October 23, 2007 - 7:01am
Glezer Sourdough Starter Instructions
Probably a dumb question, but in your posted sourdough starter instructions from Glezer's "Blessing of Bread" I need clarification on the following:
On "Wednesday" of week 1, it says to remove 2 TBSP of rye starter and add to bread flour, plus water. Clear. On the following Thursday, Monday and Tuesday it says to "repeat the same refreshment". Does this mean just adding bread flour and water to existing starter, or, maybe more reasonably, always remove 2 TBSP and use this, as on Wednesday?
Thanks!
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Denny - You scared me because when I first posted the recipe I made a big boo boo somehow and didn't do it correctly so all the information was not there. In case you have not checked that thread again since I revised it please make sure you have the correct version.
This is the point where, at least I do think it is fairly clear, that she states it is time to convert to a firm starter. You just measure as she states using 30g starter:30g water:50g bread flour as stated in this excerpt below. Follow that each day that she states to complete the refreshment. You are just building up the microorganisms and making it get stronger.
WEDNESDAY MORNING: The starter should have risen quickly. It is now time to convert it into a stiff starter. In a small bowl, dissolve a scant 2 tablespoons (30 grams/1.1 ounces) starter (discard the rest) in 2 tablespoons (30 grams/1.1 ounces) water, then add 1/3 cup (50 grams/1.8 ounces) bread flour and knead this soft dough. Place it in a clean jar or lidded container, seal it, and let it ferment.
Denny - Then note a week later you are taking it down to 15g starter:30g water:50g flour. She even has you reduce the final to 10g starter but I do not take mine down to 10g because, for me, it simply does not perform as well as when I keep it at 15g:30g:50g. Starters are alive and they do have little idiosyncrasies depending on your flour and environment so you do have to do a bit of experimenting to see what works best for you.
Zolablue, for some reason, I thought we we're keeping ours the same, but I guess it doesn't matter much - they're still both 60% hydration. I keep mine at 20/30/50. This way I end up with 100 gr starter, which I guess does make it a bit easier to do calculations in my head, but since I usually keep back 20% for the next starter, I don't know what difference it makes.
After all that rambling, I guess that 15/30/50 would give the yeast more food, and have the starter last longer before peaking. I'm not sure if this is relevant, or it just means my sinus infection is pressing on my brain - which doesn't need much to make it malfunction!