Sourdough Starter questions...

[hennypenny9]

Okay, since it's been so darn hot here, I thought this would be a good time to try to make a sourdough starter.

First off, generally, I see that you should not let it get below 70 degrees. Now, what happens if it gets to say, 65? Is this an exact science?

And second, did I read the recipe right, all I need is flour and water, and every 24 hours I throw half of it out, and replace with more water and flour? I'd like to try the "traditional" no commercial yeast method. Because I can!

Oh, and can I use an old plastic mayo container, or does it have to be glass?

Also! I know this will smell, but is it strong? Like if a Realtor showed the house, would they walk in smell it?

Sorry for all the questions, after all, it's just flour and water. But this is me we're talking about. I could come downstairs and find a dough-monster eating my stove, you don't know!

 

[onebuggirl]

Okay, since it's been so darn hot here, I thought this would be a good time to try to make a sourdough starter.

First off, generally, I see that you should not let it get below 70 degrees. Now, what happens if it gets to say, 65? Is this an exact science?

And second, did I read the recipe right, all I need is flour and water, and every 24 hours I throw half of it out, and replace with more water and flour? I'd like to try the "traditional" no commercial yeast method. Because I can!

Oh, and can I use an old plastic mayo container, or does it have to be glass?

Also! I know this will smell, but is it strong? Like if a Realtor showed the house, would they walk in smell it?

Sorry for all the questions, after all, it's just flour and water. But this is me we're talking about. I could come downstairs and find a dough-monster eating my stove, you don't know!

My first attempt to start a "real starter" ended in a stinky vomit smelling mess. I resorted to useing some commercial yeast,. I had to because I have central air and wasn't catching any wild. But when I added some commercial it smelled like beer and I love it! Sometimes we can't always be as "pure" as we want!

 

[hennypenny9]

So maybe since I have just have my windows open and such, it'll work?

And hey, a beer smell isn't bad at all!

 

[freemotion]

I made it, it was very good. It smells sour/yeasty when it is working correctly. I would only ferment in glass, it creates an acid environment that may contaminate all your healthy hard work with toxins.

I am not the one to ask if the smell would be offensive to potential homebuyers. I'm the one who thinks an escaped goat in the kitchen is hilarious! I also keep a crippled hen in a cage in my living room all winter, and tell people she is a "rare, combed, Dutch Brown parrot, quite expensive, actually."

 

[hennypenny9]

Phooey, I don't have any empty glass jars right now. So I'll have to wait, or grab one from Goodwill.

I notice certain smells (like a litterbox anywhere in a house) but not others. For example, my mom makes me clean out the hen house. Even though I live 2 1/2 hours away...

 

[freemotion]

Do you have a glass serving bowl? Not lead crystal, however. Or a sturdy glass pitcher?

 

[FarmerDenise]

I am not the one to ask if the smell would be offensive to potential homebuyers. I'm the one who thinks an escaped goat in the kitchen is hilarious! I also keep a crippled hen in a cage in my living room all winter, and tell people she is a "rare, combed, Dutch Brown parrot, quite expensive, actually."

I don't even cage my hen, but I do put diapers on them

 

[hennypenny9]

I have glass mixing bowls... And I have a couple glass containers with plastic lids. Think the plastic lid will mess it up?

 

[freemotion]

No, that should be fine. It won't even touch the plastic. I use plastic lids all the time for my ferments.

 

[jessejames]

ok bread is one thing i know alot about especially sourdough
plastic will not pose a problem i have started kept starters in rubbermaid buckets for years my sourdough is now yikes 14 years old and i am pretty sure it has always bee in pastic
so heres what i have to say for now about sourdough starter
yes start with a half and half mix of h2o and org flour
i usually use some kind of fruit peel orange banana or whole grapes work as do apples wrap fruit in cheese cloth and drop in flour mix (i will call slurry from here on in)
now let sit for 2 weeks give or take
cover but not so tight air cant get in you want the yeast that is naturally occuring in your enviroment
after the first 2 weeks of fermenting start with the remove half and double program for another week or 2 till you have a happily bubbling slurry at which point remove your fruit bag
continue feeding daily for another week till it is up to full strength
you are looking for a sweet smell not unlike bananas if it is really acidic smelling you need to feed it more often
i could go into long winded explanation of this but basically the teast is eating the starch in the flour and it starts to smell sour when it starts to eat itself because it has run out of fresh protien t eat
once it is upto full strength time to bake away
and now instead of throwing away that extra half after every feeding you can use it for bread muffins pancakes etc. (i can give recipes for any of this people are interested)
if it seems like it is fermenting too fast it can live in the fridge it will slow it down quite a bit and for long term you can freeze then you just thaw let get all bubbly again and yer off
as for the smell it would not be a problem as long as it it covered and well fed if it is smelling really sour there is something wrong
please feel free to ask me any bread \ baking Qs i have ALOT of experiance in this dept.
hope this helps
be well