My starter has lived on my counter for months, but I have to leave it. I won't be able to feed it daily. Do I seal it tightly? Do I feed it and immediately refrigerate? how often do I feed it in the fridge? thanks!
so I'll get them in first! How long will you be gone for? What is the hydration of the starter?
There are a number of us who leave their starters in the back of the refrigerator (mostly) untouched, unfed but not unloved! for months without refreshing them. Mine is at ~62% hydration and it seems happy as a clam back there. I place a sheet of plastic wrap tightly over the surface of it before I put the cover back on, and it hardly ever weeps any liquid.
Usual recommendation is to give it a double feeding (twice the water and twice the flour that you would use for a standard RT feed)), let it work an hour or so at RT and put in the refrigerator. When convenient, take it out and stir it up. Throw out all but a couple of ounces (or use it) and double feed, let it sit and put it back in the refrigerator.
Before you want to use it, take it out of the refrigerator and give it a couple of RT feedings until it returns to activity. This may take a day or two.
I've been known to leave mine undisturbed in the refrigerator for a month or so. It's over four years old, still is healthy and comes back strongly.
I keep mine at 50% hydration. Will be gone two weeks. Family will be here, but I'm not willing to leave my sourdough starter in their hands for that long! Wow- unfed for months? I guess I bake every week, so I would pull it out as son as I return and reactivate it. Thanks again for your help.
for 6 months at a time with no maintenance. Just feed it like you normally do and when it rises 25% put it in the fridge - no worries at all. Have a great trip and don't give it a bit of thought while you are away. If you don't remember it for a couple of weeks after you get back - no worries. juut feed like you always do and it will be happy to do your bidding.
My starters are 100% hydration (Baker's Percentage). I spread a thin layer of the starter on to a sheet of baker's parchment and let it dry at room temperature. When the starter is dry, I lift it off the parchment, crush it, and place it in a zippered plastic bag. This I can keep in a cool dry place, indefinitely.
To reactivate the starter take a tablespoon of the dry starter, add a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of chlorine-free water. Mix and let stand overnight, then feed again at the ratio of 1:1`:1 by weight starter:water:flour. It should start to form bubbles within a couple of hours. It is then ready to be refreshed and used.
My starters are 100% hydration (Baker's Percentage). I spread a thin layer of the starter on to a sheet of baker's parchment and let it dry at room temperature. When the starter is dry, I lift it off the parchment, crush it, and place it in a zippered plastic bag. This I can keep in a cool dry place, indefinitely.
To reactivate the starter take a tablespoon of the dry starter, add a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of chlorine-free water. Mix and let stand overnight, then feed again at the ratio of 1:1`:1 by weight starter:water:flour. It should start to form bubbles within a couple of hours. It is then ready to be refreshed and used.
Which is a 100% hydration whole rye in the fridge in a large jam jar covered with a sheet of kitchen roll held on by an elastic band. It keeps fine and copes with my various comings and goings. It's even been frozen of a time or two when it's got shoved right to the back of the fridge...
I killed my starter by leaving it in the fridge for three months. Hospital stay and recuperation afterwards. Starter turned pink and developed an odd smell. Fortunately, I had done as advised above: spread some starter on a sheet of baking parchment, let it dry on the counter, and scraped the flakes into a baggie, which I had stored in the freezer. All I had to do was dump the flakes into my usual 1:1 flour water mixture and stir. After a day or so, it started to bubble. I fed it again, stored it in the fridge, and resumed baking.
so I'll get them in first! How long will you be gone for? What is the hydration of the starter?
There are a number of us who leave their starters in the back of the refrigerator (mostly) untouched, unfed but not unloved! for months without refreshing them. Mine is at ~62% hydration and it seems happy as a clam back there. I place a sheet of plastic wrap tightly over the surface of it before I put the cover back on, and it hardly ever weeps any liquid.
alan
Usual recommendation is to give it a double feeding (twice the water and twice the flour that you would use for a standard RT feed)), let it work an hour or so at RT and put in the refrigerator. When convenient, take it out and stir it up. Throw out all but a couple of ounces (or use it) and double feed, let it sit and put it back in the refrigerator.
Before you want to use it, take it out of the refrigerator and give it a couple of RT feedings until it returns to activity. This may take a day or two.
I've been known to leave mine undisturbed in the refrigerator for a month or so. It's over four years old, still is healthy and comes back strongly.
I keep mine at 50% hydration. Will be gone two weeks. Family will be here, but I'm not willing to leave my sourdough starter in their hands for that long! Wow- unfed for months? I guess I bake every week, so I would pull it out as son as I return and reactivate it. Thanks again for your help.
for 6 months at a time with no maintenance. Just feed it like you normally do and when it rises 25% put it in the fridge - no worries at all. Have a great trip and don't give it a bit of thought while you are away. If you don't remember it for a couple of weeks after you get back - no worries. juut feed like you always do and it will be happy to do your bidding.
thanks so much!
I keep some of my starter in the dried form.
My starters are 100% hydration (Baker's Percentage). I spread a thin layer of the starter on to a sheet of baker's parchment and let it dry at room temperature. When the starter is dry, I lift it off the parchment, crush it, and place it in a zippered plastic bag. This I can keep in a cool dry place, indefinitely.
To reactivate the starter take a tablespoon of the dry starter, add a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of chlorine-free water. Mix and let stand overnight, then feed again at the ratio of 1:1`:1 by weight starter:water:flour. It should start to form bubbles within a couple of hours. It is then ready to be refreshed and used.
Ford
I keep some of my starter in the dried form.
My starters are 100% hydration (Baker's Percentage). I spread a thin layer of the starter on to a sheet of baker's parchment and let it dry at room temperature. When the starter is dry, I lift it off the parchment, crush it, and place it in a zippered plastic bag. This I can keep in a cool dry place, indefinitely.
To reactivate the starter take a tablespoon of the dry starter, add a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of chlorine-free water. Mix and let stand overnight, then feed again at the ratio of 1:1`:1 by weight starter:water:flour. It should start to form bubbles within a couple of hours. It is then ready to be refreshed and used.
Ford
Which is a 100% hydration whole rye in the fridge in a large jam jar covered with a sheet of kitchen roll held on by an elastic band. It keeps fine and copes with my various comings and goings. It's even been frozen of a time or two when it's got shoved right to the back of the fridge...
I killed my starter by leaving it in the fridge for three months. Hospital stay and recuperation afterwards. Starter turned pink and developed an odd smell. Fortunately, I had done as advised above: spread some starter on a sheet of baking parchment, let it dry on the counter, and scraped the flakes into a baggie, which I had stored in the freezer. All I had to do was dump the flakes into my usual 1:1 flour water mixture and stir. After a day or so, it started to bubble. I fed it again, stored it in the fridge, and resumed baking.
It should be refrigerated not to be left out on counter winter months not so bad but summer should be kept cold