a lively state. 

• Low or no rise with inactive bubbles: This is a sign your starter may be a bit fed up of the cold in the fridge. Avoid this by giving it some room temperature love and daily feedings every now and then.

  • To fix a cold and lazy starter, take it out of the fridge and feed it at the 30g 1:1:1 ratio for a few days, and make sure you use lukewarm water when feeding to spur it along. 

IMPORTANT NOTE / DISCLAIMER: If you are in any doubt about the state of your starter, please err on the side of caution and start again.
Your starter may show signs not listed here, and it may even take longer to revive than it would to start fresh.
Please use your best judgment wisely and try to avoid needing to revive your starter by performing regular maintenance.

When to start again

To avoid any health code mishaps, make sure you throw your sourdough starter away and start again if your starter shows any of the following signs: 

• Pink, Orange or Red Streaks or Spots: This is a sign of dangerous bacterial contamination. 

• Fuzzy Mould: Green, Black, Blue or White mould on the surface or sides of your starter is a clear sign your starter has been compromised. 

• A Rotten or Putrid Smell: While sourdough starters have a natural hint of a sour smell, if the smell is more like rotting food or worse throw it away.