Removing starter

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EsmereldaPea on 16 Apr 2020 at 05:03

I've been away for a time (and most of my old posts appear to have disappeared into the void but oh well).

After reading a couple of threads, I clearly need to understand the science and whys a bit more but I'm hoping someone can answer a question.

I've always made sourdough starter with great success using a "ramp up" approach. I start with 1 T flour and 1 T water (will have to read more to figure out what the third number is in your 1:1:1 ratios). I double the volume on every feeding. That way I'm not wasting any starter.

I just read something that stated you must always discard part of your starter and wondering why that is? Seems like a waste to me.

Also, been doing a store-bought rye (SB) vs. fresh-ground rye (FG) experiment and have included taste as part of it. Not much, just a little. Have a raging hangover-type headache and think that might be why. Not doing that again!

Quickly, the FG was bubbling on first stir 12 hours in and REALLY bubbling at 24 while the SB was pretty lackluster until 1.5 days - not sure if it caught FG's yeasties (they are next to one another but covered in separate towels). SB mixes up more "doughy" and I have to add a tich more water (I tend to make my starter a cake batter consistency). 

Stirring every 11 hours and fed at 24 and 36 hours (they were hungry!). I'm doing this more by feel and memory but will be doing more reading. 

Thanks to everyone!

Thanks Dan. I saw those. They are only a handful of all of my posts. I was pretty active in the beginning (and on the old, original site prior to this discussion board which was some kind of wonky legacy site).

 

I was *hoping* to find an old recipe or two I think I shared on here that I lost on an old hard drive 

You "waste" starter in order not to waste your flour. If you keep doubling, you will need 500+ spoons of flour on your 10th feed, after spending another 500+ spoons in the previous 9 feedings - that is over 1000 spoons. Discarding some starter you might still be feeding one tablespoon on the 10th feed, this is the idea. And it does require around 10 feeds for the starter to become strong enough.

1st feed is the most important one - its better to skip 2-3 days without feeding or feeding very little, no more than 1/3 of original, otherwise you are doubling the volume and rolling back acidity gains.

And all the bubbling you saw in both SB and FG are most likely a wrong bubbling. Let is subside and then wait some. And then feed, and then new bubbling will start coming slowly that is what you are looking for. Unless you started with sour liquid like pineapple juice.

I think what I saw today is more what I want. I'll do some more reading and I figured I'd wait at least a day and a half before feeding again.

 

Thanks.