Sorry but I'm still confused on when to use my starter.

I keep my starter in refrigerator and feed it once a week. When I want to bake I take it out of the refrigerator and feed it 3 times 8-12 hours apart. After the 3rd feeding I wait unit that peaks a just starts to fall. That is when I start putting my recipe together. This takes some planning so I'm not up in the middle of the night.

Now I run across this video where the woman take the starter straight out of the refrigerator and right into the recipe,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POnxAoHl1qc

I have ran across this before where it appears they use the started straight out of the refrigerator. This would be very convenient!

RichieRich

I am really into less work and young young levains. You can see the results on my newest post. I took out 18 grams of old stored NMNF ( dab named his and most of us have adopted the name - no muss no fuss) starter. I fed it just a bit more than I needed for the formula I was making in a few hours. Yes , in a few hours. All of the feeding was done at once. ALL of it. Water and flour stirred into the 18 g. Placed in warm spot probably 80 degrees. Left it for about 4-5 hrs. was bubbling and that was it. No rise no fall...nothing. Use it right then. All will be well. No need for serial feedings unless you want to. Hope this clears it up for you and you can proceed more at a pace that works for you. There are a LOT of methods out there. This is one.

and giving a good rise after one feeding, tuck it into the fridge at peak, go to bed, and use in the morning. I do that all the time. :)

I don't find it necessary to feed three times when it's fed weekly, most of the time one feeding overnight is enough and it is ready in the morning.

As others have said, if it is a strong, vigorous starter then either one feeding, or you can use it right out of the fridge if it has been refreshed (fed) within the last 24 hours or so.

That said, if you find your bread is rising slowly or the dough is not strong enough, your starter will likely benefit from two or three big feeds (i.e. small amount of starter and larger amounts of flour and water) over a day or so. Sometimes your starter will develop too much acid and strong bacterial populations, but the yeast population has declined.

So, no reason to be confused. The instructions are not contradictory, it just depends on the situation (as always)!

There are bakers who like to feed their starter multiple times to get the maximum rise but like everyone above I never feel the need to do this and either make a young starter and use it right away or leave it overnight in the fridge before using it.