A day-by-day plan for growing a sourdough starter from flour and water, with care tips once it's ready.
Ingredients
60gwhole wheat flour (about 1/2 cup)Day 1 only
480-600gunbleached bread or all-purpose flourdivided (about 4 cups)
600-720gwater at about 90°Fdivided (about 2 1/2 cups)
Directions
Day 1: In a clean jar, stir 60 g whole wheat flour with 60 g water at about 90°F. Cover loosely and leave it at 70°F to 75°F for 24 hours.
Day 2: Don't feed it. Let it rest another 24 hours.
Days 3 to 7: Each day, stir it, throw out all but 60 g, and stir in 60 g flour and 60 g water at about 90°F. Cover loosely and rest 24 hours.
Day 8 on: Keep feeding once a day the same way until it's ready, which can take another 1 to 2 weeks.
Notes
It's ready when it doubles within 4 to 6 hours of feeding for several days in a row and smells pleasantly tangy. Don't use the discard from days 1 through 6 in food. Keep it on the counter and feed it daily, or keep it in the refrigerator with a loose lid and feed it about once a week. Pour off any gray liquid on top. Throw the starter out if you see pink or orange streaks or fuzzy mold.