February 22, 2010 - 6:23pm
stoneground rye flour - will it ruin my sour?
Hi all,
This is my first post, and I'm very new to sourdough. I've been making bread with rye sour for about a month, and just realized that I made a mistake by feeding my starter stone ground rye flour. It is not expanding, and is very dry. I have added extra water to help it, but I'm wondering if I should just throw it out and make a new starter (although I don't want to). If I do, should I add a bit of the botched starter, or should I just start fresh?
I appreciate any advice you can offer.
Thanks, Gert
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The stone ground flour will not hurt the starter. I use fresh ground rye berries out of my hand mill and have yet to have it cause a problem to my starter. I feed my starter just about anything i have at the moment. If it is really dry and you keep a 100% hydration or a liquid starter than add more water to get the consistancy you are used to. Just leave it over night. Rye is normally beneficial to starters sine they have more nutrients that the starters like. This might be a good time to think about splitting your starter and keeping a back up in the back of the fridge just in case somethings sore a-rye!!
I just wanted to add to what's been said. If you can press it into a smooth crumbly ball, great! then put it into a jar to sleep in the fridge. I do it all the time with my crazy flight schedule! Then after months in a dormant state, take out the center and bring it back to activity with water and fresh flour. After a few days room temp refreshments, the yeasts are back to business! Amazing!
It's fermenting but at a very slow pace, it will get wetter while it sits if the lid is tight. It may turn grey after a few months but that can be cut away and is only surface deep.
Because I've read some horror stories about starter stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid, I always advise my bread students to never, never, never store starter that way, but, instead, in a container with wax-paper, film, or loosely-fitting plastic lid. "Mini Oven" is obviously very knowledgeable and bright so I wonder if she has more information and insight about the starter storage issue.
There is a big difference between storing a starter used daily and weekly than one which is put into "hybernation" for months where it is possible to be contaminated from an outside source and there is extreme low build up of gasses.
As you know, a lid is never 100% tight unless it is vacuum sealed. Jars are also sealed during canning and as they are heated, hot air does escape as they reach proper temperatures, then as they cool, a vacuum is created. Exception: There is a rather soft seal inside many twist lids that with hot tap water soften and harden when chilled hindering cold gas escape. That is why these are not suggested storage vessels for starters.
During the eating/burping active phase of yeasts, there is a lot of gas released, too tight a lid with rapidly building pressure inside a tight container is not good and can be hazardous. This is going on in a active moist starter. The above photographed jar, when used with a daily or weekly starter should not be set on tight, I agree not to use one and the temptation to screw it on without thinking is too risky. I actually prefer clear plastic and a rubber band or hair band. This ball of almost dry flour will not expand at all and poses no danger when kept properly refrigerated for months on end. Might be a good idea to "burp it" or loosten the jar after it is cold and then tighten for the long haul. When the starter is removed from the refrigerator, the lid should be loosened, even then, there isn't much oompf to the starter until it is moistened and fed. Then it gets moved to a much more practical container & lid.
Thank you for letting me clear up any misconceptions.
Mini Oven
Thank you Mini Oven for your post and clarification!