sour dough starter

[terri9630]

My favorite old cookbook has a recipe for starter so I decided to try it. The recipe didn't specify what size bowl to use so I figured, 2 1/2 cups of water mixed with 2 cups of flower so I grabbed a bowl that holds 6 cups. It overflowed in less than an hr so I put it in a container twice that size and I've already had to stir it (less than an hr after moving it). Is it supposed to bubble and rise that fast? The recipe says to leave it at room temp until it gets bubbly in 5 to 10 days. So what did I do? It's already bubbly in less than an hr. Its such a simple recipe, how did I mess it up?

 

[moolie]

Sounds like you maybe used self-rising flour?

 

[terri9630]

Nope. Good old all purpose. The recipe called for pkg of yeast (I use instant), 2 1/2 cups of water, 1 tblsp of sugar and 2 cups of AP flour.

 

[Denim Deb]

Why am I thinking of one of the Ghost Buster movies right about now?

 

[Marianne]

It's from the yeast. A lot of sour dough starters don't use yeast and they still get a-workin'.

 

[moolie]

Ah, I didn't see yeast listed in your original post. Defo the yeast I would think then, I've only done sour dough without yeast.

 

[Beekissed]

From my understanding, the whole point of sourdough bread is that it derives yeast cultures from the air over several days and so should not need yeast as a starter. I'd try it again and withhold the yeast. I've never seen a starter recipe with yeast in it~maybe you all could post the starter recipes you have?

I'm glad you started this thread as I was just looking at my sourdough starter recipe and contemplating getting set of dough going. We haven't done sourdough for years but lately feel it is probably a good thing to start once again.

 

[terri9630]

The only recipe I have is wih yeast. I've never made sourdough before so decided to try it. Does it need to be humid for the non yeast starter to start? We are in the desert and there is next to no moisture in the air here.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't know for sure but I know the old miners who panned for gold out west sure did sourdough, just not sure how. Maybe you have to keep it more moist?

Here's a really neat site that tells more about sourdough which I intend to read thoroughly...some of this stuff I didn't know, some I did.

http://www.sourdoughbaker.com.au/st...-starters/starting-the-sourdough-starter.html

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Well, the quickest way to get your starter to take is to use a little bit of rye flour in the flour mixture. You need to also use high quality flour -- unbleached flour -- or it will never get up and running. The reason to use rye flour is that it naturally brings along the yeast and other bacteria that you need for a good sourdough starter . . . so in this case you aren't relying on the air to bring along the yeasty beasties. You ultimately need yeast and bacteria in balance, so cheating and starting with commercial yeast is going to make it harder to get that balance . . . the bacteria you want is what gives the sour taste, yeast alone won't. I would have to look up what bacteria it is exactly, as I don't remember off hand.