WHAT IT MEANS TO FEED YOUR STARTER:
Feeding your starter simply means adding flour and water to your starter and mixing it together. The water must be chlorine-free as chlorine will kill your starter. Do not use tap water.
FEEDING METHOD 1 (THE “EYE BALLING IT” METHOD):
Use 2 rubber bands (or string/marker etc). Mark the current level of your starter on the jar. Now mark another line or rubber band above that 1.5x to double that size.
Example: your starter is 1 inch high in your jar from the bottom. You place a rubber band 2 1/2 to 3 inches high from the bottom.
Now add flour up to the second/top line/rubberband. Once you’ve added flour, add some chlorine-free water and mix really well. Add the amount of water you prefer to create the right consistency you want to work with. See below.
FEEDING METHOD 2 (MEASURING WITH A SCALE):
Use either a 1:1:1 (starter: water: flour) ratio for a more firmer starter or 1:1:1.5, 1:1:2, or even 1:1:4 ratio for a more thicker (stiffer) starter. 1 part starter (50g), 1 part water (50g) 1 part flour (50g).
For 100% hydration, simply feed your starter with equal amounts of flour to water by weight.
HOW MUCH WATER TO ADD WHEN FEEDING YOUR STARTER:
This is a personal preference. Adding more water will cause your starter to ferment quicker, give more tang, and be easier to pour and incorporate into recipes.. Less water will allow it to stay in an active state for longer, giving it longer fermentation, It will be a stronger starter that gives a better rise and gives a fluffier crumb. Be sure to use FILTERED water. Do not use TAP water. The CHLORINE will kill your starter.
WHAT TO DO AFTER FEEDING:
Place a lid loosely on top. You can also use a coffee filter or breathable cloth on top. Let it sit on the counter and leave it to rise until it’s doubled in size. This can take as little as 3 hours in warm temperatures, or as long as 16 hours+ in cold temperatures. You can place it in a warm environment such as an oven with the light on or near a fire place until it doubles in size.
WHAT TO DO AFTER IT’S DOUBLED:
Bake with it! If you aren’t ready to bake with it tighten a lid on top and place it in the refrigerator. It will remain active for a few days. If you aren’t planning to bake with it you can let it almost double then place it in the refrigerator. It will continue to rise as it cools to the refrigerated temp. This will preserve it at the peak height You should still be able to bake bread with it 1-3 days later. If it deflated a little but it’s only been in the refrigerator for a day you should still be able to use it for bread baking. If its deflated a little but it’s been 2-4 days in the fridge you should still be able to bake other items such as muffins cookies etc. Just don’t use it for items that require strong starter.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH STARTER:
Separate the amount you don’t want to feed in a separate jar and keep it in the refrigerator for a backup or for discard recipes.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOURDOUGH DISCARD & ACTIVE STARTER:
Sourdough discard is starter that already reached its peak state of fermentation then fell back down to its original size when it was first fed. Since you need peak sourdough performance to ensure your bread rises, it is not recommended to use discard unless you are using another leavening agent such as baker’s yeast.
Active starter will be bubbly and doubled or even tripled in size from its original amount at its last feeding. This is the best time to use it for any sourdough recipes.
WHAT TYPE OF FLOUR TO USE:
You can use all purpose flour, bread flour, whole wheat or experiment with other grains such as rye, spelt etc. You cam mix and match. RECOMMENDATION: Use all-purpose or bread flour as a base and boost it by adding a whole grain such as whole wheat, rye, spelt.
FEEDING STARTER FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE:
Simply feed it, giving it just enough water to incorporate and place it directly in the refrigerator. Skip the step of letting it rise on the counter. Once in the refrigerator, it will ferment very slowly and go into a dormant state. If it has only been refrigerated for a few days, you can simply pull it out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter to double in size. If it’s been longer than 3-4 days, then you will need to feed it again when you are ready. Ideally every few weeks.
IF YOU THINK YOU KILLED YOUR STARTER:
If you left it out or in the refrigerator for way too long and it has separated and smells like nail polish remover, it’s okay. You have a very starved starter but you can still revive it. You will likely need to feed it multiple times to get it right. When you feed it, look for activity; bubbles and doubling. Also smell it. Once it smells like sourdough again and doubles and is nice and bubbly, it should be ready to go again. If you see actual mold (something fuzzy on top) then throw it out completely and get a new starter. Try, try again.