A sourdough starter is often likened to a pet, but unlike a puppy, if you forget to feed it when you’re supposed to, nothing bad will happen. Because even though starters are technically alive, they’re incredibly resilient. Really, a starter is more like a shape-shifting plant — it can be fed daily for maximum activity, the same way you’d water a finicky plant, but it can just as easily go months (months!) in the fridge without a meal, like a cactus in the desert.
If you forgot to feed your starter when you were supposed to (see below for ideal timing), it’s almost certainly going to be OK. Here’s what to do:
First: How frequently do you feed your starter?
Generally, there are two routines you may choose for feeding your sourdough starter:
Twice daily at room temperature:If you’re a regular sourdough baker, the best way to have ripe starter when you need it is to keep your starter on the counter at room temperature and feed it twice daily, about every 12 hours.
Once a week in the fridge:If you are a more casual sourdough baker, it’s easiest to keep your starter in the fridge and feed it once a week. (We recommend leaving it on the counter for a few hours after feeding to start fermenting before returning it to the fridge.) Then, a day or two before you want to bake, give it a couple of feedings at room temperature before using it to bake.
The guidance below applies to both feeding schedules. Please note: If you typically keep your starter at room temperature and aren't going to be able to feed it for an extended period of time —maybe you have a hectic week coming up, or are leaving town for a few days —stick it in the fridge until you're able to return to it. It can last much longer in the fridge without a meal than it can on the counter. Once you get back on a regular schedule, bring it back to room temperature.
Julia A. Reed
If you missed one feeding
Don’t worry — your starter is fine. Just pick back up with your typical routine and your starter will settle in easily. To be safe, give it one or two feedings before you bake with it to make sure it’s at full strength.
If you missed several feedings
Your starter is probably looking a little neglected and acting sluggish. However, it’s almost certainly not dead — it takes a lot to kill a mature sourdough starter! If you store your starter in the fridge, feed your starter once and leave it at room temperature, then monitor its progress over the next 12 hours. (A straight-sided clear container like our Glass Sourdough Crock is perfect for this.) As long as it increases in size over this period of time, it’s still alive. And to get it back up to a healthy and vigorous state, keep feeding it until it doubles in size within 6 to 8 hours. This may take another several feedings and up to a few days.
(Temperature can also affect how quickly starter moves; it will be slower in colder environments and quicker in warmer ones. If you struggle with either of these, a temperature-controlled sourdough home can help regulate your starter’s environment.)
Julia A. Reed
If you missed too many feedings to count (and your starter now has black liquid on top)
That’s still OK! Black liquid on top of your starter looks scary, but in reality, it’s nothing to be concerned about. This thin liquid (called “hooch”) is merely alcohol and water generated by your starter’s wild yeast as it feeds. You can either stir it back into the starter and feed as normal or drain it off and then feed it — the choice is up to you.
Note: Though rare, if your starter has pink or orange streaks, that can be a sign of spoilage. It’s best to throw it out and start again.
As before, resume feedings and keep an eye on your starter’s activity. It may not show any sign of life after the first feeding, or even the first several feedings, but eventually, it should start to bubble and rise. (If it doesn’t, it really is dead — time to start another one or purchase our fresh sourdough starter.) And remember, your starter isn’t back to fully healthy (and ready to bake) until it doubles in size within 6 to 8 hours, so keep feeding until it’s at this level of activity.
Photography by Kristin Teig; food styling by Liz Neily
If your starter is sluggish from neglect, you can add a little whole grain flour like rye or whole wheat to your feedings. The minerals and other food present in whole grains encourage growth in your starter, accelerating fermentation of both the bacteria and the yeast in the starter. This step will help get your starter ready for use more quickly, like revving the gas. Learn more here: Sluggish starter? Add a little whole grain flour.
Pick up everything you need to make your best sourdough bread inour Sourdough Shop collection.
Cover photo by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Liz Neily.
If you've forgotten to feed it, you may need to make up for this by feeding every 12 hours for a couple days. Or, if it's been in the fridge, it may need to be fed every 12 hours to perk it back up. (It will perk up eventually, but it can take several days, which makes the fridge method less appealing.)
Don't worry — your starter is fine. Just pick back up with your typical routine and your starter will settle in easily. To be safe, give it one or two feedings before you bake with it to make sure it's at full strength.
A starter stored in the fridge can be fed once a week. If you plan to use it often, you can store it for up to two months without feeding. When you want to use the starter again, remove it from the fridge for a few hours, then feed it every 12 hours for 36 hours before you make bread with it.
If your sourdough starter won't rise anymore, reset it by putting 25 grams of starter in a jar and feed it 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water. With this ratio, your starter should double in size in about 12-24 hours. If your starter has never risen before, follow a proven guide to create an active starter.
If your sourdough starter exhibits any of these signs: - Smells like acetone or vinegar - Has a runny consistency - Is full of tiny bubbles or foaming - Doubles in size and then falls back down - Develops a clear, gray, or black liquid on top - Gets a white, powdery substance on the surface It's time to feed it!
Yeast will die if exposed to temps of 60C or above (140F). It is very likely that your sourdough starter will actually die at temps lower than this. Anything above 120F (50C) would be considered too hot for a sourdough starter and will kill the wild yeast if exposed for long periods.
If your starter gets completely covered on top with bubbles but does not rise, it is healthy but may just be a wet mix. Try reducing the water in your next feeding and see if you have different results. Also, the type of flour you are using can impede the rise of your starter.
Typical signs of food spoilage and mold include pink, orange, or green colors, white fuzzy spots, or sometimes areas that are darker with white areas on top. If you see any of these signs, I would recommend throwing your starter away and creating a new one.
Starvation - if you don't feed your starter for a long period of time it will develop harmful bacteria and mold. This will smell terrible and look orange, pink or fuzzy and green. Mold - mold can also occur in a well fed starter if there are mold spores on any of the equipment you've used or in the flour you're using.
What if I do not have enough sourdough starter for my recipe? If you need more starter than you currently have, just keep building it up by not removing any starter prior to feeding and feed the starter an equal 1:1:1 ratio until you have the amount you need. It builds quite quickly.
A sourdough starter tends to get runny when it's hungry. Simply feed it more often. If you feed your starter once a day, up it to twice a day, once in the morning and once again at night. You can always use the extra starter to make a yummy treat like Sourdough discard brownies, or whip up some pancakes.
“My starter was doubling consistently and now it's not, what do I do?” This happens to us all at some point, your starter just seems less active than it was before or isn't rising anymore. Try giving your starter a feeding of whole wheat flour, the extra protein content in the flour will give your starter a boost.
In general, sourdough starter is referred to as liquid sourdough starter - this differentiates it from dried sourdough starter or a stiff sourdough starter (like pasta madre). Liquid sourdough starter should still be pourable, but not runny.
It's important to note that overfeeding can also have negative effects on a sourdough starter if done excessively or too frequently. If the starter is overfed, it can become too acidic or develop an unpleasant odor which is the result of excess food rotting in the jar.
Hungry yeast will eventually produce hooch if you don't feed them. A hungry starter will collapse. It may be more runny than when you first fed it and it can also start to smell like acetone if it's left hungry for a little too long.
A starter stored in the fridge will only require feeding once a week to maintain it. If you use your sourdough starter every day, keep it at room temperature. Follow the feeding instructions above and then leave it at room temperature. You will need to 'feed' it every day (at the same time, if possible).
Try reducing the water in your next feeding and see if you have different results. Also, the type of flour you are using can impede the rise of your starter. All-Purpose flour, for example, will not rise as robustly as a blend of bread flour and whole wheat flour.
Daily Feeding: If you maintain your starter at room temperature (around 70-75°F or 21-24°C) and want it to be ready for baking within a day or two, daily feedings are recommended. Discard a portion of the starter and feed it with fresh flour and water every 24 hours.
The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits. Too long at room temperature without feeding and you risk your sourdough discard starting to grow mold (usually fuzzy) or bad bacteria (red, orange or pink streaks). If that happens, you need to throw it out.
Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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