The EASIEST sourdough starter maintenance method
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- čas přidán 15. 01. 2021
- This video provides a good summary of my easy, low waste, no discard, sourdough starter maintenance method. I have been using this fridge method for storing my sourdough starter for many years now, and I love the freedom it gives me to make a loaf of sourdough bread whenever the mood takes me, without any pre-thought or preparation. It's great for minimalist sourdough bakers and busy people who may want to start a loaf of sourdough bread when the time suits them, not their starter.
In this video I discuss:
◾ My simple sourdough starter maintenance and feeding method and how I use it straight from the fridge
◾ How to tell if your starter is healthy and alive, regardless of its consistency (the activation of thick and thin starters)
◾ Quantities for feeding a sourdough starter
◾ Types of containers you can use for sourdough starters (glass, plastic, stainless steel, ceramic, using what you have)
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You’re my kind of person!!! No frills, keep it easy and approachable for us newbies!!!!!!! Thank you for these lessons!
Yay! Thanks so much. You're very welcome!
I have a starter that is 30 years old I have left it in the back of my fridge for 2 to 5 years. It always wor,ks. The flavor is great. I am so happy with it, and it brings back memories of a friend (from England) who helped me learn how to use it.
That's so lovely. Thanks for sharing.
Great video!!! Excellent advise for the bread-makers. My starter is rather on the thin side and really frothy but I make bread every 4 or 5 days (high blood sugar etc) so it doesn't stay long in the fridge to starve and it stays strong and fragrant!! I keep it in a re-usable yogurt jar. The only time of the year that I make starter from scratch is in autumn when I get freshly dried raisins and I use the water where I have soaked a handful of raisins for 3-4 days where they ferment until you can see the bubbles forming to the top of the water then I strain the raisins add flour and in another 3 days I have a sweet starter to make raisin bread with cinnamon. Great starter for sweet breads. Have a nice day!!!!
Wonderful! Oooh, I do love a nice frothy thin starter. I may go back to that at some stage! Your autumn yeast water starter sounds really wonderful too!
Omg I need to try this.
Wow. That sounds delightful!! Autumn is just around the corner 😄👍
Brilliant video. You just earned yourself a new sub, cheers from North West rural Vic.
Thank you, great to hear from you in that region. You must know Burrum farm then in the Wimmera?
You might enjoy this video. Burrum Farm Bread czcams.com/video/UDas2Fh-vbo/video.html
Hi Elly, greetings from Denmark! amazing content. I’ve learned this from you, so no more discard! Works perfectly, I just mix everything in, feed what’s left in my jar and back in fridge it goes. I don’t even let it activate on the counter top after feeding, it actually activates in the fridge 😉. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge, highly appreciated 🙏🥰.
Thanks so much Doina, that's great to hear! It's so funny, I was aware that it activates in the fridge, but I can't seem to break my habit of leaving it out for a while first! It's good to know it can be done either way. Thanks for sharing :)
so much to learn
I’m a spontaneous (disorganized) person so this method really appeals to me. Thank you so much!
You're welcome! I'm very organised but somehow also very flexible and spontaneous too - this method is by far the easiest. Glad you liked it :)
I reeeeeally love your minimalist approach. Good grief, we can sure take something basic like fermenting dough and make it so complicated! It just gets so tiring and controlling. Thanks for your sensible approach.
You are very welcome!
That was super helpful, thank you!
Thanks Trina, you're welcome :)
Thanks very much. 👌
I have used my starter the same way for almost 30 years. I live in Canada where its not so warm. I enjoy your videos, thank you.
That's so great Deborah, thank you. I think we all need to find what works for us. Being in a cooler climate would most probably change things for me!
It's crazy how much climate can affect baking!
I love the minimalist approach! Just what I was looking for :)
Thanks :)
You are great Elly !!! Thanks very much👍
You're welcome Martha, thank you!
Elly’s thanks so much for this refresh. It’s great to have all your tips about starters in one video.
Thanks Jen, I actually filmed a lot more for this video but it got too long! I'll do more in future.
thank you so much very helpful information
You're welcome Mary, thank you.
I love your method and it is practical for me.
That's graet to hear Cindy, thank you.
This is brilliant. The philosophy and practicality.
Thanks Dougie, I appreciate that.
I like and I need simple. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Wow. 💗💗💗
Thank you SO MUCH for explaining this all so beautifully.
I truly appreciate it.
Thank you Julie, I appreciate that very much.
Thank you for this video, Elly. Helpful as always 🙂 I'm all about simplicity and I use your method since the beginning and every time with a great results. Love the impulse baking, so it works perfect for me. Thank you again 😊 Wish you well, Elly 😊
Thanks Stanislava, that's so nice to hear :)
Very cool info. Thank you for introducing me to the Weck jars. I ordered a set of 2 from Amazon.
Thanks so much again! You're very welcome :)
Thank you so much 💓
You're welcome 😊
I'm all about simplicity! I've been using your method of keeping a sourdough starter since I heard you mention it in another of your videos and it is the best!!
That's so great Kerrie, thank you!
Thank you!
You're welcome! :)
Excellent video l don't have time to be baby sitting my starter so this is the way I doing it thanks.
Thank you, you're welcome! This is really the easiest way. And you can make wonderful bread!
Very good to reassure the beginner! I’m still learning so much and happened upon you a year ago. Glad you’ve expanded your channels and look forward for more. It’s so fun to make your own breads!
Thanks so much Thoma! I'm so glad this video was reassuring for you! My whole youtube life started off with a simple sourdough bread video that broke down a lot of myths like this one. It doesn't have to be hard work at all - I think it should be fun! After all these years I still ADORE making my own bread :)
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough yes, I remember that first video. I feel on love with you and your sourdough bread making style. You pulled me back in, after years of making do with bakery loaves, with tour laid back style, where the SD bread didn't control your life. Did I ever say thank you? Thank you, Elly!!!!
So great to find your videos. I am new to sourdough bread making and find some of the recipes, instructions and videos very daunting and complicated. I also liked your idea of placing the loaf pan inside the oven roaster and the other cooking pan ideas you use. Some videos use $180 cast iron pans. You have spurred me on. Thanks. Jane😀🍞
That's wonderful Jane, thanks!
I used your method of using my starter cold from the fridge and what a surprise. Wonderful loaf of wholewheat/spelt Seeded loaf with no faffing around. Thanks Elly. 😊
Excellent! Thanks Tessa :)
Perfect! No fuss, no muss, no worries. Yay. I’ve been doing something similar but without much confidence. Lol. You’ve changed that. Yes, it turns out my method is ok. I’ve been getting great results. Will be trying your WW bread in a bread machine next. Thank you. New subbie and hello from California USA
That's fantastic. Great to hear!
thanks
Thank you so much for sharing your insights and tips on sourdough. I have learned so much from you in my now year and a half journey into the wonderful world of sourdough bread making.
Btw, I switched from using a glass jar (it was a jam jar) to a plastic (#5) peanut butter jar about a year ago. One of the things I noticed that you did when I first discovered your channel (your first channel) last year was that you are just as neat and tidy about scraping down the sides of your starter jar as I am! I've been a real stickler about that! LOL And btw, I haven't washed my jar since last summer (I'm in the US so that was about in August of last year). I haven't had a problem with mold or anything.
I've also incorporated your method of using a silicone scraper/spatula to do the initial S&Fing of my bulk fermentation. Thanks to your demonstrations, I also do my S&Fs inside my bowl like you do, instead of taking it out of the bowl and performing them on the counter/bench every time, using YOUR method of having a bowl of water to dip your hands into. OMHeavens, I can't tell you what a difference that has made in my bread making!! No more floured surfaces that just become gooey with the water on your hands and hydrated dough whilst S&Fing!!
Thank you thank you thank you, Elly! Much love from Southern California, USA!
Oh thank you so much! It sounds like we are kindred spirits in the kitchen ;) I really loved reading your comment, and it's so great to hear others out there who find the simple and effective methods so appealing. Thanks for sharing with me!
Elly...just wanted to let you know that your method of using the starter straight from the fridge is 100% reliable and a real game changer for me...making bread whenever I decide to these days...thank you so much and keep your advice coming...we are all paying attention...
Ah, thanks so much. Great to hear.
Love it! Thank you so much for the information and the confirmation, Elly 💜 I am a busy mom of 3 and try to live healthy life with homemade as much as possible, but at some point started to get " fed up" with constantly feeding my Sour dough, Kombucha, Kefir starters,etc that sit on my counter ... non stop!!
I also put mine into fridge, and using it " on demand". It still works, if not even better actually.. without all that fragile froth. Pretty robust and stable, as long as it used at least once a week and fed. I agree with you completely!
Thank you for your lovely videos and the insights✨
Oh thank you so much Kseni, that's great feedback. Couldn't agree with you more!
I absolutely love your freedom approach. It’s been really fun to get into this, but now after a few years of laser focus on it, I want to be a little more relaxed about it. Using cold, straight out of the fridge starter?! 🤯 gotta try it! Thanks for getting back to common sense.
You're welcome Sandi!! It's all I've ever done, and it clearly works! (14 years this year). Have fun. I think you'll enjoy the spontaneity!
You have answered a question in this video that I’ve have needed answer for several days! I’m a newbie in sourdough and bread baking. I just began in the last two and a half weeks making my starter. I ended up throwing one out because it didn’t rise or have bubbles after a few days. I think my water had chlorine in it and killed it. So I started over. It doesn’t rise much at all but it’s bubbly. So now after your video, I have a little more confidence that I’m on the right track! Thanks so much
Yes! Great to be able to help Sara. Bubbles are all you need, but if you want it to rise, and have bigger bubbles, just mix some more flour in to make it thicker :)
I just saw another channel where they do the same thing. It matters only if the starter is alive.. doesn't really matter how alive it is, just that it is alive!
Exactly!
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough I am new to your channel and watched a few of your videos! I love making bread!
That's wonderful, welcome!
I am impulsive and I use yeast for exactly that reason. I don't like having to plan well in advance. I will try this method... thank you!
Yes I was the same Chantal! I always made yeast breads until I discovered sourdough didn't actually have to be babied as much as I thought. Good luck! I'm sure you'll find it easy.
Hi - I'm about a month into my sourdough journey. I liked so much your "you don't need special containers" for this. The best containers that I've found are some straight sided clear glasses that I have. They are made of borosilicate glass. They are working great for the starter that I build for a sandwich loaf I make. I take out a small amount of starter, feed it and let it double early in the a.m. About 9 a.m. or so, after it doubles, my goal is for it to have a total amount of approx 1 cup, which is what the recipe calls for. I've been refeeding the small amount left in the glass, and then putting the glass back in the fridge. Well, LOL, this has resulted in quite a collection of starter in glasses in my fridge. I just got a nice jar and will be marrying all my jars today. I've been using these containers to make thin pizza crusts, and (of course) what I've described. I have some pretty substantial back issues, so my time standing at counters in my kitchen is limited. I've had to tailor make my sourdough baking some, and it's still an evolution to what my health/back can accommodate. BUT I'm really enjoying it. It's awful fun to put a fed starter on the counter and come back to see that it's growing. It's a true sign of success. :) Thanks for your video, and I'll sub to see more.
Thanks so much, I'm really glad you found this helpful.
Thanks for this ELLY.
I have actually gone away from Sourdough breads because maintaining my starter was time consuming.
Oh, that's interesting Bill. I hope this has inspired you. I put zero effort into maintaining my starter and it's always sitting there waiting for me to bake with.
Your explanation is pleasant to listen to. Thank you.
Thanks so much :)
Thank you for this video! I’ve had the best luck following your method! I was wondering how long it was ok to keep in the fridge before using so you answered that one! If your making bread at least once a week it should be well feed. Thanks again! 💛
Absolutely! Thanks Tammy, I've been doing it this way for so long now, it works very well for me. An older starter does change the flavour profile of your bread, but not in any bad way! Also you can manage flavour in the actual baking of the bread too - so many ways around things :)
Thanks!
I can’t thank you enough, Elly, for taking so much of the frustration and failure out of my sourdough making and letting the fun in. You explain the whole process with such clarity that I’m able to make lovely loaves now, and add in some of my own creativity as well when I want to. I tried your whole wheat cinnamon raisin loaf today with your basic starter, but I used 1 part rye, 1 part spelt to 2 parts whole wheat for my grains and apple cider as my liquid. It came out so beautifully & so delicious! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Oh my goodness, if that hasn't made my day, I don't know what will! Thank you, I am so pleased to hear not only of your success, but your joy in finding an easy way to make sourdough that suits you. Your loaf sounds wonderful! Thanks also for your generous support, I appreciate it very much :)
I LOVE the way you taught me to do my sourdough starter. I love that it is ready for when I need it (I usually bake twice a week) and it is way healthier than when I was using the counter top method. And you are so right - so much wasted flour! And, I live in the Pacific Northwest so heat and humidity isn’t a issue, but my bread has turned out so much better with your method for starter. Thank you!
Lori that's so wonderful, thanks for commenting! :)
Well, it is day 5 and already I am started to feed it and it is rising, fairly quickly, surprisingly quickly. Thank you for this method!
You're welcome Elissa! That's wonderful to hear.
Thank you so much!, you are amazing!😘👍
What a great video!.
I have been baking sourdough spelt bread for 8 years now, and I just learned so much new from you, never thought of dry or runny starter, and I have been using too much starter, 300 grams to 460 grams of flour, and it is too big a bread, when we are only my husbond
and I, to eat it. 😳
Thank you, I can't wait, to try this, for me, new method.
I will buy that jar type you use, cause it is easier, than the jars I have been using, I think you call them mason jars.
Hugs from Denmark 🇩🇰
Thank you Helena, glad you found this helpful! This is a Weck brand preserving jar. It's a German company :)
I love this info. I’ve been doing something similar and was feeling as though I was “cheating”. I’m a spontaneous baker! I find it becomes a chore if I have to stick to a set routine. There’s other parts of our lives where that is essential but I like to be flexible and spontaneous too. Cheers.
Absolutely! This doesn't appeal to everyone, but if you want free and easy it's brilliant!
Ok, now it makes sense. I add far too much water for my starter. I’ll make some adjustments to my flour water ratio for my next bake. Thank you, from Sth Australia! X
You're welcome Gail, hi from Brisbane!
This is a great starter information video Elly. I have been storing my sourdough starter in the fridge after I started watching your videos not long after I returned to breadmaking. A couple of months ago I had surgery so I froze half my stater and fed my fridge one before I used it again because it had been several weeks just sitting. Turned out well. I still have my frozen half to try out but am not sure how to tackle it. Will be an interesting experiment I think and might even end up in the bin!🤣 Like you I am delving more and more into a minimalistic lifestyle.
Ah that's great Marion, good on you for experimenting! I have never found the best success with freezing my starter, but drying works very well. I've got another video coming up soon that shows a really good, easy method for medium term storage that doesn't require freezing or drying. I think you'll like that video!!
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough Look forward to it, thanks Elly!
Great video. Discarding and feeding sourdough starter is old school. Your method is very good. Bottom line is the starter does not fail to rise the dough.
Spot on, Sia. Thanks for commenting :)
To test if the starter still works after a long time in the fridge, I last use my starter on 1st June 2021 and I took it out to bake again on 26th July 2021. It still works perfectly. This yeast is hardy, it will not die!
Thank you so much for this! It's been a struggle trying to establish a regular baking schedule because I also prefer spontaneity, and feeding my starter regularly and trying to bake when it peaked actually was a huge source of stress. I'm grateful to you and others who have shared your minimalist 😊 methods! Another CZcamsr keeps his starter on the counter (cooler climate) and just feeds it (sometimes not for a week) only when needed. No waste, no stress, no schedule! Anyway, thanks again for confirming that this works and creates what many of us ultimately want: delicious bread.
Thank you so much Ivan, that is such pleasing feedback. I agree, it makes such a huge difference to be able to bake this way. Who is the other youtuber? I like the sound of their style :)
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough The other CZcamsr is Foodgeek (Sune Trudeslev)! He runs experiments on his channel and challenges a lot of conventional wisdom about sourdough. Super fun seeing his results and like you, he shows that baking can be a fun, relaxing, and relaxed activity.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough Oh! The other CZcamsr with a minimalist, no fuss style is Ben Starr the Ultimate Food Geek (coincidence in the names). He has a video where he baked with a starter that hadn't been fed in five months and one that hadn't been fed in a week, and they both turned out well with not a drop of sweat or anxiety! 😀
Thanks, yes I know of Sune, it's great what he's doing. I've seen Ben Starr too, it's refreshing to see! It's not realistic for most people to make tartine style bread during the week around work, so we need helpful tricks and shortcuts to make it easier. Does make it more enjoyable for many of us too :)
I don't feed my starter sometimes for months.It is fine.The more starved it is, the more "sourdoughy" it tastes.
Hi Elly - What size is the Weck jar you use for Boris? Thanks for this video summary on Starter Care and Maintenance! I also use this low waste/easy method!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. I think it's the 580ml version.
This was a great video thank you. I’m new to bread baking so I don’t fully understand everything that you said. Specifically I’m not sure what a Levin is. But I’d love to see how you bake a sourdough loaf of bread if you have time.
Thank you, a 'levain' is just a portion of the dough that is pre-fermented. Sometimes a sourdough starter is also called a Levain, they mean the same thing in most contexts. Make sure you check out my other videos - I have plenty of sourdough recipes demonstrated on this channel :)
I SO love how you simplify everything! I discovered your channel only today, and I wish I'd found you earlier. I just started a sourdough starter 3 days ago (not your method though, since I only found you today...), and will use it the way you explain. I love that I don't have to discard starter anymore, - something I never liked since I use expensive (yet self-milled) organic grains. I only bake with sprouted grains, so I hope that the recipe for whole spelt bread I found from you will work well anyway... I do have a question: what weck glass are you using (size/ type) to store your starter in? I really like the size and looks of it. Would you mind sharing? Thank you! (And thanks again for your wonderful videos! I can't wait to watch more of them!!!)
Thanks so much Sunny! I really appreciate your feedback. The jar is a 700ml one I think. Though at the moment I'm back to my old wide mouth pint jar :)
Thanks for the videos Elly you are a great teacher. I have a starter in the fridge and it's been there for quite a while now should I throw it out and start again? God bless stay well greetings from Canada.
Thank you Antionette. Your starter is probably fine if you refresh it. Just pull aside the top later and take a teaspoon of good looking starter from underneath, and feed that with fresh flour and water in a new jar. It should come back to good health in no time :)
Thank you so much for this life changing relieving idea .it'S brillian.what is the ratio i need for the starter and flour ti make a bread loaf?can i make sweet stiff starteer from cold starter straight from fridge???thank you so much
I've never made sweet stiff starter, but I can't see why you couldn't! I use 100% hydration starter for my bread loaves.
Thanks for the video. I just like to share my experienced. I'm a new home baker, I still learn. Last month I used my 2 and a half weeks old starter straight out from the fridge to make a loaf of 50-50 Einkorn-Hard red wheat fresh milled and it came out beautifully. It just needed 30 hours at room temperature to bulk fermentation. May be in the summer time would be shorter. I love how easy like this, no need to plan, no stress out when I have to travel. On the day before my travel day I'll feed my starter leave at room temperature until I see it rise just a little bit. Probably half cm. Probably takes about 1-2 hours, then put it in the fridge. Leave it there until I need another loaf. I find it so convenient.
Ah that's so wonderful, thank you for sharing with me. Yes, you are right everything just happens faster in summer! I am working on a video at the moment with a simple, longer term fridge storage method for starters if you go away for long periods at a time. I think you may like that one too :)
Elly, You made it sound SIMPLE. Thank you. I read and am doing: Use the SDS. Leave
some in the jar....mix about 1/2 cup of flour....mix in the jar....then place a little more flour
on top and place in refrig. The night before you plan to bake: Add enough water, stir and
make the SDS thinkness you use. Leave on counter and use in the AM to bake. Then leave
a little in the jar and repeat adding flour etc. What do you think?
Sounds like you are mixing this with the dough ball method for long term storage? You don't need the extra flour on top for up to a week storage :)
Thank you, Elly. I am with you 100% on the ease and spontaneity aspects of sourdough bread making. You have taken out all the anxiety of doing this, and it seems to fit in so effortlessly into your life. I'd like to do the same. One thing I am fretting about is thatI always thought that the water and flour had to be the same measurement as the starter. That does not seem to be the case with yours. You have effectively dispensed with the discarding! I have wasted so much flour doing that. So is it the case, as you have demonstrated that it is just the water and flour that need to be the same and that can be added to whatever amount of starter you have left in you jar. Sorry about the long message.
Hi, thank you for your wonderful comment, I'm really glad you asked the question! There is no rule whatsoever about how much water or flour you have to feed your starter. For years, (as you can see and hear me talk about in this quite old video on my original channel czcams.com/video/xf90Mt-uhSY/video.html) I kept my starter really runny and never measured a thing! And many times I don't weight my water or flour, I just put an approximate amount of flour in and add water until it's the thick batter consistency I like to use these days. There are no rules at all, just do what works for you. I actually really like keeping liquid starters, they are much easier to stir than stiff ones, but you have to reduce the water amount in your recipe to make up for the runniness of them. I hope that helps, you can totally relax with it all and just feed your starter in a way that makes sense for you. Thanks again, Elly
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough Thank you, Elly, for taking the time to further re/ assure me.
Oops! That message flew out when I went to edit it! Just wanted to say thank you for your series of videos which are consistent and very helpful - not least the one about how to store bread! Anyway,...sourdough here I come and my expensive tome on The Sourdough School bible looks like becoming a very expensive doorstop! But, the sense of liberation is quite tangible! Thank you, Elly.
You're very welcome! I'm about to launch my website this weekend, ellyseveryday.com, so make sure you check out the info there too! I'll be adding more to it as time goes on.
Where can I buy that wick jar for starter, thanks I like your videos, so easy to follow.
You can find them linked here (affiliate link) www.amazon.com.au/shop/ellyseverydaysoapmaking
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough thank you
Thank you so much for this encouraging tip! After I found your channel I started using your simpler way of making whole wheat sourdough bread (including using starter from the fridge) and I've had such fantastic results! Seriously, it was such a game changer for me and simplified my life. I am looking forward to more of your videos. P.S. What was the name of the brand of jar you are using for your starter? I was not familiar with it. Thanks again.
Thanks Diane, that's great to hear. I do love the simplicity too, and the spontinaety! No, it's not a popular method. All the pros will tell you it will make inferior bread, but I'm very happy with what I produce.
I believe it was a weck jar? I may be wrong.
Pro bakers don't reccomend store in a fridge but if you need then make a stiff ball then wake it up making pancake dough consistency then another feed with final dough consistency. Our ancestors just left bowl dry for next batch.
Do you have a video on making a loaf in a tin? I’m getting a bit lost between bulk fermentation, shaping and baking🤔
Hi Jen, yes I do! The first recipe video I made for the new channel was a tin loaf. I have a couple from my old channel too. These are the three together:
Approachable Loaf. Easy Everyday Whole Grain Sourdough Bread, inspired by WSU Bread Lab czcams.com/video/07aYI7RK7_4/video.html
Frugal Sourdough Bread - EASY Wholemeal Sourdough Recipe using ALDI flour. czcams.com/video/2xwnejShsYk/video.html
Simple 100% Whole Grain Rye Sourdough Bread czcams.com/video/fnZzKd9NpuA/video.html
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough thanks for the links. Going to try them out tomorrow
Hi Elly! Thanks so much for simplifying sourdough starter and cooking! I tried it once and was not successful. I live in Southern California where our weather is often hot and dry, so I wonder if you think your starter method will be as successful and easy to maintain in this climate? Also, I am trying to go lectin free (Dr. Gundry's plan) and wonder if you think it would be possible to use either cassava, tapioca, almond, or millet flour to make the sourdough starter with (as rice contains lectins)? Thanks so much for your channel! Claire
Hi Claire! Yes I can't see why it wouldn't keep well if you're using the fridge method, in any climate! I'm not sure about non-grain flours, but millet would be excellent!
Thanks for the interesting video. Just wondering if using starter straight from the fridge works best in a warm climate such as yours (and possibly the UK in summer) and also if you bake frequently. Sometimes my starter is in the fridge for over 2 weeks between bakes…..would your method still work in that case, especially when it’s cold? Thank you.
Hi Rosa, I use my starter from the fridge all year round, even when it's cold here (my house isn't heated very well, so it gets quite cool). I don't think it's a major issue, you can always use slightly warmer water if you're worried about it making the dough too cold. I think it's best if you use it when it's not too old though - two weeks will still work, but it would be better a bit younger.
Thanks for sharing this! How “activated” should it be when you put it in the fridge, and then when you use it? You said you put it in the fridge when it activates… I tried putting it in the fridge at two points after watching this: when it was just starting to grow and get bubbles, and after it more than doubled and was passing the famous float test. Can you just disregard the float test and whether your starter appears to have deflated after sitting in the fridge for a few days, and use what otherwise might be called “discard” to leaven your breadas long as it’s less than a week old? Thank you!
Hi Kirsten, thanks, I'm glad you found this helpful! Sometimes I put mine back in the fridge when it's only half risen, sometimes when it's fully risen. I don't think it makes too much difference. I have never bothered with the float test, it doesn't work with all starters! I just look for bubbly activity - that's the trick. I use deflated starter all the time. The deflation is just that - the bubbles have popped out of it. It's still full of wonderful LABs and yeasts to raise your bread :)
Thanks again! I appreciate your support so much.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough Hooray! I used starter straight from the fridge on your 100% spelt recipe, even though it sank. The loaf rose beautifully - in fact, better than the previous loaf I had synchronized with the floating starter! Thanks for your reply, and for my newfound sourdough spontaneity!
You are so welcome! This is a breakthrough for many people which I am more than happy to support! Much more relaxed and happy baking that way :)
Can you please tell me what the glass jar you use is called and where they can be purchased from. Thank you
Hi, it's a Weck jar. I bought mine from Wheel and Barrow in Brisbane.
Is it okay to leave that glass lid on? I have been using a fabric covering, but this looks so nice!
Yes glass or plastic is better I think. Just don't seal it tightly. My starter would probably dry out if I used fabric - you don't want a crust forming.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough thank you so much!!
Hi! Do you use freshly milled whole wheat flour or store bought? Thanks!
I use home milled flour, but store bought is ok too.
hi elly, im totally novicey to sourdough starting. im having trouble understanding the question asked by Shorty McShort below and your answer. can you please explain why you would feed your starter more than once a day when it is rising quickly if you are keeping it in the fridge for several days and not using it to make bread? and each time you feed it are you discarding as well? thank you
Hi Deborah, no worries at all! Shorty was just making a brand new starter, and in that case you do have to keep it out of the fridge and discard some and feed it every time it rises up and activates. If you do this for a week or so the starter gets nice and strong, then after that once established, you can store it in the fridge and leave it there until you need to make bread (which is the maintenance method this video discusses). So for normal maintenance, as the video explains, I don't discard any. I just take it out of the fridge, use it, feed it again, wait for it to rise, then put it back into the fridge. I hope that makes sense :)
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough ooops i didnt pick up that it was a new starter! thanks for clarifying that ;))
Want to make this using only buckwheat flour so can I use your method to make it sending greetings from the west of Ireland 🇮🇪 CD here.
Hi John. Oh, I love the west of Ireland! I spent a month on Achill Island back in 2003 - I'll never forget it. Yes, you could use buckwheat, but I've never tried it so would be an experiment! Have fun.
Hi Elly. If you use wholemeal flour to get a soughdough starter started, can you use spelt flour when it comes time to feed it or do you have to keep using the wholemeal flour to feed it?
You can use either flour to make and/or feed your starter. They aren't fussy :)
When putting starter in fridge do I set the lid on top of the weck jar without the seal and clips?
Yes that's right. Seal not required.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough Thank you!
Will a fresh milled, whole grain starter rise to doubled because of its thickness? Also, how much do you let it rise before putting it in the fridge? To its peak? Thanks!
Hi Spud (love your name), yes, if it's thick enough it will certainly rise to double, and beyond! I usually let mine rise about two thirds of the way before I put it in the fridge. Stays nice and fresh for days that way :)
Hi, Ells. How to make this Stater?
Would you please how to make it?
How much water and flour need to make a state?
Hi Sudi, here are the instructions on how to make a starter (written instructions and video) www.ellyseveryday.com/how-to-make-a-sourdough-starter
Does this method work for gluten free starters as well? I watched your amazing video a couple days ago on how to start it and today is day 3. It smells so bad. Lol Is that normal? Im using brown rice flour. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience! ❤
It might smell a bit funky, but shouldn't smell bad! Is your flour really fresh? Yes you can use this method for gluten free starters, but as it goes with all starters, generally speaking, the fresher the starter the better the bread!
Can I ask what size Weck Jars you are using?
I think they are the pint size - 580ml from memory? Somewhere in that region.
When you use your starter straight from the fridge to make a loaf is it about 2 teaspoons you leave in the jar? You said a little bit, does it matter how much?
It doesn't matter. I never measure it. 1-2 tsp would be fine (just a scraping really).
Hey! So I am on day 5 of my starter, and I see that my starter rises super quick.. it's almost double in just 3 hours or so. I keep stirring it through the day, and feed it once a day. I do live in a pretty hot climate, so I'm guessing that's normal, but would you recommend that I feed it twice a day?
Hi, yes definitely feed twice a day, even more often! I made my starter in my demo video in winter, and I fed it twice a day ;)
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough Got it, thanks! (:
Hi Elly, I’ve been using my starter straight from the fridge on a weekly basis for a couple of weeks. Fiest couple of times everything went well, but now my loaves are springing less and less each time, so I feel my starter is weakening. Do you know if I would need to do something differently? Thank you in advance.
Hi Jen, oh that doesn't sound good! How are you feeding your starter when you've used it? How much are you leaving in your jar to feed and how much new flour and water are you adding to it? At what stage are you putting it back into the fridge? And finally, how long are you leaving it there before you use it again? :)
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough Thank you for your response!
My starter is 50/50 white flour/rye. When I feed it, I use about 7 grams of starter plus 50 grams flour plus 50 grams water. Then I put it in the fridge (sometimes straight away, sometimes after a few hours) for a week. In the fridge I see it go double in size, however that’s after 3 to 4 days, whereas I use the starter after 7 days when it has started collapsing.
(When I kept it outside of the fridge, I used to feed it twice per day.)
Thanks for that info. Well, you're keeping quite a small amount, so it makes sense that it's losing it's oomph after 7 days. I would still expect it to work decently though, and would not expect it to lose more strength over time. I use my starter a couple of times a week with the fridge method, so it is a bit fresher when used than yours. I wonder if you're only baking once per week, if it might be better to store your starter in the fridge but then refresh/feed it before you bake it. My mother does this because she only bakes once every 10-14 days. She keeps a little bit, and then feeds it up to make a nice fresh batch before her bake day. That may work better for you. The other thing is, I always let mine activate outside of the fridge before I put it back in, I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Perhaps the cold environment isn't as conducive to growing the yeasts, though I know others use this method. Not sure if that has helped, but I hope so! :)
Thank you Elly, I will try that!
Hi Ella can you let me know the name of the glass jar you keep your sourdough starter, please .
It's a Weck brand jar. It's a German brand of preserving jar. You should be able to find them online :)
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough thank you🙏🙏🙏
Where do u get that glass jard
I bought it from a shop called 'Wheel and Barrow' here in Brisbane. It's a Weck brand preserving jar, a German brand I think.
Hmm.. so with this method, Elly, are you using your starter only for breads? I am finding myself wanting to make sourdough discard pancakes and muffins and anything else I can throw it in to.. so if I am looking to keep discard around, is it better to stick to the daily feeding routine? Some days it sure is tedious.
I have so much to learn!!!
You can use any routine you want Em :) If you want discard regularly then maybe daily feeding is best for you! You can always use the fridge method and just use/refresh more often each time you want discard.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough thanks again. I’m still learning all about about how to care for and use this starter. I’m finding it very complicated so I love your method, but I do want more discard around.
Today on a whim I just fried some spoonfuls of it with butter and salt in my little cast iron pan and ate the little cakes with jam.. it was delicious!!
Mmm, that sounds yum! How about using my kind of method but making a bigger quantity? That could give you enough for bread and other recipes then, but you wouldn't have to worry about feeding it every day. Just an idea :)
Thanks for that, but how do you actually make the starter??
This video explains :) czcams.com/video/d36SVZj7TuI/video.html
Thank you but I'm looking for the actual recipe. How much water, how much flour. How many times do you feed, etc. Before putting in fridge
Sorry to bother you again but I just had a thought.Can I mix my starters if there is only a little in each jar? Would they get stronger? Thanks!
They won't get stronger no, but yes, you can do that if you want to.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough I did and it tripled in size in about 2 hours. I had to take some out of the jar!
Wow!!
I tried using starter from fridge and ended up with a cave lol. This is after I had made the same recipe that turned out really good with starter kept on the bench. I am not sure why it didn't work?
Could be many things Nessa. How long had it been in the fridge? Depends also on method you used, recipe, ambient temperature and all the other variables that come into play with wholegrain sourdough.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough I do the bulk fermentation 5 hours (stretch and folds throughout) then fridge it overnight, then bake in morning. The first time I did this would say I was amazed how great it was then next time I tried same recipe with beer and not as great but think the beer was too cold...the the third time did it with water and got a cave or giant pita bread..most of the inside was a hole.
Before I put it in oven I poked it and it sprung back most of the way which I thought meant it's ready?
The cave/giant hole could be indicative of two things: either the starter was really too old and inactive, or, the bread was extremely overfermented! Feel free to email a photo of the crumb. I can usually tell which of the two it is :)
Can you please write the name of your glass container
It's a Weck brand preserving jar.
How much water do you add to your starter?
When I'm feeding it after using? I usually add 50g each of water and flour.
@@ellyswholegrainsourdough thank you so much!
So after you use 120g or so starter for bread and feed the little bit that is left in the jar, what then? Return straight to the fridge?
I leave it out until it re-activates and gets bubbly again, then it goes back into the fridge.
Not helpful..where the starter recipe?
This video is about how to maintain a starter. To make one from scratch, this is the video czcams.com/video/YxJCMHAlkd4/video.html