Whole Grain Sourdough Starter
Create your own bubbly, active sourdough starter from scratch using whole grain flour and water—perfect for artisan bread baking at home.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes (active time)
- Total Time: 20 Minutes (plus 7 days of fermentation)
- Yield: 7 servings (sufficient mature starter for multiple bakes)
- Category: Breads
- Method: Fermentation
- Cuisine: Artisan baking
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
→ For the Sourdough Starter:
100 g whole grain rye flour or whole wheat flour (preferably organic)
500 g unbleached all-purpose flour (for feedings, preferably organic)
1 litre filtered or spring water, at room temperature
Instructions
Day 1: Record the empty jar’s weight. Add 100 g whole wheat or rye flour + 100 g water. Mix well with a fork. Scrape down sides, cover loosely, and place a rubber band around the jar to mark the starter height. Let sit at room temperature (20–24°C) for 24 hours.
Day 2: Check for bubbles (minor activity is fine). No feeding yet. Cover and let rest another 24 hours.
Day 3: Discard half (retain 100 g). Add 100 g all-purpose flour + 100 g water. Mix, scrape sides, cover loosely, and let rest 24 hours.
Day 4: Repeat the discard and feeding: Keep 100 g starter, add 100 g flour + 100 g water. Mix and rest for 24 hours.
Day 5–6: Continue discarding all but 100 g of starter, and feeding with 100 g flour + 100 g water daily. By now, it should show more bubbles and rise predictably.
Day 7+: Test for readiness — drop a spoonful into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s ready for baking. If not, continue daily feeding until it does.
Maintenance:
Frequent Bakers: Keep at room temperature, feed daily, and use 4–6 hours after feeding when peaked.
Occasional Bakers: Store in fridge. Once a week, discard all but 100 g, feed, let rest 1–2 hours at room temp, then return to the fridge.
Notes
Always use filtered or spring water to avoid chlorine disrupting fermentation.
Starter behavior will vary with temperature, flour type, and humidity.
It’s normal for growth to slow around days 4–5 — keep feeding consistently.
Whole grain flour kick-starts fermentation, while all-purpose flour maintains it.
Use a digital scale for accurate measurements.
Find it online: https://allrecipesmade.com/whole-grain-sourdough-starter/
