The Fresh Loaf

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Storing sourdough starter?

Jmarten's picture
Jmarten

Storing sourdough starter?

Hello all you lovely bakers,

I have managed to build up a great sourdough starter over the past 6 months or so and wondered if it could be kept at room temperature, indefinitely. The reason for this is so I am able to use it for baking immediately and also I find it incorporates into the other ingredients better.
I would appreciate any advice.

Thank you

Jane

kallisto's picture
kallisto (not verified)

I also store my sourdough starter at room temperature, because I always have it ready, when I need it. The hydration of my

starter is 66 %, so it doesn't ferment as fast as a liquid levain with a hydration of 100 or 125 %. 

Every three days I refresh my starter at the ratio of 1:2:3, i.e 1 part firm sourdough starter, two parts water and 3 parts flour.

I always discard all of my starter, except 33 grams. Then I add 66 grams of water and then 100 grams of wheat flour T55.

This method will cost you about 1 kg of flour each month. The idea comes from Peter Reinhart's book "Artisian

Breads for everyday".

Jmarten's picture
Jmarten

Thanks for your reply. However, is it absolutely necessary to discard the some of the starter each time you feed it. I bake bread on a regular basis and so far I haven't ever removed any of it beforehand. What if the theory behind discarding first, I though it was only because of quantity but of course I may be wrong.

Regards

Jane

FlourChild's picture
FlourChild

I maintain mine at room temperature by feeding every 12 hours at the rate of 1: 2.5: 4.5 (Maggie Glezer's formula).  Whenever I go longer than twelve hours between feeds, my starter gets too sour and the bread made from it, too acidic.

Calvel absolutely recommends maintaining starters at 50F or above, so it's a great goal- but I do wonder how easy it will be to feed it frequently enough to keep the yeast from going hungry.

saintdennis's picture
saintdennis

storing sourdough starter?

yes you can leave it on the counter top in room temperature and feed every two or three days to be active. I have mine on the counter all year around

 

  Saintdennis

Aussie Pete's picture
Aussie Pete

Hi There Jane,

With my starter  I store in the fridge with a top that has breathing hole. I bake generally on a weekily basis. I bring the starter out take what starter I need. I let the mother load come to room temperature and feed with flour and water. I make sure it is bubbling away and replace in the fridge till next bake. I also place the starter in a new container clean every month.

Starters, once up and going and stored in a cold environment should need only to be fed weekily. Can someone improve on this information please as I am only going on what I have learnt from experince and have read in on this web site.

Hope this helps...............Pete

henryruczynski's picture
henryruczynski

Does anyone add a small percentage of salt to (room temperature maintained) sourdough,

especially during summer months?

Fait n'importe qui ajoutent un petit pourcentage de sel au levain,particulièrement pendant des mois d'été ?I'm going to be making sour bread starting tomorrowand haven't for a few years. In the past, I've left mother out to warmup,  made my sour  builds, refreshed, left out for a few more hours, then refrigerate.But this time, I will leave out at room temp.ThanksH 
cgmeyer2's picture
cgmeyer2

i'm wondering if i could do this in phoenix,az. will starter left on the counter & feed every 12 hrs survive in phoenix?  our temps are going to be in the 100+ F zone for the next 3-4 months.

thx, claudia