Is it DEAD? (Reviving my SOURDOUGH Starter!)

[@digiphot2]

Take the excess starter and spread it out on a cleaned off cookie sheet with plastic wrap and let it dry! Then take off the sheet, and break up the dried starter, and place the dried starter in a 1 qt. baggy and put it away in a quiet dark drawer. That way when you have a dead starter, take out the dried starter and add water and flour and away you go!

[@allisonmiller3148]

That is brilliant

[@RusticSoDakFarm]

This gives me hope. I just pulled mine out of the fridge and it's super dried out. I added water and it smells great. Hoping it'll rehydrate a bit and be alright!

[@dietrevich]

I think people nowadays over think this too much. Yeast is alive yes but unlike us they develop spores that allow them to survive for very long times without food. My grandmother would only replace what she used when she used it. If she baked weekly then it was replaced weekly, if monthly then so. There was no concept of discard or feeding. She even had it go for a year without use due to a surgery she had and when she baked with it it came back strong. And I also remember she always had an extra backup in the freezer. We need to learn to enjoy our starter and stop stressing over it. Use when u need it and feed it then, that's it.

[@AmariahCasonWhittington]

I just revived a starter that was in my fridge (and my SILs fridge before that!) for over 1.5 years. Took 4 days and 3 good feedings before it perked up, but it's doable!

[@themarcusismael13]

Using this video to wake up my starter that’s been in the fridge for the last five months. Gotta make quarantine somewhat livable! Thanks!

[@jockp]

Did it work?

[@yourENCrealtorTAMI]

Potato

[@JamesOToole-k1e]

Great video! We mix the hooch in evberytimewe feed. The result is a bi extra sourness! Thanks again!

[@LABUSTO]

I stopped feeding for over a year... kept it in the fridge. I fed it with instant mashed potatoes yesterday and it was all bubbly this morning. It actually started bubbling a few hours after feeding it.

[@jenisecoronado6486]

I love watching your videos, Jill! I love that you let your personality shine through (sense of humor and all!) and you totally keep it REAL!!! Such a pleasure! Thank you for all you do.

[@OZARKMEL]

I just dumped 1/3 quart of whole wheat starter down the drain. Mine has been "cooking" for 10 days. I used it this morning and it turned out horrible. Followed directions, did all the things. Fed it, kept it warm, kept it covered loosely. No Bueno.....I made my very first loaf today and threw it out as well. DH said it could be classified as a deadly weapon it was SO hard. This is not as easy as regular old yeast bread that's for sure!

[@markmoberly8484]

We had "friendship bread" starter (also known as sourdough starter) in the 80's. Big fad then. At one point I had eight jars to share plus I made four loaves to use it all up.

[@wbrian]

You have a great personality for youtube videos. It makes your videos enjoyable while you pass along your knowledge. Thanks!

[@deemail100]

the hooch (so called because it is alcohol), is what saved your starter. It sealed the starter from being exposed to the air that would have ruined it.

[@julie1089]

cool! good to know!

[@pittaman]

@MrAbletospeak Anytime yeast eats sugars, the byproduct is alcohol - thats my understanding. Its what makes my beer beer :-)

[@BixbyConsequence]

Yes it contains ethanol. "late 19th century: abbreviation of Hoochinoo, the name of an Alaskan Indian people who made liquor."

[@deemail100]

@@SimonWoodburyForget we're sort of saying the same thing...the hooch contains the acidity that protects the starter...when it sits for a long time, the hooch will separate and rise to the top...when we use it, we stir it back into the base as there is a lot of flavor in it.

[@deemail100]

@MrAbletospeak not sure if you mean with or without the hooch...not all starters produce enough hooch to make that layer...all depends on your climate, the food (what kind of flour) that you use and the temp and it is kept at. Cold seldom hurts it, but it will slow down the reactions you need...patience cures that. But heat can hurt it in two ways...it will kill the yeast if exposed long enough (as can salt, so we stir the salt into our flour before adding the starter), and extra heat and air exposure will evaporate the hooch and then leave it open to normal rotting.

[@cainmorano4956]

I use the discard to make tiny fried sourdough pancakes in olive oil. I also leave it for months. If I make bread then I make a starter and feed the fridge culture. The starter works fine.

[@MusicByMarkS]

I just love your videos. Your sense of humor matches mine and gives me smiles. Re starter--I'm super new at this, as in 5 days. The house is chilly until the wood furnace gets used. The starter was perfect when on a register with a towel--but now the oil heat isn't coming on often enough. I tried a barely warm oven... but how do folks warm starter when one has a cool house>

[@cathydavis9259]

I have a sourdough starter that was started by my German great-great granfather over 150 years ago. I would like to do more with it besides feed it every once and a while. Since I didn't know about your youtube channell until about 2 months ago is there an outline or anything so I know what you're offering? I bought a class on canning from another homesteader just to get information I can get from Google and/or any basic canning book. Cathy

[@debrasaints3809]

You can use starter to bake bread with, and many other things like pancakes, waffles, biscuits, etc!

[@lynettesalsa8799]

I love your down to earth,making life as easy as possible for the newbies trying to make homesteading work in any situation! Now the question: my husband and I LOVE sour sourdough bread . How do I get that? Is it the type of flour, or ? Can’t wait to try making sourdough starter. I’ve been following but was nervous , now I’m ready to make “sour” sourdough bread! God Bless you and your New Year!

[@mtzlfldt]

Oh my word, I'm so excited for your book to come out! I have been using sourdough start for years but have actually only started doing bread this past year. I'm feeling like i want to kick myself for how many times I threw my starter out thinking it was no good! Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@markharris5771]

My wholemeal sourdough is 40 this year...but mine was started by a discard from where I was the chef at the time, and I’d guess it was a few years old by then. My 00, which is the best for pancakes, English muffins, pizza etc is about 35 but it’s great-great-great-grandad is my wholemeal starter. In that time both have been horrendously abused, yet they always bounce back and I know it’s travelled all over the world with friends and relatives. I think some people can be other precious about their starter and I don’t think the ancient Egyptians weighed theirs out to the microgram. Also, even though they had incredibly cool larders, I don’t think they compared to modern fridges for hygiene. There’s starters here in the U.K. that can trace their linage back over a century and I’m sure that there were times they might have been abandoned for several weeks. The longest I've left mine was for a month when I went on honeymoon and it was as right as rain when I fed it. The only things I am really fastidious about are filtering my water, and putting it in a clean sterilised jar when I feed it. I can't remember the last time I discarded any sourdough, but I know it will be decades. The bubbles in your starter are, at a very basic level, wheatgerm farts, I don't need to spell out what hooch is...do I? But that’s the same process for almost any alcohol.

[@varjaca]

Wheat germ farts. 😂😂😂 Dad, is that you?!?

[@FieldFarmForest]

Mark Harris I don’t discard either. I start feeding the little bit left and feed it daily till the jar is full then I usually just make pancakes every Sunday to mostly empty the jar again.

[@lisabeautyskindeep]

Would you sell any of it?

[@markharrisllb]

Lisa Smith I’m in North West England, once we get through this Covid-19 I'll happily give it away if you pay for postage and the jar and relatively local. I’m not sure about it going through any customs if you’re overseas. It’s very hard at the moment to get our hands on strong flour to keep it happy, which if that means more people are making their own bread I’m all for it. I’d like to have it in tip top condition though before giving any out.

[@lisabeautyskindeep]

@@markharrisllb You are very kind. I do live in the USA though. I am trying to make a starter. I wish I could send you some flour. I wonder how much it would cost to send you some? I could check at my post office. Praying for you to be safe through this mess!

[@LeenieVibes]

Sourdough starter crocks have been found buried along the Oregon Trail. Resurrected, they were fine! I wouldn't sweat it.

[@enamored1]

Wow

[@ConstantChaos1]

Shit really? Then there is hope for my wild caught that I accidentally let dry out

[@ginahill503]

Just began sourdough making again, and had thought my technique had failed. But your video inspired me try to carry on, rather than chuck the lot!! Well done you, on the revival! Onward!!

[@gordonreed248]

I am a new sourdough user. I followed some on-line videos to set up my own starter from scratch and thought I had failed so I got a sample of starter from the King Arthur flour people. By the time it arrived my own starter was showing signs of life at around 12 days from my start. My starter maintenance is easy. I dry mix APF and whole wheat flour 50/50 in a quart Mason jar. When I feed I add 40gm of my flour mix, 40gm of water to 25gm of the old starter. This makes it easy to store in an 8 ounce jar in the fridge between feedings. When I want to make bread I pull out one of my starters, feed it enough to use it for a levain the next day and let it sit on the counter over night. After breakfast, I am ready to go with a new loaf of bread. The starter gets fed after I have mixed up my new loaf and goes back in the fridge. I now have 2 starters that I am maintaining and using alternately for my bread. There is a you-tuber, Joshua Weissman, who has a video for a beginner no-knead bread that I sort of followed once. My wife doesn't like whole wheat bread so I shifted it over to a rye bread and did OK for a first time baker. Next I decided I didn't want to make boules so I changed the volume to reflect what might fit in my 9x5 loaf pans and increased the rye content to be 15% of the total flour and cut the APF as an offset to the added rye. The loaf pan forced me to reduce the oven temperature and increase baking time because I had changed the loaf shape, which affects heat transfer. Today I am baking the loaf at 425 and adding 2 tsp of caraway seed at the autolyse stage. When I am sharing this at home I also add a tsp of baking soda during the last blending to cut the acidity of the final product because my wife is not a sourdough fan like I am. These days I am producing a nice rye sandwich bread and have a slice of it in the soup I am eating while I am typing.

[@JensUniqueNibblesandMore]

Thank you for sharing your sourdough story 😊 I had never heard the baking soda trick before

[@chicken26arick]

I put my starter in the frig all the time, especially when I’m traveling. Never had any issues.

[@victoriairwinart]

Hey i really appreciate your channel. You walk thru it so easily it makes it doable for a beginner like me. thank you!

[@JimLambier]

Like many people, i started doing sourdough at the beginning of the pandemic. At some point, i just stopped and abandoned the starter at the back of my fridge. I remembered that the sourdough bread made for the best Thanksgiving stuffing. Mine has been sitting in the fridge for over two years. Hopefully, it's not too far gone!

[@Maddie5004]

Thank you for this video. A similar thing has happened to me. I forgot about my starter in the fridge for approximately 2.5 months and didn’t know whether to throw it out. I will definitely give this a try. 😊

[@mandapanda7407]

I tried making my own starter at the beginning of this spring when my state got our first stay at home orders, but I neglected it when we had to go back to work, sadly. But I'm excited to say that one of my coworkers gave me some of her starter that she got from a friend, who got theirs from a friend, and along a long chain of friends; apparently this batch of wild yeast is the decendant from an original batch of starter from here in the Yukon are from over 100 years ago. Can you imagine?! Keeping a sour dough alive for that long as it's passed along to friends and family? They even named the starter Kodiak Jack and I'm so excited to get to work with him! I can't wait to see how such an old yeast strain will taste!

[@jdrigot]

Looking forward to the book! And thanks to this, I've attempted to revive my starter today! Let you know how it goes!

[@wandastanley5769]

Due to life circumstances, I had to put my sour dough starter in fridge June 12 of this year. I hadn’t even baked anything with it then either. I’m a true beginner! Anyway, I just remembered it yesterday, October 19 and took it out. I hadn’t done anything to it the whole time it was refrigerated. I looked up this video and did what you did. I looked at it this morning and it has bubbles! I’m so surprised! Hopefully I can keep it going and actually make something with it. Thank you for sharing and showing us what your doing! Love and mason jars!

[@waynemuehlenbein2281]

The behind the scenes shot of Jill doing her thing was enlightening. 😊 No wonder her videos seem so professional? 😕

[@monicawhalen6966]

I have a sour dough starter from scratch going and then read if I want to use einkorn flower I had to feed with einkorn flower.... sooo now I have two different starters going ha ha ! What fun.

[@phylibar]

Monica Whalen Lisa from the Farmhouse on Boone channel switches from einkorn to other flours and her starter has been going for over 7 years. She might have some advice for you.

[@monicawhalen6966]

Phylicia B I did see that recently. Thank you !

[@thechickenwire6136]

I'm on day 3 of making a sourdough starter. It had LOTS of bubbles this morning. Yay+

[@theprairiehomestead]

*high-five* !!

[@gordonreed248]

Hang in thee. Time and persistence are your friends.

[@melissaholcomb48]

Mine too! I feed it at noon-ish and I woke up this morning (3rd day) and it’s doubled in size! I’m so happy! Good luck with the rest of your starter and it’s long long life 😊

[@The1AngelLily]

can you take that discard and put it in another jar to keep it going as well? I don't have room for bigger jars but I have a spot that will fit several smaller jars.

[@glendapantley2894]

Yes!

[@gordonreed248]

The discard and the part you keep are identical. Just set up as many as you want and feed them to share them with friends and family.

[@christignor146]

i had a health issue a few yrs ago and my 100yr starter was forgot in fridge for 21/2 yrs and revived vary fast ,2 days was back to perfect

[@JensUniqueNibblesandMore]

Great to know! Similar story at my house, gonna revive mine soon

[@pamelamartin1241]

Thanks for the reminder , I also forgot about my starter in the frig . My mom had knee surgery being of February and with everything thing else going on in life I total forgot about it. Oops ! But I feed it this morning so we'll wait and see. Thanks can't wait for ur class.

[@farmwife7944]

I periodically start a new starter which I find easier than keeping an old one when I am not using it regularly. if you have been baking yeast breads in the past there is a nice yeast present in the environment. I just put some flour with a pinch of sugar and warm water, I never measure, in a dedicated small cloth covered crock on the counter to grow and do the usual feed routine. The yeast in my cabin produces a yummy active starter. I also discard excess , I am not a sour dough starter hoarder.

[@the_travelling_tauriian]

I just took out my starter from the refrigerator after 4 months and re fed it with flour and water. My way to find if the starter is completely useless is when it has moulds on it. I just can't think of redoing a starter from scratch 😀 Also I did read somewhere that you can never kill yeast, especially if it was kept in the refrigerator

[@teardropadventures]

Awesome. Our sour dough sat for about a month when my wife had surgery, so ours looked just like that. (I am the cook; she's the baker.) Also, we loved the cooking series on heritage cooking.

[@Rett1965]

FYI - I totally stopped trying to make bread, and had my starter in the back of the fridge, it had the black watery 'Liquor' I dumped it out, scraped the top layer of the starter, and took some starter from under junky looking stuff. Its been about 2 YEARS since I baked last, hence 2 years since I've feed it - - its starting to bubble ! ! ! I think 'Its... A L I V E !' :)

[@JensUniqueNibblesandMore]

This is the comment I was looking for! I stopped making 2 years ago when my husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My doctor made me go Keto as I was close to the same diagnosis. But something about the pandemic makes me want to revive it, even though we'll have to exercise portion control and give loaves away (nothing makes friends or neighbors happier than fresh baked bread!)

[@Rett1965]

@@JensUniqueNibblesandMore FYI - It was totally fine - just feed it a few days :)

[@desertratgardening]

Ok I was also looking for this comment. I also had the same situation with my starter and I’ve been reviving it for almost 2 weeks. I get bubbles and it doubles in volume but I’ve tried to make bread and it’s not rising. Anybody have some insight on this?

[@phylibar]

Okay, okay I’ll go feed my starter! My starter has been alive since 08/04/2018. I don’t have the best luck with making bread with it because I can’t ever get the timing right with the rise. I stick to pancakes, muffins, tortillas, pizza crust, and other less finicky recipes.

[@katemcloughlin]

Ok, that was super cool! I'm actually going to try my hand at making my first sourdough starter this weekend. Been baking breads with yeast for a while, but I really want to dive into sourdough for the health benefits. This video totally got me jazzed to try it out!

[@theprairiehomestead]

Yay!! You got this, girlfriend!

[@AdeleAud]

My starter has been in the fridge for about 18mths..! I’m about to attempt to wake it up - wish me luck!

[@DouglasCohen1962]

I neglected mine for over a year and was able to bring it back

[@lindsaymoussa2118]

Did it work?!

[@DouglasCohen1962]

@@lindsaymoussa2118 Yes

[@esalenchik]

Adele Terrill I abandoned mine more than 3 years ago, leaving it in the fridge in a jar. It dried out completely,so I added 50% water, and mixed it up. Waited 3 days, saw a few bubbles happening, so then I fed it 1:1:1 and and it got super active. I hope you gave it a try.

[@DouglasCohen1962]

@@esalenchik Nice

[@NorthEast]

There was a lot of great information here that I hadn't heard anywhere else. Thank you!!!!!

[@dileklemons2888]

Can you tell me where you got that glass jar the flowers was in i love especially the lid. Thanks.

[@hansenmarc]

I just watched a video from Ben Starr. He used sourdough starter straight from his refrigerator that hadn’t been fed in 5 months. It took longer to rise (maybe 30 hours or so), but it made great bread and he said he prefers the taste and will continue to use this approach. Just an FYI for anyone who prefers a lazy approach to sourdough.

[@1171]

Thanks love you’re method of how to take care of the sour dough starter I have the same train of thought I do what is best for me and I don’t have scales and add wheat and rock it to sleep 🛌 and burp it every hour . 😂lol I just do what’s logical for me as a woman who’s been cooking since I was 8 years old and I still cook a lot at 68 years old and I remember when I was making loads of bread for my children and got my own mom reintroduced to it and it was so much fun for her bless her she’s now gone but we loved cooking. Thank you I have subscribed and I will be watching you I love your videos!😊❤🙏👏👏👏

[@sharonerlenbusch5534]

I absolutely love your videos!! Thank you. I have recently started a sour dough starter and today tried your brownie recipe from your book. What a delicious brownie and again I say Thank You! Stay warm this winter. Greetings from chilly S.D.

[@deniserollick1746]

I was waiting for you to put it in a clean jar! :)

[@smallfootprint2961]

I'm not a clean freak, but I like to take out what I'm going to use and put a starter amount in a clean jar (usually 1/2 C) and use the rest to make a pancake or two. It's fun to start anew.

[@kristalmonteith9699]

Can't wait for your cookbook!! Doing the 30 day cleanse right now so not baking but will be next month!! Love your hat btw :)

[@theprairiehomestead]

Yay-- thank you!

[@kcconaty5270]

Love all your information and help with all homestead homemade everything, just started a starter @ a week & ago, but I might have to start over... I’ll try one more time today with it. Oh where did you buy that nice big Flour jar? Thanks for sharing 😍

[@greenmouseguard]

Jill Your Awesome & So Honest Lol Linda from Ct👍🏻

[@joedudley8925]

I left my sour dough starter in the fridge for about 2 to 3 years without feeding it , tried reviving it this winter , it’s still alive hope it’s safe to use

[@TheLittleBlackShadeTree]

I love baking bread but have never used a starter (only normal yeast) and have always wanted to try. I honestly have no idea where to start so I am so excited for your video tutorial on March 11!

[@larstitland6965]

From Lugano, Switzerland: very helpful, thank you very much!

[@elainehollandshort3767]

Sorry I missed the March 2019 special. Look forward to your cook books.

[@americanconstitutionalist7485]

What is I just found you in 2023 & I'm interested in your course learning everything from scratch? Have you got a DVD or something I can sign up for?

[@gordonreed248]

As a person who simply gave up on store bought bread, I have been doing my own sourdough bread for about a year and a half. I make a new loaf about every 6 days with the two starters I maintain. That means it is almost two weeks between uses for each starter. I use small amounts of the starter (maybe 40 gm) to establish a room temperature levain in the evening and by the next morning it is jamming and ready to use to make my bread. The remaining unused starter does 2 things. I use about 25 to 30 gm to start a new starter and waste the rest. My new starter is mixed as 1 part starter to 2 parts flour and 2 parts water by weight. My newly fed starter sits on the counter next to the levain until I press the levain into use to make bread. Then the starter goes into the fridge to await its next use. While it is in storage I do see a small amount of hooch build up but I just stir that in before measuring my starter for my levain. The flour I use for feeding my starter is a simple mix of 1:1 wheat flour and APF that I eyeball and keep in a quart jar. That jar gets used to dust a kneeding surface or similar uses but also provides my starter feedings.

[@dianehammer7559]

I have a starter that is almost 40 years old that I almost killed it! 😳 I feed mine with sugar, water and potato flakes. It makes amazing bread and cinnamon buns!!

[@EllensAbundantLifeonLess]

Oh my...recipe please?? I started one with Kombucha...still trying to perfect it.

[@lisabeautyskindeep]

Diane would you sell any of it?

[@krisjanagorham9146]

I've signed up for the course! I am new to sourdough - my starter is about a month old, and I haven't done bread yet. Lots of pancakes, though. I'm a little intimidated by the bread so I'm very excited to watch. Thanks so much for blessing us and sharing what you know!

[@theprairiehomestead]

Yay! You'll love the bread recipe in the course-- it's super easy and non-intimidating!

[@GypsyWomanjs]

Thank you! You saved the sourdough starter my friend gifted to me!

[@gardenstatesowandsew]

Thank you ❤

[@jenniferbreukelman4738]

I'm not sure if it's the same or similar but I have used the Amish friendship bread starter and any time I need a break from it I freeze the starter and just defrost it and start feeding it again when I want to start baking again. Would this be something to try?

[@theprairiehomestead]

Hmmmm... that might work! I know you can successfully dehydrate sourdough starter, so it seems like freezing should be fine too. I should try it!

[@tracybruring8440]

I am on day 3 of a brand new einkorn sourdough. I hope to have this starter for the rest of my life and I have told my grand kids I will be sharing with them as well. I try to eat low carb which is very very hard. However I have decided I will fit homemade bread into my diet somehow.

[@cindybrown7878]

All signed up for the free preview, book is on pre-order.. I'm just a little excited about it!

[@marylouise890]

#Justin Took my hand and led me to you And wow I am so happy he did! Nice to met you and can’t wait to start watching and catching up. Do you have to have a starter to make Sourdough? I’m working to make our own bread products. After seeing a KZbin vid on the making of store bought bread 🤢

[@tanyahumphries4695]

Is there heritage crash course available? I would love to take it.

[@zonadaworks]

Mine sat for like 4 months hanging out in the fridge. I just opened it up this morning, dumped out the grey goo... it [the gummy concrete at the bottom] totally smells like white out or paint! I don't see any mold, so I'm trying your method over the next few days. Did the 1st revival feed right away, and the bubbles did come back within 3 hours :-) Not gonna cook with it for another 2 feedings because I'm feelin like the starter might have absorbed the smell of the refrigerator ha ha ha.

[@gianaseppanen]

You should check out The Eliiot Homestead's video about a dry sourdough starter!

[@kwanwonggemma]

Thank you! But Did you restart your starter with room temperature or straight out from fridge?

[@BulletproofPastor]

I'm the bread maker at our house and cultured our own sourdough starter from scratch. Whenever I need to discard some starter our chickens crowd in to "put on the makeup". They love it down here in TX.

[@susanenright4991]

Can I use Bread Flour to Start Sourdough Starter ? Loving your Channel, Can’t wait to get your cookbook. Xo , Susan from Alabama

[@michelesoto5919]

Wish I had seen this when I composted mine a few times because I thought it was bad because I forgot it in the back of the fridge after vacation. Because of your-how .to make starter, I have one on day three. Finally warm today so hoping for a better response. Temps are dropping now!

[@FieldFarmForest]

My sourdough spent the fridge all winter too. It took about a week of feeding it for it to perk back up.

[@lucindasutt7365]

Beautiful!

[@farmdream5001]

Thank you for all the great how tos on your channel! It is very helpful. :)

[@Gary-kg4ok]

Why do you have to discard part of it or keep adding to it? Why don’t you just put it in the refrigerator until you need it

[@stellawright4254]

Thank you so much for sharing your video! I was worried about my week old starter without feeding. And I got my answer haha.

[@HiddenBlessingsHomestead]

Wow that is shocking! I am just beginning to use a starter to make bread and am excited to find this video, it helps me not feel so scared LOL. By the way I love your kitchen!

[@lisavigliotta5480]

Reviving mine from 8 months ago! Woo hoo!

[@comesahorseman]

I've kept ale yeast cultures in the fridge in the same way for that long & longer; they were fine when re-pitched.

[@rosewarrior7458]

Yes, I never discard and waste flour.....organic flour is expensive. I do make waffles, pizza dough etc. and all other kinds of yummy recipes

[@lisavineyard348]

Ok I don't know anything about making bread but I've always wanted to make it. So this has made yeast! If I want to make rolls with it I use this instead of a package of yeast, right?

[@stephanieupchurch3422]

I'm incredibly intimidated by sour dough. I'm thinking I'll jump in and try it in the next few weeks though, my husband loves fresh bread.

[@theprairiehomestead]

It's SO doable-- you got this!

[@rosecityremodel2015]

Buying your cookbook right now!

[@robertm348]

OK, Jill, I have a few comments and some questions. First, thank you so much for what you do! I have learned so much from you, while getting inaccurate information from other cooking channels, cookbooks and cooking shows. Second, you are pretty, smart and I love your somewhat dry sense of humor! I would ask you to marry me, but there would be obvious obstacles such as: you are young, I am, well, let's just say not young; You would have to move to the south because I'm sure not moving north; I'm not sure my wife would let me; and lastly, I'm betting your husband would want to beat me up! I hope he realizes what a great catch he made! Question: When you make your sourdough bread, what is the ratio of starter to flour? Do you also add water and oil, if so, how much and what kind? Thanks again, I am so happy I found your channel!

[@shannonkernall-singh9611]

This was so helpful! I've tried and failed several times to create a successful sourdough starter. I accidentally threw away an entire batch I was working on because I didn't know that hooch (?) was normal. I look forward to watching your cooking videos in March!

[@ka6148]

I check for the fruity yeast smell

[@theprairiehomestead]

Yeah, the hooch is totally unappetizing for sure! But not bad, otherwise. ;)

[@loriandrew6690]

I started my starter 2 days ago and I'm seeing bubbles! A few more days and I'll be baking sourdough bread!

[@beatrizsandoval4395]

Lori & Andrew I am making mine. Day 7 but I think it need a few more day. The house it’s kind of cold so I think that’s the reason.

[@suefox5162]

just started to watvch your channel. love the videos

[@soraleahleschen1863]

I am trying to find a way to raise my sprouted spelt berries when I bake them into bread or rolls. I am on my 3rd try to get the starter going. My question is, when I finally have a bubbly starter, how much do I add to my sprouted spelt berries? I want to make little rolls, not a whole bread. What temperature do I bake them at and for how long? Thanks

[@dugchris2009]

Thanks, good to know. I haven't had a sour dough starter in a long time. May I asked where you bought the glass container with flour in it? Hope you have a blessed day.

[@theprairiehomestead]

Ikea, I think. Although I get a lot of those from TJ Maxx too!

[@teardropadventures]

We use a half gallon Mason jar.

[@walkbyfaithfamily9177]

Love my SD starter! I am terrible at keeping track of feedings and I just eyeball the water and flour... but it has never failed me! 🤗 I think I have tried most of the recipes from Lisa at Farmhouses on Boone. My favorite thing to make is the English muffins- best food ever!!

[@southernladywithmanyhats7428]

I'm wondering if you can freeze some starter so if you lose yours you can get the frozen one out and get it going? I've never made sourdough but have ordered a starter and ready to get started when it gets here.

[@superphone5559]

I have never discarded my starter as I was getting it going just added one cup water to one and one fourth flour....mine always makes great sour dough!! I just couldn't discard (throw out )the starter 😊!Is that unusual? Never mind finished the blog...and got my questioned answered....thank you for this video!!!😊

[@NolaGB]

I'm from the Bay Area where they're quite well known for their sourdough., but live in Tennessee, so I have sourdough starter on my counter. I don't refrigerate it, but you most definitely can! I feed it, usually, daily by removing a healthy cupful, sometimes use it, sometimes don't and replacing what I removed with equal amounts of flour and water. So, remove a cupful, replace with cup of flour and cup of water mixed well and then lightly cover it with a tea towel. Biggest difference and not sure that it matters one way or the other ... I clean my crock or jar when it gets really messy looking. Right now, my starter is fairly young, as starters go, being just a couple of years old. I will refrigerate it if I'm to be out of town for a while. Enjoyed your video! Great success with your book!!!

[@patmaier6917]

I made my starter years ago. I make it and give away, think people are tired of me trying to give them a loaf do SDBread. But making it is good for the brain, right? I usually make tree loafs at a time. Crazy aren’t L

[@johnclarke6647]

Which is better a loose starter or a thick starter?

[@JcUDE]

I signed up for you cooking March 11-15. I will be on a church mission trip to Costa Rica. I am wondering if I am able to see the videos after the 16th?

[@jodi183]

Thank you for your insight and accessible sourdough starter assistance!

[@plantsoverpills1643]

Can you put your discard in the compost????

[@lilliansfavorites3320]

I am trying my best to get a sourdough starter going. I’m on my second one in three weeks, maybe four. My house is warm right now because I haven’t turned the air on yet, it’s about 77-78 degrees. I leave my starter out and feed it everyday but it really doesn’t look that great. Is it too warm in my house for it and should I be keeping it in the refrigerator?

[@bloomingbadger]

I've revived a starter left in the fridge without feeding for two years.

[@varjaca]

😲😲😲 really??? Do you tighten the lid or leave it loose in the fridge?

[@bloomingbadger]

​@@varjaca I unscrewed it just enough to let the gas out once a week for about a month, then screwed the lid on tight and left it. I had planned to continue letting out the gas, but just forgot ... and continued forgetting.

[@varjaca]

😲 so even children like me, in the bodies and ages of adults, can make and keep my own starter?! 👌

[@juniperpocaid6805]

I just revived my starter after at least 3 years, lid on tight, never touched it the whole time.

[@nicolebarranco8281]

Wow I am beyond shocked it lived. How many years have you had it?

[@theprairiehomestead]

This one is not quite a year old-.