Gluten-free buckwheat sourdough starter

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword buckwheat starter, gluten free baking, sourdough starter, wild yeast

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Equal parts whole-grain gluten-free flour, such as buckwheat, and water, fed daily until bubbly. The start of gluten-free sourdough baking.

Ingredients

1/4 cup whole-grain gluten-free flour (e.g. buckwheat; not a gluten-free bread flour mix)
3 Tbsp filtered water (not chlorinated tap water)

Directions

Add equal parts water and flour to a glass container (1 Tbsp each for a small batch; 1 cup each for a larger one).
Stir with a fork to work in air. Cover with a tea towel and leave at room temperature.
Stir with a fork twice a day. It is ready when it smells slightly sour and is bubbly, which takes 2 to 7 days depending on the flour.
Wait to feed it until it bubbles. Then feed it water and flour equal to half its volume.

Notes

Ratio is approximate: buckwheat, oat and white rice flours absorb more water; brown rice and teff absorb less. Aim for thick but pourable. Recipes often need 1 to 2 cups active starter, so keep a larger batch going. Discard if pink/orange streaks or fuzzy mold appear.