3 Step Sourdough Bread Starter
Once upon a time, I owned a bread machine. I also had 3 little mouths to feed besides my own. I worked long hours and my bread machine came in handy. Back then, they had the best sourdough box mixes to add to the bread machine but those days are long gone. These days, the kids are grown and have their own kids and as someone who lives with chronic pain, 24/7, I’m always trying to find ways to fill my time to try to get my mind onto something besides pain. Baking bread is one of the hobbies I seem to enjoy. The smell of sourdough bread baking is ahhhhhmazing. And it’s really therapeutic. I use my KitchenAid mixer to mix the dough most of the time because of arthritis in my hands, but I still love to knead bread from time to time.
To make good sourdough bread you need a really good sourdough starter. I’ve tried every kind of sourdough starter imaginable that I could find on the internet but in the end, after many trial and error oopsie daisy’s, I’ve got the starter recipe down to perfection. There is very possibly the same recipe lurking somewhere on the world wide web and if so, I wish I had found it years ago when I was trying to create a starter that worked quickly instead of the dreaded 10 days as I started out with. This recipe is not meant to copy anyone else’s and if it’s on the web, kudos to whoever created it before I was able to.
To make the sourdough starter, you need to start with …
Dishes:
- a glass bowl
- measuring cups
- a wooden spoon
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- 1 packet of active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons if using from a jar)
That’s easy enough, isn’t it? Now on to the 3 steps you need to remember to make the sourdough starter.
1. Add a cup of fresh milk in the glass bowl.
2. Add a cup of all-purpose flour in the glass bowl.
3. Add a packet of yeast in the glass bowl.
Stir. Set in a warm place for 48 hours. By all means peek at it.
- After the 48 hours are up, stir the starter mix because chances are, there is a liquid forming on top. This is normal. Don’t panic. Unless it has an awful smell to it, it’s fine. It’s doing what it’s supposed to.
- Now, at this point, I add my starter mix to a clean dry glass bowl. I just don’t like the look of the bowl after the first stir.
- Then, I remove 1/4 of the mixture. You can put it in the fridge or give it away if you know someone who likes to bake bread. I generally throw mine out.
One thing to remember is everytime you remove any of the sourdough starter for any reason, be it to feed it or to use in a recipe, you need to replace the same amount with all-purpose flour and water. So at this point, I added 1/4 cup of all purpose flour and 1/4 cup of water. I stirred it and put it back in my glass cupboard where it stays out of the way of the draft. This is called feeding your starter. I do it the day before I am going to bake my bread. So, on the 4th day, after starting my starter, I bake bread.
Here is a video just recapping what I just said. If you can follow directions, and I’m sure you can, you can make amazing sourdough bread or rolls. If you lived by me, I’d share my sourdough starter with you.
My bread rises perfectly every time. Even on this dreadful rainy day.
27 Comments
Melissa Cushing
Thank you so much for sharing and this bread looks so delicious…. I cannot almost smell it š Seriously though… nothing better than fresh bread and not an easy thing to do either š Awesome job!
Terri
Thank you. I really love baking bread. It’s easy and it calms me down while I’m working with the dough.
Michael
That glaze finish is really something! But the one that caught my eye is that little Christmas tree.. Excited eh? Haha
Terri
My loaf is drenched in melted butter. I can taste it now. I’m making a new bread starter later today for some weekend baking.
Emman Damian
Your 3 Step Sourdough Bread Starter video really helped me! Thanks for teaching it to us! I hope I can make one soon on weekends. I’m excited to share it to my family.
Terri
I’m so glad it helped. I love baking all sorts of bread.
Frederique
I really should try it sometime. Homebaked always tastes better, doesn’t it?
Terri
Oh yes, I agree with you and there’s nothing like the aroma of homemade bread baking.
Steph Social
I own a bread machine and have never used it Iām not even sure I know where it is! But I do love homemade bread and this sourdough recipe looks absolutely delicious! No bread maker needed, so even better!
Terri
Girl, find that thing and put it to use. I think bread machines are perfect for those who don’t have the time to bake from scratch. You could make pizza crust and so much more in it.
Terri
Check out these bread machine recipes:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/bread-machine-recipes-a2-3051778
Brianna S
I want to make this! This looks SOOO good!!
Terri
Sourdough and yeast rolls are my favorite types of home-baked breads.
Erin Knight
I have a bread machine myself but I have never used it to make sourdough bread. I usually just buy it. Your post just makes me want to dig out my machine and making a bread now.
Terri Steffes
First, great name! š I love the photos of your bread. Too bad the internet hasn’t figured out smell. I was just telling my husband I wanted to start my sourdough back up but had lost my starter recipe. Yours looks amazing.
Ntensibe Edgar Michael
Nnnniiiccceeeeee….being a foodie, I would so much love to try this out…making my own food! It must be so cool.
Angelica Sereda
I gotta try this. It’s my dad’s fave š
Annemarie LeBlanc
I don’t have much success with baking but I never give up! Haha. I will try your sourdough bread starter and hopefully I can make my own bread like a pro!
Nilakshi
I have never tried sourdough ever in my life. But the pictures you have posted makes me want to try it. I will definitely try making it.
Heather
Making homemade bread is the best. This is a great starter recipe so I’m so happy that you shared this!
Summer Shores
Wow that bread looks heavenly! Love the background in your pics š
Tiffany La Forge-Grau
I’ve never tried making sourdough bread before! I would love to give this a whirl…it looks SO good!
Lavern Moore
I would love to try this sourdough bread starter. Seems simple and easy to make!
Rosey
Bread is my weakness. Fresh bread? Oh yeah, even better. It smells so good!
Subhashish Roy
There is nothing like a fresh loaf of bread. Good to learn from you. The bread looks nice and really must commend you for doing it all on your own.
Shannon Gurnee
I had been looking for a sourdough starter recipe and am so glad I found this! I would love to make some sourdough bread sometime. Thanks for sharing.
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