Sourdough starter requires careful maintenance to thrive, but if it is properly cared for, it can survive indefinitely and provide the basis for thousands of loaves of bread. Boudin Bakery in San Francisco has been making sourdough bread using the same starter since 1849, according to the bakery's website.
Assess Problem
- 1
Check for hooch, which is liquid resting on top of it. This is a sign your starter has been allowed to rest for a long time without being maintained.
- 2
Look for mold or discoloration of the starter. These are also signs that your starter has been neglected.
- 3
Observe your starter's other characteristics. If it is not bubbling, it is stagnant and will not make good sourdough bread. If it has been in the refrigerator for more than a few weeks, it likely needs to be revived.
Revive Neglected Starter
- 1
Pour off all liquid -- or hooch -- resting on top of your starter.
- 2
Scrape off mold or discolored layers using a clean spoon. Be careful not to stir the starter.
- 3
Remove another small layer of the starter with a new clean spoon to ensure that all the mold has been removed.
- 4
Remove about half of your starter with a clean spoon, place it in a sealed container, and store it in the refrigerator. Mike Avery of Sourdough Home suggests doing this in case you need to try again later.
- 5
Place the rest of your starter in a clean bowl, add ¼ cup water, and stir.
- 6
Add 3/8 cup white flour, and stir.
- 7
Add ¼ cup water to your starter after 12 hours, and stir. Add 3/8 cup white flour to the starter, and stir.
- 8
Discard half of your starter after another 12 hours. Add ¼ cup water to starter, and stir thoroughly. Add 3/8 cup white flour to starter, and stir completely.
- 9
Continue the process of feeding your starter with water and flour every 12 hours, discarding half of the starter each time. Your starter should revive within two or three days; it will bubble and expand as the natural leavening processes begin to work.
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