Any Home Bakers Here?

[SnapdragonQ]

I've started putting a half cup of sourdough starter in my GF bread. I love the results. Sorry, no picture, I ate the evidence...

I really need to start one.

 

[Aria]

YES. It is a whole new adventure....well worth it. Ron
sent me my SDS September 2016 and Genesis has
been working perfect. The Bread is Healthier for you. And it is fun to watch it grow and stay active.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

YES. It is a whole new adventure....well worth it. Ron
sent me my SDS September 2016 and Genesis has
been working perfect. The Bread is Healthier for you. And it is fun to watch it grow and stay active.

Did you ever have trouble maintaining it when it was harder to find flour?

I had a regular flour one many many years ago and remember being able to store it in the fridge, but it's been so long I can't remember.

With GF flours still being so much more expensive I've been putting off making the starter because I'm not sure what to do with the discards while starting it.

Though, I do have plenty of oatmeal I could chop up for oat flour to add in to reduce the brown rice flour needed....

 

[BullChick]

Did you ever have trouble maintaining it when it was harder to find flour?

I had a regular flour one many many years ago and remember being able to store it in the fridge, but it's been so long I can't remember.

With GF flours still being so much more expensive I've been putting off making the starter because I'm not sure what to do with the discards while starting it.

Though, I do have plenty of oatmeal I could chop up for oat flour to add in to reduce the brown rice flour needed....

Pancakes, biscuits, and the animals are all uses. You can also freeze the starter.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Pancakes, biscuits, and the animals are all uses. You can also freeze the starter.

Freeze it?
Like one can freeze the jars of yeast and they still work fine? .....which I get because they are dry granules, but doesn't freezing the SD starter harm the cultures?

...or, are the cultures ok enough to use to get things going gain later?

Sorry for the dumb questions, I'm just not versed in sourdough starters.

 

[Aria]

I never have discards. And I keep mine in the refrigerator. Take it out the night before I bake. I
take 3 T and put it in a clean jar....add 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water stir...leave and it is ready to use in
Morning to bake. I feed the starter and let it rise and back in the refrigerator. It is MUCH easier to keep small amounts of SDS to bake. IT CAN BE FED and it does grow. Once you get a system it
and it does grow. Once you get a system. IT DOES work.
The system is YOURS...depending on how often you Bake. Experimenting helps. AND Ron is
always to Help. You just need to ask him. Ron is the EXPERT on Sourdough.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

I never have discards. And I keep mine in the refrigerator. Take it out the night before I bake. I
take 3 T and put it in a clean jar....add 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water stir...leave and it is ready to use in
Morning to bake. I feed the starter and let it rise and back in the refrigerator. It is MUCH easier to keep small amounts of SDS to bake. IT CAN BE FED and it does grow. Once you get a system it
and it does grow. Once you get a system. IT DOES work.
The system is YOURS...depending on how often you Bake. Experimenting helps. AND Ron is
always to Help. You just need to ask him. Ron is the EXPERT on Sourdough.

Thank you!

I think the part that trips me up is the in-betweens. How to keep it, how to feed it, how to store it without a lot of discards. If I could get one going I would probably bake more often, especially if I could use it in a lot of different things like muffins, pancakes, and everyday breads.

@Sally PB didn't I read somewhere a little while back that you feed yours brown rice flour and oat flour?

 

[Swiss]

Freeze it?
Like one can freeze the jars of yeast and they still work fine? .....which I get because they are dry granules, but doesn't freezing the SD starter harm the cultures?

...or, are the cultures ok enough to use to get things going gain later?

Sorry for the dumb questions, I'm just not versed in sourdough starters.

They aren't dumb questions. Everyone on this thread is extremely helpful and kind (and loves sharing information). Don't ever be afraid to ask for information.

If I remember correctly, multiple people on here freeze some of their starter as "insurance". So if, for example, someone drops their jar on the ground and it shatters, they can pull it out of the freezer, and revive it when it thaws by feeding it. I should really do this, as I can be really clumsy some days!

 

[Swiss]

@SnapdragonQ
@ronott1 posted this at some point:

You can freeze it for long term storage. It can be frozen for years but is most active for three months:

Freezing
If you are not going to use the starter for a while, it can be stored in the freezer for up to
three months (Starter can still be used after three months, but will take more time to
restart). Before using, remove the starter from the freezer and let it thaw slowly in the
refrigerator for 24 hours. Stir in equal amounts of flour and warm milk. Let stand
overnight in a warm place. In the morning it will greet you with that familiar appetizing
sourdough aroma.

You can dry it too which will let it keep for years!

 

[BullChick]

Freeze it?
Like one can freeze the jars of yeast and they still work fine? .....which I get because they are dry granules, but doesn't freezing the SD starter harm the cultures?

...or, are the cultures ok enough to use to get things going gain later?

Sorry for the dumb questions, I'm just not versed in sourdough starters.

As others said, it’s not dumb if you don’t know the answer. I recently didn’t like the smell or look of Jenn, so I washed her down the sink, and removed the rest of her from the freezer (I am dying laughing right now). When her head was defrosted, I gave her warm water to speed things up. An hour later she was already bubbly. After she was fed (no discard) a good meal, and had sat on the counter for two days, I restarted another jar, fed her, and placed her back in the freezer. I think she’d been in the freezer a year.