How to make a sourdough starter

Steve the Bread Guy shows you how to make a sourdough starter from scratch. You'll need a few potatoes, some water, 2 tbsps of honey, 2 tsp of salt and 4 cups of flour. This starter will allow you to make sourdough bread at home.

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Howto & Style

Tags:

• sourdough
• starter
• mother
• homemade
• yeast
• breadmaking
• bread
• takebackthebread
• Steve
• the
• Bread
• Guy

[stevethebreadguy]

Plastic or glass are okay, but metal is not. It will reduce the acidity, which you want to keep.

Good luck!

Steve the Bread Guy

[stevethebreadguy]

Hi,

To make bread out of this, if you are in the US, use bread flour. All purpose doesn't work so well down there. Also, be sure to feed the start an hour before you pour it into your bowl. One cup of flour will do. It will wake it up, giving it more power when you make the bread.

Good luck

[stevethebreadguy]

I'm no expert on what kinds of bacteria and fungi may be floating around in the air, I'm afraid. However, I suspect putting the starter next to an open window might be asking for too much of the micro world to come for a visit. I'd suggest trying to keep it in your kitchen on a counter somewhere. Also, make sure you cover it with something like a basket so that air can get in, but not much else. Good luck! Steve the Bread Guy

[stevethebreadguy]

If it smells like beer, it is okay. If it smells like really bad cheese, than that's not good. Because it is exposed to the open air, you get wild yeast and some oter nasty stuff. Hard to control. So if it smells nothing like a yeasty beer, but just gross, you shoild start again.

Steve

[stevethebreadguy]

Hi,

I tend to add about a cup of flour each week. Now, if you're not using it each week, you will run out of room doing that, so just wait until you"re ready to use it again. I have found it will last a few weeks without a feed. I wouldn't dump instant yeast in there, simply because it shouldn't be necessary. Lastly, i have read some scientific articles that say sourdough reduces the glycemic index some, relative to white bread. But flour is still ultimately a form of sugar, unfortunately.

[stevethebreadguy]

Hi, it will probably work with just regular water instead of potato water. The yeast won't have quite as yummy a meal to feed on, so it might take longer for them to get going. Definitely worth a try, though. Please let me know how it goes!

Steve the Bread Guy

[paboh]

you look like Gary Sinise!!!!

[comonlaflo]

steve i just found you yesterday,i was so excited i turned down a party that i was invited to over a month ago,i dont have a stand mixer,so i did not think i could make good quality bread BUT thanks to you i can,i just love you steve and all your videos on bread.

[swissmaid]

Steve, thanks for this, I will go and make it right now! By there way , your yeast starter is the easiest to u derstand of all the videos on you tube! You are great! Would I love to share one of your sour dough , crispy loaves with you! That would be the best fun ever, hehe shall try your sour dough bread too! Have to, it just looks so yummy with that crust!

[capscatty]

@Antiks72 Yes you can Just put 3 cups of flour in her underpants and and get her to wear them for 24 hours

[capscatty]

Hey steve I made this starter left it out for 3 days.It smells like a cross between sweaty socks and child vomit.Im in queensland australia and its around 35 C here,very hot.Should I leave it out for maybe only 36 hours instead ? Or can I use less of this in my sourdough and maybe add a bit of yeast to compensate so the flavour is not too strong

[Antiks72]

Why not use grapes? Also, can I culture my wife's yeast infections?

[DHgirl]

i have a question, does it matter what kind of container you store it in is plastic or glass better?

[itsumonihon]

@paboh was just thinking that.. bread guy if you ever get tired of bread you should start acting! 

[ltcartwright1976]

Can you do this with spelt flour?

[rrrrr5102006]

Like your videos. Keep them coming. (but yeast is Fungus not bacteria)