July 10, 2016 - 6:26pm
Refrigerating Starter
Help! I'm not a frequent baker, thus have been storing my starter in the fridge between bakings (about once a month). The last time I was able to salvage my rather hard, crusty starter. However, this time my starter has turned to concrete and is very very hard. I leave it in the back of my fridge uncovered in a mason jar. Should I be doing something different so that my starter doesn't turn to a rock? Also, how long can I keep it in the fridge before I should take it out to start feeding again? Thanks!
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I have mine in a plastic yogurt container with the lid loose on it. You don't need to leave it open to air. Covered is best but not air tight. Mine has been like this for years. It comes right back when taken out at room temp. Also you should add enough flour to make a solid dough if you are going to leave it for months at time. Slows it down and all you do is break off a piece and place it in warm water to re-hydrate and you are good to go again.
So cover her up and problem solved. Also a really concrete starter is a starter that will be back to normal after you hydrate again so DON'T throw it out. c
Thanks! Any suggestions to bringing my rock hard starter back to life? I'm tempted to throw it out, but also feel like it can be saved.
Everybody does it your way. You know, the dry way.
Well, "everybody," right? Still, learn this technique for dabrownman's No Muss No Fuss starter:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/40918/no-muss-no-fuss-starter
That dried piece of... probably still has life if you'll just treat and store it for use on YOUR terms. Learn how to "build" when prepping for a bake and Bob's your uncle.
Have fun!
Murph
Mine live in the fridge in kilner jars with lids on with the rubber seals fitted.
Although I now use them nearly daily when I wasn't they'd easily go a month or more without any attention. You'll need to give it a good stir when you take it out, feed it to make starter for your bread(s) then put it back for another long snooze.
-Gordon
Thanks! Any suggestions to bringing my rock hard starter back to life? I'm tempted to throw it out, but also feel like it can be saved.
So scrape some out of the jar and grind it into a powder, then add 100g flour, 100g water and see what happens...
If nothing happens after 24 hours, give it anothe 100g flour and water and just carry on as if making a new one from scratch - even if it doesn't take off, you can still say it has "essence of the old one" in there :-)
-Gordon
i keep mine in a tupperware with the lid snapped shut. There is no harm in keeping the lid sealed, the yeast is everywhere and it's not going to run out of oxygen like a jar full of bees. You know first hand what happens when you don't. I refeed my starter once a week. Once a month and you've already used up all the sugars to the point of having a puddle of alcohol on top.
First is take the jar and cover the dried out starter with warm water. Put in a warm place for 24 hrs. Stir the heck out of it and get it nice and soft and then feed q 4 hrs till bubbly. Shouldn't take long at all. If you keep your starter at a high hydration it will get " hooch" more quickly as the beasties eat everything more rapidly. As I said above simply make your starter the texture of a firm dough if you are not going to use it once every 1-2 weeks. Also if it gets hooch on top stir it back in . There is never a reason to throw out starter or hooch. Never have discard once you have a viable starter. It is all good. Even if you get mold simply lift it and some extra off and take out two random tsp. of starter and put them in separate containers and feed q 4 hrs and you will be back in business with one or both of the samples you removed. Good luck and please post back. c