I wish I knew this in the beginning! #sourdough #sourdoughforbeginners

I actually agree with you - i spent 6 weeks trying to make my own starter (multiples!) and totally failed, felt discouraged. Then i bought dehydrated starter and it was able to come alive and I learned my feedings with something that was resilient and mature. I’ve given starter to friends and family and it’s been great!

I made my own starter last year and it flourished in about 3 weeks. But didn’t keep up with the feeding and eventually it grew mold so I threw it out. I sort of only went through the baking phase for about a month anyways and was sort of done. But I got that same itch to start again this year and I have failed many times at making my own starter this year. About three attempts in the past 3 months. So I jumped on buying dehydrated starter, and I’m back on my game again 💪🏽

Im sorry but think this is terrible advice. You may as well just buy some bread since it feels too difficult🙄. Isn't it in the trial and error that we learn and find our way? The starter is definitely the most challenging part of the process ,and it is the most important to learn and understand.

That's the problem with America, pride and individualism. In our country sourdough was about sharing your starter other friends to get them going. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps is why...

I'm about to start this wonderful hobby, and found that there were a lot of sourdough starters.available on Etsy. I chose one that comes from the Abbey of Montecassino in Italy. Can't wait to get it going 💕 This is a really good tip!

If you are buying a starter, might as well buy the whole bread instead of baking it.

The real question is what flour you’re using to make and feed the starter?

Great advice! Nothing wrong with training wheels when starting on your sourdough adventure. After all, the end goal is a loaf of baked bread!

If you want to cheat add a bit of plain yogurt to it and you will have starter in 2 or 3 days. Lol

My starter kit "instructions" call for 7 days but its day 5 and she's doubled!! Im even saving ny discard. That doubled as well. I had to put it in the fridge. I havent made a loaf yet. Im waiting on a thermometer to arrive.

So many of the comments disagree with you, but tbh I agree. I tried two times to make my own starter after so much research on how to do it right. One got pink mold on day 3, and the other got orange mold on day 3. I was super discouraged and felt like I wasted a week for nothing. I ended up buying a starter from someone nearby and I have had SO much success using and keeping that starter alive and healthy. Plus, my breads have looked pretty amazing.

I agree! I have been baking sourdough for 2 now, started out with making my starter for the first year and while I struggled at first with having way too much discard jars in the fridge, it was working until we took vacation. Came home and hubby cleared out the fridge, thinking the jars were old leftovers because of the dark liquid that forms from not being fed for 3 weeks (aka Hooch) so he tossed ALL my jars! I didn't want to go through the trouble so I bought dehydrated starter from San Francisco Sourdough Company and wow, I couldn't believe the difference in my loaves after using this. I now LABEL all my jars with STARTER DO NOT TOSS.

I disagree. I absolutely loved starting my own starter and feel I really learned a lot by doing this.

After several attempts at developing my own starter, I gave up and bought an established starter. For me, it has been a game changer.

Here’s the #1 key to building a car: rule 1, go to a dealership and buy one.

I made my own starter about 2 months ago, having never had any experience making sourdough before - it was fun, easy, and I honestly have such a sense of pride and ownership in my sourdough knowing that I made the starter myself 😊

Wow! It’s unfortunate that you discourage others 👎

I made my own and it was hard but my bread is amazing and I have shared it with a lot of people and their bread is amazing r

If you can do basic math and have flour/water, don’t WASTE YOUR MONEY buying a starter

I prefer to do things the hard way thank you. I just started my first starter tonight (wish me luck). His name is Leonard. I don't plan on cooking with him for at least a month, and even then, it will mostly be discard recipies until it has had longer to establish, so for now, I'm compiling recipes and all that, so I have some time to get him good and active.

Cheating

Anyone that’s trying to make sourdough starter has a perfect idea of what they’re looking for most likely they’ve researched it a lot. You can get one from my neighbor a relative or make your own. I did the French way burying grapes in my sourdough starter. It’s been kicking for years and years and years and years

I am so intimidated, but what to learn. How much starter do you use when making a loaf of bread

I am a beginner and I made mine from scratch. I waited weeks before I made my first loaf. My starter is perfection.
I recently gave some of my starter to a friend who is now making her own sourdough bread now.

Sooo I cheat lol. And its easy and I have learned a lot in the process. I use active dry yeast to speed up the fermentation process. It literally makes sourdough bread no matter what the bread police say.

I agree. Make the first part is easier on yourself. Also most people are happy to share some starter if you just ask. We all have way too much😂

Don't buy starter! Start your own, I did and it's super easy and you have so much pride knowing you did it all by yourself! It only takes about 2 weeks from when your starter starts doubting when fed, to make a loaf of bread!

I made it from strach had the fun experience of trial and error but now ima baking nice loath than thr ones when I started

It took exactly 12 days of trial and error before I had a starter that doubled.. but now I understand a few things about the dough so i definitely recommend patience and just doing it yourself

I just made an absolutely disastrous loaf with my 11 day old new starter. I wasn't expecting much with my first loaf but my expectations weren't low enough. 😂 and that was a lot of work. I think it's from a bad recipe that says the starter may not rise as much cuz it was more liquid. But looking at everyones starter mine didnt look that robust. I was avoiding buying it and I'll keep tweaking mine and buy a second starter online like you say. I'm gonna hold off on the whole grain flour till i get more practice. I like whole grain but I'll keep doing it with ordinary bakers yeast for now.

As a beginner myself i think this is good and bad advice yes buy an established starter but also start your own to learn the process. I had my stater going for 3 weeks before i tried to bake a loaf and it worked but wasnt great. I bought a 10 yr old starter from a bakery and have been keeping that going along side my own but been using that mainly to make bread as it makes wonderful springy loafs.

You can't use metal utensils on sourdough starter

I about that. Maybe if your in a rush to make the bread but I am starting my own. Its a good learning experience so far. I know someone who has a starter that's probably 1000 years old. They said they'd give some to me, but I want to practice keeping one alive before I ask for the ancient starter. I would hate to kill something that has made it since biblical times

In order gor it to rise you feed it and it will rise again. It's going to have more sour smell/taste. Some people are telling that it takes longer than you think. I dont have time to babysit sourdough to find that rise.

My starter took 4 weeks until i could actually use it. While i did make my starter having a part of a well established one will make it a lot easier for beginners and i wish i was able to. Not saying you cant in the future just wait a bit.

"The #1 sourdough tip is to give up. Why learn how to grow and maintain a starter when I can be spoonfed the answer?" 🙄

No. Make your own. Cheap and easy.

That looks thick..mine isn't that thick. Newbie. 😢

I agree. Some of us don't have the time or the confidence to start with making your own starter. I'll take some help in the beginning. Before long, I'll be making my own from scratch. 😊

What? Seriously? I just started cooking sourdough, and successfully cultivated my own starter in a week. It was low effort, and I'm thrilled with the results. Don't spend money.

This video is purely opinion

I second this! So many people are discouraged when they try to start their own and end up not sticking with it. I bought a starter first then tried to make my own after getting a little bit of experience😊

Newbie question. How long does it take for a starter to mature, assuming it is fed 1:1:1 and discarded daily?

Well I found a recipe that uses homemade kefir not a sourdough starter and the bread is amazing

Clearly rage bait

We were afraid that my sourdough, from scratch, was going to attack us while we slept, since it was overflowing the jar!😂

lol! This is a tip?

Here is a Tip if you want to make homemade Spaghetti: buy spaghetti and cook them and if you train enough you can someday make the dough xD

Nope better to start from your own because it's plenty room from mess up trust me self taught will be more proud 👏🏽