Maintaining Your Sourdough Bread Starter
Don’t throw your starter away when you are ready to make bread! Sourdough starters can be used indefinitely if properly maintained and cared for.
Storage: If using your starter less frequently, you can keep it in the fridge instead of on the counter top. Having it in the fridge will slow the fermentation process so you will only have to feed it once every week or so.
Reactivation: Sourdough Starters are fairly resilient, so even if you forget about it, it can be reactivated even after a couple months of neglect. Simply scoop off anything that is crusted over on the top, add fresh warm water, and feed regularly.
Hooch: If your starter has been sitting in the fridge for a while, it may begin to accumulate a liquid called ‘hooch.’ This is usually a brownish color and is a normal part of wild yeast’s fermentation process. It is a very sour, pungent liquid, so if you prefer a more sour bread, simply mix it in. Otherwise, scoop it off and continue the feeding process as normal.
Maintaining Your Sourdough Bread Starter
Don’t throw your starter away when you are ready to make bread! Sourdough starters can be used indefinitely if properly maintained and cared for.
