August 16, 2014 - 11:51pm
To cover tightly, to cover loosely or not to cover?
HI! I'm new to sourdough baking and am excited! I have been reading and researching a lot. My starter is lively and ready to use. (King Arthur Flour starter which I have prepared for usage)
My question is about storing in the refrigerator. I am holding half of my starter for a friend for a few days. I presently have her half in a mason jar with a screw on lid. While keeping it in the fridge until I can give it to her, do you recommend I keep the lid on tightly? Loosely? Use saran wrap instead of the real lid?
The half I will be keeping is in a ceramic crock and is not air tight (also from King Arthur).
Would love your storage tips!
Thanks so much!!
Share
I keep my starter in an old ice cream container with a plastic lid which has been known to balloon in the fridge, so I would not cover your starter tightly at all. Possibly use plastic wrap, or put a lid on very loosely.
I have mine in a ball mason Jar and closed tightly, do that for 16 month now, never had any problem with it.
My Mason Jar has the ring and the seperate inner round bit. Not sure what you call it.
starter always covered tightly in pudding basin.
wetter ones you would want to loosely cover for ballooning
I had never a problem with airtight Jars and starters in the fridge, not with my 100% hydration one nor with the 50% hydration one, never ballooned or anyting like that.
Outside the fridge I have a jar with the ring and instead of the middle bit I have a paper towel.
Thanks for the tips! Appreciate it.
I read somewhere that you can use the mason jar with the ring but instead of the metal flat top that is surrounded by the ring, use paper towels with the ring so a bit more gas/air can escape while refrigerated. Anyone hear of that?
For "my" starter (not the one I am giving to my friend in the mason jar), I am using a ceramic crock with a fitted but not air tight lid.
Meanwhile, my first batch of bread came out of the oven a couple of hours ago - delicious! Very happy to be experimenting!
That is what I do with my Mason Jars, just put a paper towel, but I only do that when it is on the Kitchen counter, not when I put it in the fridge.
I am always worried it takes on the smell of the other things in my fridge.
I never had my jars exploding or anything else.
You can also put plastic wrap over the top the plastic wrap can than dome and pop off if there was to much Gas.
But as I said, I do airtight for 16 month when I store my Starter in the fridge and all is well.
I just use an old tupperware container and I put a small plate on top as a lid. I have no idea if it is good or bad. Hope that helps (haha,)
Good Idea, just make sure that fruit flies won't find their way in in the Summer if there is a bit of a gap.