Easy Sourdough Starter Guide

[@BrianLagerstrom]

What will you be baking first with your new starter?

[@willmeyer22]

will you do sourdough pizza, maybe NY or sciillian?

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Definelty. I’ll put it in the cue.

[@Kidraver555]

@@BrianLagerstrom Queue.

[@pawelrek]

Bagels! Once you try sourdough bagels there is no going back to yeasts.

[@andyblackpool]

@@Kidraver555 Loll Grammar police :-)

[@spencerwall900]

To those who are hesitant to start because of the commitment, you can keep your starter in the fridge for a while without feeding, and your starter should be just fine. I have kept my mature starter in the fridge for about 6 months, and it restarts again after a couple of normal feedings. I just usually make sure to pull my starter out and start feeding it about 3 days before I’m ready to bake with it.

[@Purexfallenxangel90]

my place generally stays at 61 degrees farenheit. Im using all purpose flour myself and its going well, generall a 24 hour reaction. i used water just under body temp when i started it. honestly its only been like 4-5 days so im experimenting. though i do live in a fairly dry area (Arizona usa). so to any who might be put off by not having whole wheat or any whole grain dont worry. oh and i freehand all my stuff. started it with 2 tbls flour with 2tbls water, 24 hours later fed it another 1 tbls water and 1 tbls flour, after another 24 hours used only 1 tbls flour. im using an old dip jar that was thoroughly rinsed.

[@donmajer9607]

That's important information. Thanks.

[@lenom1289]

I have a three year old starter that is happily resting in the fridge, sometimes up to three weeks. I feed it twice, it's good to go. I also have dehydrated part of it, just in case anything goes bad and that can keep for years in a jar.

[@kenguru58]

@@lenom1289 how did you dehydrate your starter?

[@lenom1289]

@@kenguru58 I fed it and when it was at its peak, I spread it very thin on parchment paper (a bench scraper helps). Leave it to dry without covering it. It can take long, mine took a day or two. You have to make sure there's no moisture left. Then break it in pieces and in a clean glass pot it goes.

[@Narjisse_Glow]

I tried this exact recipe with whole wheat flour instead of rye flour and it works for anyone wondering!

[@Cook_with_paulson]

Thanks ❤

[@joannazysk4941]

The whole wheat is way thicker right ?

[@Cook_with_paulson]

@@joannazysk4941 it’s about the same consistency

[@toms.3977]

It's like you read my mind a month ago. Thanks!

[@tanjirosimp4932]

You are a saint and a savior

[@THTDOTNET]

I am truly amazed by all you have accomplished... the little wild kid I used to babysit. Congrats my man!

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Michael! Thanks for watching!! I hope you and the family are doing well. Good to hear from you. Tell your mom and dad I say wassup.

[@amersklain4706]

You don’t need to throw away the starter. You can use it in your bread. Just add it to your regular bread recipes. It won’t act like a yeast, it will help keep your bread moist. It is called a sponge.

[@koretmulder6316]

Yes, plus I found in the past that after discarding every day, when I was ready to bake a loaf of sourdough, the recipes typically called for all the starter I had left, sometimes more. I'm not sure if there's something I'm missing, but it seems like all that discarding will just leave you restarting the whole process any time you make anything.

[@1985ldiaz]

I was looking for something like this. I don't like the idea of wasting anything and totally understand that it won't be a leavener, but at least I can make some yummy bread or tortillas :)

[@michaelbates9581]

When creating the sponge do you just add all the "discarded" starter to the flour mixture? Or do you subtract the extra starter from the flour mixture.

[@amersklain4706]

@@michaelbates9581 yes, just add it to the flour. Don’t change the recipe, just add the sponge to whatever you’re making.

[@Magda_7396]

It's the first "recipe" I found for sourdough that discards a piece of it every single day. All the other recipes just say to use a big jar and add like 30g-40g of flour and same amount of water every day so you start small but at the end you get enough starter. Idk im not going to use his recipe at all

[@m.g.n4898]

Wow! I admire all the home bakers who have the patience to do this.

[@geonuine]

Germans would say "Übung macht den Meister." It translates into "Practice makes perfect." 😄

[@gregorsamsa1364]

Takes less time than you spent watching this video

[@RovingPunster]

As a former home brewer, culturing is familiar turf for me ... I do it casually, not to laboratory standards though. One tip I can share about starting a sourdough culture from scratch, is that you do NOT need to buy or borrow a culture - you can get one going easily enough from the ambient airborne microbes present in your home. In fact, it is difficult to avoid them. If you've already used them before, but for some reason you dont like their flavor/behavior, despite proper care & feeding technique, you have a myriad of choices available for culturing, by having other manually picked strains out-compete the local microbes in your home. Nearly all whole grains and pulses that have not been previously polished, pre-steamed, or irradiated, have wild yeasts, bacteria, and enzymes present on the bran and hulls - they are simply dormant and waiting, like vultures near a carcass, for moisture to awaken them and allow them to multiply. They remain present, both before AND (to a somewhat lesser degree) after they are ground into flour, and can be easily cultured in either form. The simplest and easiest source is simply picking a fresh bag of your favorite wholemeal flour of your grain of choice (ive been using a lot of king arthur white whole wheat 12.2% protein lately). However, ive also captured and exposed microbes from other grains to my current sourdough consortia, thereby allowing them a chance to join the fun, including: > Jasmine rice from thailand > Urad Dal (black grams) from India > Kamut wheatberries grown in midwestern USA > Winter red wheat, ditto > Spring white wheat, ditto > Einkorn, from Germany > Soft wheat, from Turkey > Durum wheat, from Turkey > My Kefir culture, which I use daily to ferment milk at room temp > Heck, ive even cultured wild microbes from the homegrown jalapeno peppers. To paraphrase prego ... "it's in there" 😋 To culture wholemeal from scratch, just hydrate a small amt to 150%, then feed it daily for 1-5 days (a 1:1:1 ratio is good - discard any surplus during startup ... and keep the amounts small to minimize waste) or until bubbles appear. Keep feeding until can double itself within 5 hrs or so, then it's healthy enough to keep ... just blend some into your existing culture or maintain it as a separate one. Whole grains are a little different, but just as easy - you can either mill them into a homemade flour and culture the same as wholemeal, or you can use the same method used in india and china used to make fermented batter for dosa and biang biang crepes - soak the grains, rice and/or pulses overnight in cool water, then wetgrind in just enough of the soaking liquid to form a thick batter, like latex paint ... then ferment it at 80 to 102F for 6-12 hours (i just put a covered bowl or jar in my dehydrator, and set it for 95F), or until it noticeably begins to rise. It sounds complicated, but i assure you it's absurdly easy. Once you have an active culture, just follow the usual maintenance rules - keep your active starter small and regularly fed, for peak activity and peak breadth of strains and best possible leavening prowess/flavor. Segregate any past peak (read: overacidified) starter into a "discard" container in your fridge - it's fine for use in muffins, crackers, batters, etc, as long as you compensate for the high acidity, but i never use my discard for making sourdough. Only fresh starter (1-2 feedings) at peak activity (4-8 hrs) should be used for sourdough bread, esp if you expect the sourdough to do most of the leavening with minimal or no supplemental yeast required. BTW, my starters name is Azathoth. It has yet to meet a grain or flour it cannot devour. 😈 -------------- Addendum: practical sizing For my active starter, I use 12 oz collins glass, the straight sides of which make the amount of rise easy to see. My normal feedings are roughly 1:1:1 by weight (starter:water:fresh wholemeal, with extra water as needed ... you want it thick enough to hold onto bubbles without letting them rise thru). For maintenance feeding I use 25:25:25 grams, and to make sourdough ill use 25:60:60, then harvest 120 gr, leaving 25gr to maintain. I keep all unused surplus in a 16-24 oz jar in my fridge, which I use when making muffins. I move my active starter out of the fridge when I want it to ferment/rise, and park it in the fridge to slow it down 5-fold, and reduce the frequency of feedings). Its very efficient in terms of ingredients and space needed. Everything fits in a single glass and a small jar, and can be stepped up rapidly at need by 4:1 every 4-5 hrs. For those interested in further reading on sourdough, I recommend taking a peek at the following supplemental channels: The Bread Code

[@TerribleTim68]

@RovingPunster So how does one go about capturing jalapeno microbes? 🧐🤔🤷

[@RovingPunster]

Its important to note that most, but not all, of the microbes present on the surface of any sort of grain/produce usually do not originate directly FROM that produce ... rather, they usually just hitch a ride - from where it was grown, and (to a lesser degree) from all the places it resided between the time it was harvested to the time it arrived in your home. Also, different types of produce tend to have different levels of useful microbes present. Grapes for example tens to be covered with all sorts of wild yeasts and other microbes from the field they grew in, whereas smooth fruits/veg that have been rinsed and sprayed with food grade wax tend to be a LOT lower. As for culturing, standard methods abound, ranging from casual/sanitary to sterile & meticulous. Which method you use depends heavily on how much ingredient cost is at risk, and how sanitary/sterile your workspace is ... considerable rigor is highly appropriate for say a winemaker prepping a starter for 1000 gals of a prized varietal grape must, whereas a homecook in a non-sterile (home) setting, and with minimal ingredient cost at stake, can get away with vastly more relaxed/casual methods, esp if the result will be blended with other equally casual samples. Anyway, getting back to your question about jalapenos ... if I wanted to roll the dice on getting some field microbes from say a pepper grown in mexico, one casual method would be to simply pulse it in a wet/dry grinder with clean water to form a coarse wet slurry, place in a clean glass, cover it, and let it relax in a dark place overnight, then drain thru a coffee filter to get a tablespoon of free run liquid. [FWIW, if youre gonna culture peppers, dried chilies tend to be much better than fresh]. Anyway, whatever results will doubtless be a mix of microbes from your kitchen, the store/warehouse, and the place it was grown ... which is fine, because unlike wine/beermaking (where pure strains are vital), the best sourdough starters have a healthy and highly DIVERSE spectrum of microbes. I rarely culture peppers, but I rely exclusively on wild microbes whenever I make things like Dhokla/Dosa batter from scratch. Anyway, free tutorial vids abound on culturing/fermenting all sorts of things ... all of it falling into a broad category called "zymurgy". If it interests you, go forth and read. I did.

[@Амин-т4х]

​@@RovingPunsterCan i just put a bunch of different grains , pulses , and flours in jar and capture them all at once?

[@RovingPunster]

@@Амин-т4х It might seem like a no brainer to say yes, and it's very likely you'd get at least a partial success ... but I suspect the odds of getting as diverse a culture as possible might be lower than hoped by virtue of the different microbes present being outcompeted too soon and too strongly by whatever other source has the most vigorous microbes lounging about, lookin for a good fight ... i.e., wiped out before they could even gain a toehold. In contrast, by initially culturing the disparate sources separately, it gives you a chance to see if they each have something active/viable to offer, and if so to get them healthy and numerous and ready to rumble BEFORE mixing them all together ... then the weak will die off, and the survivors will slowly bash it out to form a consortia that will slowly change until it reachs homeostasis over 1-2 weeks of regular feedings. Think of it as analagous to a gladiator school ... you get a weak mixed bag of entrants going in, and a hardened subset of fighters coming out. The latter perform much better, much faster, and more predictably. Sorry to ramble ...

[@markm.r.9471]

That name is pretty catchy, haha. Demonic sounding name too which is fitting. Thanks for the extra info.

[@anthonylangley8717]

When I was a kid in the 70s, my mom kept the starter in the refrigerator and fed it on only Saturday mornings when she made pancakes. I understand the daily commitment in getting it started, but I hesitate getting my own starter going if I’m supposed to take care of it daily for months and years. I have all of my mom’s recipes, but she passed away a few years ago, so I can’t learn the details of how she did it, but I’m sure it was only once per week.

[@ForbiddenFish]

I am sorry for your loss and I hope your lovely memories with your mother last forever. :)

[@theoneandonly1158]

Just leave in the fridge and feed it 1x a week, sometimes 2 if it's a mature yeast. People make it super complicated than what it supposed to be. This has been made for thousands of years without scales and all what he said. He seriously makes it unbearable to maintain. People have lives and much less money. I'm not going to throw away nothing. I suggest researching other videos. This guy, No, he's wasting and no I'm not throwing it away daily. Find other people.

[@aliciafarook2358]

I really wouldn’t worry. You think people back in the days with no running water and electricity truly had time to exactly measure out and feed their starter every single day. They could barely feed themselves 😂

[@roslynmgreen]

Hi Bri, I thought sourdough was way too difficult till you explained it. You make bread baking and other cooking options accessible to ordinary people and your presentation is always sparky, humorous and modest. I want to thank you and Lauren for your dynamic channel. You two have enriched my baking life! 🧡

[@mariadiantherese9663]

Mine too!

[@anthonyterry8162]

This was my second attempt at your recipe and was successful this time. I warmed my water up to 85F and used an organic rye flour. It was thriving strong since day 1

[@MrGooglevideoviewer]

Bri Bri, you are a champion!! I'm SOOOO excited about my new sourdough starter!! Just rose to double original size today!! My son asked me to help him with it and we are going to be baking together. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! 😊😊

[@soffici1]

I've found a way to not waste so much starter when you feed it: just heat a non-stick or cast iron pan with some oil in it and plop the starter you'd throw in the bin in the pan, shaping it like a pancake. Salt, pepper and any herbs you might like go on top. When the bottom is cooked, flip it and finish cooking it. The time it takes really depends on how cooked the inside you like. I usually do about 8 min for the first side and about 5 to the flip side, but ymmv depending on how hot your pan is and how high a heat you keep under it. bottom line: the higher the heat, the more crusty it gets, but the inside won't have time to cook before the outside burns Pro tip:. if you want to have it rise a bit like when making bread, just pop a lid on it at the beginning, so the humidity and heat get trapped inside and you'll have a very fluffy pancake P.S: if you don't bake that often, you can keep your sourdough starter in the fridge and feed it just once a week. To do so, use 75% of it to make the pancake, then feed the remaining 25% and put it back in the fridge. Or you can leave a small quantity outside to leaven for a couple of hours (while you autolyse your flour, but the times depend heavily on your room temp) and use it to make your sourdough bread

[@chriskvikstad4980]

This is exactly what I do with it, as well. Have been doing it for years. The starter pancakes taste great with some natural peanut butter and jam! 👍

[@fetB]

didnt he say theres mold in it?

[@lukeandliz]

​@@fetB no, not mold, bacteria. Good bacteria

[@14bommerlunder]

Since most people won't bake daily, or maybe even weekly, I feel like one crucial part you missed is the fridge maintenance option, or whatever you would suggest, to be less wasteful with flour. Cheers!

[@BrianLagerstrom]

I appreciate the feedback. I agree I should have included those details. I need a dischord with the audience to help me vet the scripts!

[@magdadelgado5201]

You can also use the "discard" to make crackers, some fried pancakes or waffles, banana bread, etc.

[@_bobesa_]

@@magdadelgado5201 Oh, thank you! I was wondering if there was better use for the "discard" (because there was way too much of it to just go to waste, and I was wincing and panicking the whole time because wasting food is a crippling phobia for me 🤣)

[@magdadelgado5201]

@@_bobesa_ or use the drying out process for the starter (72h in a thin layer) and you can store it indefinitely and then reactivate.

[@_bobesa_]

@@magdadelgado5201 Oh, thank you. I'll look into the method. 🙏🏿

[@Kaileynorriscreates]

So basically my sour dough starter will become my new pet! This seems easy enough. My family eats at least two loves (loaves) a week. I can’t wait to try this. Thank you.

[@bierbrauer11]

When I was a kid living in Germany, Graubrot was the bread. Decades later, I finally created my own identical (as well as I can remember it, so good enough) loaf using 50% rye with a rye sourdough starter!

[@jaye8872]

This is the first recipe I used that actually works!! I started it two days ago and am actually seeing growth ! So exciting! Instead of discarding the original waste I put it in another container and used it to start another one just in case I messed up . Using wheat flour and instead of AP with the rye . Seeing growth there too! Thanks you explain stuff so well.

[@toddwmac]

You can really tell you bakes in that kitchen and the wild yeast are partying everywhere. No way I can get that kind of reaction after only 48 hours. Great content and production quality...thanks!

[@ahnafhasan3835]

Hey Brian, great video. But we should scrape the container clean always. Because the dry bits on the side are most likely to mold. So I advise that not only you but the viewers should clean the dry bits of their container for general health of the starter. Otherwise Great video. I used straight up blended whole wheat seeds. That yielded a great and healthy starter.

[@kaceybernard7432]

Hey brian, just wanted you to know that i have made a successful sourdough starter following your guide after many failures before this. Thank you. My 2 toddlers also thank you as they are having so much fun making bread with me

[@wallykleit8298]

Hey Kacey any failures my starter after putting in the white flour didn’t come back to life

[@glen4130]

The most helpful part of the video is you explain WHY to discard and only save part of the starter. Thank you for this information!

[@CrouchingGrandpa]

I would like to thank you so so much. This video has sparked so many relationships with me and bread and so many other people. It is simple and works every single time. Much love to you Brian

[@J1J2I3S4]

Mentioning temperature may be a good thing. First time trying this and I wasn't aware of the need to keep it within certain temps. The weather changed here and that had a big impact on my starter. Otherwise so easy to follow, thanks!

[@bassmanco]

"Hey mum, i'm goin on holiday, can you sit the sourdough starter?"

[@briannachurchill1784]

I've killed my starter 3x forgetting to get a dough sitter 😂

[@teletek1776]

@@briannachurchill1784 pet abuse

[@petrahorvathneb171]

One of my friends once took her family starter on vacation with them to keep it alive! :D

[@Leinah]

“Can you dough-sit my starter?”

[@mamaslittlemoments]

Stick it in the fridge once established, no big deal.

[@marycampbell5423]

Got up this morning I am at the start of day 3 with my starter dough- and It has doubled in size overnight ( I Marked my jar) I am so happy- it is like Father Christmas has been - can’t Wait until this evening- that is when I am due to start Day 3 feeding - so delighted thank You 👍

[@bornfree0507]

I place a rubber band on mine bc it’s easier to move the mark on the jar.

[@RolyPolyGames]

Been doing sour dough loaves for about half a year now. Made my starter following this. Works great, i've gotten good at making sour dough and custom loafs too. Big recommend following this for your starter and getting it going.

[@robinlwl9143]

My starter doubled in size on the first night of making it!?!? I couldn’t believe it but your method is fabulous- after 4 failed attempts and a lotta wasted flour. I am a great dough bake with yeast so I’m not stupid but there are a million poor ways out there to make starter - so glad I found you !!!

[@unfortunatetiming4169]

Question: How many loaves can you make with the starter in one day? How do you increase the starter amount if you need to make more dough in one day?

[@mackmpls]

This makes so much more sense than anything I have read. I am hyped.

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Thanks dood.

[@stevenduyck5204]

I brought back a starter from Italy after a trip in the Dolomites. I had brought this with me in a jar and placed it in my fridge in the motorhome. No problem. 2 weeks later started baking sourdough breads. :)

[@stephaniegenovese8522]

I am so glad I stumbled upon your Sourdough Starter. I have attempted 3 batches in 3 weeks. I think, thanks to you, I finally have it! The first try was another recipe with whole wheat flour. It never did anything beyond vaguely resembling mud for 8 days. I gave up on it. Then I found your recipe. I was getting there, but clearly a few days slower to get going than yours. I think my house was too cold. I decided to periodically turn my oven on for a minute to get some heat in there and use the oven as the resting spot. But, one day, I turned it on and forgot about the sourdough. I had to start again. This time, I am keeping it in my bedroom where it is a bit warmer and I am keeping an old hat on it. Day 3 and I am having the best success yet! Thank you! Also, now that I have finally got this, I would love some discard recipes. It feels so wasteful to toss it in the trash.

[@joystover4588]

Been studying sourdough starter for a few weeks and threw away the first batch. This is the very first video that makes sense and you make it less stressful than other people do. No metal spoons, cloth on top, don't reuse the same jar each day. Thank you for showing how easy this can be, I'm going to start over.

[@roxannedombrosky9817]

this is the best explanation with the least waste that I have come across in a very long search! Thank you!

[@scottdelong188]

I was just thinking about making a sourdough starter this week - so glad I found this content! This channel is seriously underrated.

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Thanks Scott! and thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@edviges1]

I don't see underrated channels ;)

[@solgarcia6127]

Ooo

[@redanvoo]

Do what he does by divide by 10. Less waste

[@VivianRP]

Out of all the videos showing how to start the starter your the one who makes it simple, step by step!! Thank you for this!! :-)

[@taylorjohnston2201]

I’ve come back to this video a few times throughout the process- super handy. Thanks!

[@Twistedgrimm]

i love this video for starter guide easy to fallow step by step clear without overwhelming beginners and trust when i first started alot of the ones i watched got confusing or had so much info that i got lost thank you for the chill yesty vibes

[@maryfelton1333]

hi Bri, after watching lots of videos on how to make the perfect sourdough starter not to mention purchasing several unnecessary products, I stumbled upon your video and I feel like I've finally found the starter of my dreams. And I'm just on day one.Thank you for only providing what a newbie bread maker needs to hear.

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Good luck! If it stalls around day 4 keep on feeding. The switchover from rye takes a few days

[@Pammellam]

Something to think about: Some people save the starter they toss when feeding the sour dough starter and use it so they don’t waste it. Some people say that they collect this tossed starter every day in the freezer to make something as well, like crackers or whatever.

[@BeanieBeanTheKitty]

I say just make 2 batches??? 😭

[@isadoragomes8356]

Man I literally discovered your channel today and I'm already crazy about your recipes and personality. I'm learning more from you than I learned at Baking school. Thumbs up for you ♥ thanks for your great work !

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Thats awesome! thanks so much for being here.

[@srt10h4rml3ss]

My sour dough adventure begins.....again. I had a starter about 15 years ago that I was able to keep around for almost a year....until it was knocked off the counter and the glass shattered so I turfed it all 😕. I'm having a bit of trouble with my dark rye flour starter this go around so I have a 2nd starter (Bread Flour) started as well to see what ends up working best. Being in Canada it's cold now, house is 68F during the day and 65F at night so I've moved the 2 starters in front of the gas fireplace (pilot light only on lol) for radiant heat and it stays around 80F in that particular position, we'll see how they react tonight. Really looking forward to baking some sourdough bread again for the family, always love your content, keep up the great work Brian.

[@mouthfulacoque3580]

Thanks for giving me a faster recipe. For anyone who is noticing a *nail polish remover* smell like I did, switch from bleached AP to something organic. It's not dangerous for your starter, but in the past I have preferred to mix whole wheat and unbleached (any brand) which creates a more resilient yeast culture in addition to providing an aromatic base for my loaves.

[@rachelsfoodventures54]

Just discovered your channel and it's so professional (well duh, you're a chef), yet approachable. Absolutely stellar content. Also you give off like, MAD Anthony Bourdain vibes when you cook 👍

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Thanks for watching Rachel! AB was/is a real inspiration for me (and most people who cook probably...) glad you are liking the channel. Thanks for the nice comment

[@doginthegarden5733]

Another great video. I recently tried drying some of my starter for long term storage (spread the starter thinly and evenly on parchment paper for a few days then once dried, I broke it up into shards and stored it in an air tight jar). I haven’t tried rehydrating it yet but I’m looking forward to seeing how that goes.

[@BrianLagerstrom]

I’m willing to bet that’s going to work just fine! Good luck and thanks for the nice comment.

[@rodrigotx]

how did it go?

[@ajalicea1091]

There is sourdough that is sold that has been dehydrated and packaged for individuals to rehydrate.

[@04paok]

Hey Brian, I’ve loved watching all your videos. Watching this one, I’ve decided to dive in and have a go myself with a starter!! Question though… once I get to the stage where I can use the starter for bread, 1. what do I do with the discarded starter? Can I fry it in the pan? 2. If I want to slow down the process and put it in the fridge, do I feed it once a week? If so, do I take it out of the fridge, give it a feed, then put it straight back in the fridge for another week? If that’s right, then if I want to start baking again, do I give it 2 feeds for say 2 days prior to using the starter? If you could please answer these above, it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[@zacharyjeanparadis780]

This is the perfect q. Brian would love your thoughts on this…

[@rachelpernotto4750]

I would love to know too!!

[@lorakeverik9008]

1. You can make lots of things with discarded starter examples- pancakes, muffins, ect. 2. You can put the starter in the fridge for weekly feedings. When I take mine out of the fridge to use it, I feed it 1.1.1 ratio and use it after it doubles. (Usually 3-4 hours) 3. Someone in the comments mentioned they cook their starter a little bit in the pan and they like it. I haven’t tried that so idk how it works.

[@kahleyshearer6349]

Back again bc I threw my starter away when I thought it was moldy but really it was just over fermented in the fridge. Ahhhh!! Annnnyways, on day 3 with my new kid and it’s bubbly and happy. Thanks again 😁

[@JeannetteRoss-r1p]

You are great ! Thank you for all your words of wisdom ! I see this is 3 yrs ago. Better late than never lol I’ve tried so hard to do this many times to no avail. But now I will try your method and get back to you ! Happy sourdough bread making ! 💕🥳

[@ronderksen]

After running into your channel thanks to KZbin algorithms doing their mysterious work, I now started making my own sour dough starter. Hopefully I’ll be able to bake my first bread next weekend!

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Thats great thanks so much for watching.

[@ronderksen]

After two days my starter easily doubled in height, so I figured I could use some regular flour mixed with rye flour. But since then it won’t rise any more. There’s still some bubbles forming, but no rise. I guess I have to start over and use only rye flour.

[@Arkalos13]

@@ronderksen same happened to me. I did the test with the water and it failed.

[@Arkalos13]

@Alessio Masini you should start from the beginning and what I did is. I took 25g of starter then mixed it with 50g water, 20g normal flour and 30g rye flour. It worked perfect.

[@agtronic]

@@ronderksen Same thing happened to mine. It went crazy on day two with just rye flour, then when I started incorporating unbleached AP flour the thing just went flat and nothing is happening despite continuing the schedule. It smells strong but I don't see any activity.

[@pennyking-cox8124]

So well explained. Brilliant, down to earth.

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Thank you very much!

[@vadimpoleschuk6653]

Made my first sourdough bread using that starter and it went out perfectly. Thanks bro Bri.

[@jayeli9527]

What happens to big jar starter?

[@GM-dr8dg]

You are a great teacher and communicator. Bravo.

[@myrawedemire8169]

This has been the most simple explanation of a sour dough starter I have seen and understood ….excellent and thank you

[@pumpupthejam28]

Love your bread videos. It’s therapy. I feel like I finally get the whole starter thing. Thank you

[@niacendana6575]

Hi Bri, I just want to say thank you for your awesome videos. I just finished my sourdough starter using your recipe and it turned out so well. Today I am doing my first sourdough bread, hopefully turn out great just like yours.. Thank you for making everything looks so easy to follow..you ROCK!!

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Good luck! Glad the starter worked for you

[@BreonNagy]

1. Capture 2. Cultivate 3. Care It was right there, Brian

[@nikkireigns]

Haha, I had thought “keep” because it has the C sound

[@deatako6006]

So not knowing anything I bought my starter, followed the instructions, and have a nice sourdough starter that I alternatively feed everyday or once per week after putting it in the fridge, depending on my baking plans. I also followed the starter company's instructions on making sourdough bread and it was so inconsistent in the results that my starter almost became a permanent occupant of my fridge until I found your Your First Sourdough (sourdough bread for beginners). Can I tell you Brian how deeply I have fallen in love with your method? And I may have a tiny crush on you too. My sourdough loaves are consistently perfection now! I debuted a loaf at my family's annual Thanksgiving dinner, and there was more praise for it than any other dish on the table. There were six of us and the entire loaf was eaten! Since then I have been providing my mother with 1 loaf per week, because she absolutely loves it. The attendees of the dinner were amazed I was still using the same starter, but the loaf itself was so much better in taste, texture, crust, interior, everything. Thank you for saving my sourdough baking interest. I do find I need to do an additional 30 minutes at the beginning to get the firmness desired before the 2 hour proofing, but it's simple enough to do so. I also have to use 2 entirely different dutch ovens for baking 2 loaves and really love the way it turns out in my one that has a glass top, not that the other one that is exactly like yours doesn't turn out well, but the glass top one always rises more, and has a darker top crust with the scissors cuts looking very authentic to bought bread. Thank you Brian!

[@honeylady108]

Following this process I started Day 1 at 8pm, day 2 step last night at 8pm, got up this morning to a quart jar spilling over onto the counter. Wohoo! I wanted to use organic rye and I could only find it in dark rye flour. Maybe that's why? Im so glad I went with a quart mason jar, not pint size. So looking forward to my first loaf of bread. Thanks Brian!

[@LasseNordenhem]

Is there any way you can make a starter and when its "complete", store it in the fridge and only feed it like once a week?

[@apartmentpizzaiolo7355]

Very useful and easy to understand info. Let’s eat this thaaang!

[@BrianLagerstrom]

I’m glad you dug it, this was a surprisingly challenging video to make.

[@petermcgibney]

I have a question if you arrive on day 6 and your starter doesn't float do you repeat the 75-gram process one more time or just leave it to sit for another 24 hours. I just love your way of describing how to do things you are a natural sharer of knowledge. Thank you so much.

[@katiegravely]

Curious on this. Did you ever get an answer?

[@petermcgibney]

@@katiegravelyno not a word

[@natashamartinez7473]

I have really been struggling with a starter and so far it’s been three failed attempts. I appreciate this video so much and I have very high hopes for my fourth try thanks to you!

[@vickiwatkins71]

Hi Brian, I love your videos, btw. This is my first sourdough starter. I'm on the 2nd day in the process. I remember my grandma and my aunts passing stinky dough in containers to feed growing up but never understood. I had forgotten all about it until i came across this video. I have been learning with some of your videos and I am ready to venture into sourdough. Thank you for taking the time to share. 😊

[@amypettit8791]

Thank you so much for making this video! I started mine exactly as you did. It did the exact same as yours and looked great, but when I added in the 35g of unbleached all purpose flour and 35g of rye I’ve had no bubbles or doubling. No action and I don’t know what is happening 😭I used Arrowhead Mills organic APF unbleached and Bobs red mill organic stone ground rye flour along with filtered room temp water. Should I start over again?

[@Darthy0]

I have the exact same problem, did you manage to overcome the issue?

[@xxhcsk8xx]

I’m pretty much right there with you guys.. wondering if my “room temp” is not warm enough.. we hover right around 65* Fahrenheit

[@Sss-ob1bf]

Same!

[@_hellowrold_]

Hey 👋 Quick question :) I started my first starter ever to day *insert panic here* and I was wondering how sensitive the starter is at the 5 day mark? I’m going away for a day and I’m wondering if I should bring my starter along to feed it or will it survive 24h without a feed? Thank you a lot for the extremely approachable instructions!

[@Al.Brady.]

Love it! Disappointed their was no dance number with the jar at the end! 😏🤘

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Haha there is never enough dancing in my opinion.

[@thisbretthall]

I wanted a “let’s eat this thing” fake-out 😂

[@davidkramer5259]

I so LOVE that this doubles as a solid science experiment, showing evolution in action... Delicious!

[@ryansegulam6486]

Hi Brian. I CAN'T COOK that being said i I like your videos and i have started cooking now .I got sick at the start of the year and so cooking my own food helps me eat healthy and it calms me .KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ......THANKS

[@AlexKojfman]

Enjoyed your sour dough beginner video (and others for years) and watched this. I feel more confident and will eventually start my first loaf. I'm also really happy to see you grow from under 400K to closing in to 850K! keep up the great content!!

[@AngelOfDaydreams]

question: I plan on trying this out but, do I need to store the starter on room temperature when it is finished and with that feeding it daily? Or can you also keep it in the refrigerator. If so how often do you need to feed it then? How long can you keep it in there till using it etc?

[@imluctor5997]

why does this comment have 6 likes but no answers GIVE US ANSWERS

[@captainiglo5179]

you can keep in fridge, in the beginning feed at least once a week, when its mature it doesnt need to be fed that often, when you want to use it grab 25g of it a day prior and add 100g each water and flour

[@tglenn3121]

I was told I could use whole wheat flour to start the starter (I don't have rye flour). Will the whole wheat flour work as well?

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Yes it will

[@JackieOdonnel]

I also used Whole Wheat for mine and it turned out beautifully.

[@oakninjasreselling5215]

I have read several recipes but I clearly am a visual learner. Thank you!

[@shazmirshahi4973]

you are a natural scientist at heart and we love you keep on the good work

[@binezarabec]

Hey Brian, such an awesome channel! 🤯🤩 I’m struggling with something… how much starter do you use to bake one bread? Now I’m working with your poolish bread recipe and it’s awesome and I know how much starter I must use. Now I want to start baking with sourdough and I don’t know how much starter is good. Thanks man! Keep up the good work ✌🏻

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Thank you for watching.

[@allikatdreaming]

I’m in Finland, land of the dark rye sourdough bread. Can I just use rye for the starter or is AP necessary?

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Rye is all good, you can definitely go 100 percent. Thanks for watching Finland

[@allikatdreaming]

@@BrianLagerstrom Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply🥰

[@fivestarsolutionsgroup2940]

Hi Brian! I am enjoying your channel and have been trying your pizza recipes lately. I assume that the water could be already dechlorinated bottled water, yes? Also, I would love to see you do a pizza video using sourdough starter for your yeast. That would be very cool.

[@margritjones7934]

WOW, this is the first time i completely understood the entire process.. I'll try your method.. thank you!

[@onsfaitplaiz]

I like how your vidéo is made ! Thx for sharing. Very well explained and plaisant to watch. When we understand that sourdough is à living being, it start easy to maintain it. It needs like us a rich food, water, air and température. If we put in the fridge because we do not need it in our daily schedule, do not forget to feed it each 3 days. In the firdge better to maitain a small quantity. The extra volume can be used in pancake crepes sauces soupes wafel.

[@milliway2010]

I don't discard the excess starter...I make Korean style green onion pancakes.

[@corlissmedia2.0]

So I'm having a HUGE fight with my wife about this. She says: Make the leven until you have enough to make a loaf of sourdough bread, then use all of the leven for that loaf, and be done with it, or, if you want another loaf in the future, start a new batch of leven. This totally contradicts what you say in your opening about cultivating your leven until your last breathe. Please clarify!

[@tiffanyl4796]

Most sourdough bread recipes use a combo of starter and flour. You do not need to make a new starter for each recipe- even if you just save a little bit you can feed it and make it grow without having to start over. I really like Lisa from Farmhouse on Boone for more sourdough recipes and her low maintenance approach to keeping her starter alive!

[@sampsy2896]

Divorce her

[@salataliulu2439]

The best explained starter I’ve yet seen. Thank you

[@tmpickrell]

Thanks (as always) for clear instructions. I followed your video's plan and my starter looks great. Setting up a sourdough starter is something that I've wanted to do for a long time, but there is so much noise on the internet about it. Your no-nonsense instruction is ALWAYS on point. I'd love to see a follow-up video about different ways to maintain starter: daily feeding vs. fridge dormancy. I'd also be interested in the maturation of the sourdough. For example, can I use something besides AP flour to feed it in the maintenance stage. I'd like to try using whole wheat, rye, or other types of flours. I'm guessing you suggested AP flour as an economical solution. Your videos and instruction are THE BEST. Thank you so much.

[@BobJoeman]

3:37 me in college

[@lolmaster712]

lol

[@joletty1793]

Why, why, why all the waste?!!!!? Just do like I have done with 100% success all the time? Start off with 1/4 tsp flour, any combination that workswith you, add a drop or two of water, mix with toothpick or long matchstick, clean end, of course, close it and proceed to tne next 3 days adding 1/4 tsp flour and drops of water so it has consistency of thick pancake batter. Continue on day 4 -8 day feeding 1/4 tsp flour and water twice daily and voila!!!! Sourdough starter with NO waste and less clean up! It works, try it! 😅😅😅😂❤❤😊

[@Hall7318]

Can you use any kind of flour or does it have to be rye?

[@joletty1793]

@@Hall7318 Any kind, they say rye is best but I have done it with whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, you can experiment with two types, see which one bubbles up faster. So easy and no guilt wasting so much flour. 😄🥰🥰

[@lovedove6108]

❤ Yes, no need to waste!

[@joletty1793]

@@lovedove6108 Right? Using same principals, save flour and mess! 😄🥰🫠

[@lovedove6108]

@@joletty1793 Yeah, its all correct info but just too much flour

[@timashburn6926]

2:27 he admits he's a Freemason

[@AlexanderFromKC]

Good.

[@robertnislick448]

Thanks for making a straightforward and easy to understand video on how to make a starter.

[@DAPRND]

Great tips, followed this with Spelt and Rye and it turned out great

[@bmonkish]

Tried at least 3 other recipes and this was the only one that worked! Thanks a million!

[@reneehughes7860]

Your video made more sense to me than anyone else's. I've been baking cakes, cookies, muffins, etc but never bread since I was a kid. Sourdough is new to me. Can I use wheat flour instead of rye? I always use King Arthur flour. Just like it better than all the others.

[@gailwoods2628]

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!! I just finished my sourdough starter and it is BEAUTIFUL! Your video helped me get over my fear and gave me the confidence I needed. And, I actually found making my starter easier than actually making the bread. I'm still working on my strength building folds! GREAT JOB BRIAN!!

[@mumumuesli4448]

Bravo! To Best Bread Professor on Earth! 🏆🙏‼cheers Mike

[@azuredawn2446]

I had no idea sourdough bread requires such a process! But your video has truly helped me and now I'm super thrilled! My husband LOVES sourdough. So thank you! Ready for this adventure. 😎🥖

[@Kevinrowland-dz2ut]

THANKS for explaining,and keeping short and sweet and too the point- I see it for sale on Amazon 20 bucks like for 1/2 once.WE certainly must make our own.

[@zoerossi46]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's been a sourdough rollercoaster since I started this bread thing during the pandemickey !!!! I've got this.

[@mssixty3426]

Thank you for your explanation of why portions have to be thrown out! I had never heard that mentioned, so wondered about why the "waste!"

[@ivetteguzman8318]

Thank you for making such a simple but yet detailed explanation for starting a sourdough starter. Following and liking all your videos!

[@JoshFOS]

Love vids mate appreciate it, tip back - Leave the lid off for the water to help "de-chlorinate" quicker, releases the chloramines into the atmosphere with the lid off.

[@PaulVarga-qy5fi]

Hey, Bri! Just reading through some of the comments and suggestions. There are lots of great ideas there. I really hope you follow up on them. Your videos are fun and interesting. Keep experimenting and learning and teaching us from your knowledge. Bri is our guy! Forget the rest you’ve found the best!😂

[@2atthelakehouse]

Nice Job! So much easier than other recipes I’ve seen. Can’t wait to try it. It would be my first.

[@LuisaDeLeon-n4l]

I made a started today following your video. Used Central Market unbleached flour (read a few reddits saying that it would be okay, maybe take longer and change the bread flavor). Maybe it was bc of the flour, but my mix was not as liquid as yours in this video. So I added a bit more water. Hoping for the best!

[@ericrobinson8078]

What a lovely guy and a really helpful video. Finally Im going to give making sourdough a go! my wife makes all our bread but I do like a sourdough. Mass produced shop bought bread is by and large garbage compared with homemade using good quality flour and love.

[@shawnhorton4559]

So when you get to day 6 and you are ready to use it and maintain it daily....i noticed the 50 g water 25g starter and 50 gram flour equals 125 grams....moving forward are you subtracting 125 grams from the starter then adding back 125 grams in the freshly mixed flour, water and starter? I'm on day 3 and seeing lots of life in my jar. I also use a plastic lid with a hole drilled in it amd covered with a filter patch. I've done a fair share of fermenting and capturing of natural yeasts and bacterias before and i really enjoy your video. I like the way you have broken it down into different segments and the way you present the information is very easy to understand. Thank you!