Next steps...
Hi Everyone-
Here's one more post about sourdough starters from an inexperienced starter maker! I hope some of the experts on here won't mind responding to a new post. I promise, I have done my research and homework- I just have a few of my own questions now!
Six days ago I set out to create my very first seed starter and surprisingly, the daily results were exactly as described in Artisan Bread Every Day. Today I created my Mother Starter. Because this was my first attempt at this and I feel slightly out of my league, I didn't throw any of the seed starter out- I ended up creating two different Mother Starters (one is made using whole wheat flour only, the other was whole wheat until the MS when I added bread flour), figuring that one wouldn't work! Well it looks like they are both completely viable.
I really should throw some of this out right? Or an entire one. I need someone to tell me to just do this! Or freeze it? Should I do that? If I throw out, does it matter if I keep the whole wheat starter or the mixed one? Along with this question- as I refresh from now on, I can use either whole wheat or white, it doesn't matter does it?
Because this is my first time doing this, I find myself now confused by the next step- refreshing the Mother Starter. According to ABED, if I don't use the starter in 5 days, I need to refresh all or part of it. Obviously, refreshing ALL of it will yield a huge amount of MS. So- at that point I really should just throw some out, right- given that the whole wheat container is holding a MS that is 700 grams (1lb 8 3/4oz) and the part white MS is 1.6 3/8oz/634 grams? If I do use some, I don't need to refresh each time, right- only when it gets low? Or do I need to refresh every five days?
I guess I am really looking for reassurance that I should throw my hard work out! As someone who bakes weekly but not in huge amounts, what do you think is the most MS I really need to have on hand? I would imagine that it just isn't as much as I think it is! And if my MS really is strong as I think it is- given how it has been responding, I probably shouldn't worry that it is going to die.
Based on what I have read on here, it seems like it takes awhile for the MS to make a bread that rises well. Is that because the MS is used too soon? Should I not use it right away and keep refreshing it for awhile before the first use or does that not matter?
Sorry for all the questions! I really didn't think this would work for me and now that it has, I want to proceed properly.
Thanks so much!
Beth
What you can do with your starter is to take any "discards" and use them to make other stuff, that way, you're not actually throwing anything away. I store my discards in a large jar, and when the desires for pancakes or other arise, I have some on hand to make some.
As for feeding guidelines, I disregard those. I have had to adjust my feeding times accordingly to the weather, so during the summer, my starter will peak faster than during the winter. For the amount you need to keep on hand, you really don't need to keep any more than about 60g's or so of starter on hand.
I know that doesn't answer all of your questions, since I myself am still learning the process, but I hope this help a little bit.
I keep 3 oz of starter on hand. I use 1 oz to create a new 3 oz starter and 2 oz to create the starter that I will use in my bread. I have two starters (a ww and a rye) and I bake with each of them weekly, biweekly or every 3 weeks as I need.