Maintaining Sourdough Starter - Are potato flakes/water necessary?
I just got some sourdough starter going with the Oregon Trail, and it seems to be doing quite well. However, the guide calls for using potato flakes or potato water to feed it- having neither, I hoped for the best and used some arrowroot powder instead. I'm not sure what the purpose of the potato stuff is- is it just food? I figured it might be primarily for providing starch, in which case the arrowroot should be fine.
Best Answer
I feed sourdough starter with strong white bread flour mixed with water to make a sloppy dough. This is a common method in the UK and it seems to work well.
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What kind of water should I use to keep my sourdough starter healthy?
Spoon 1/2 cup (113g) starter into a bowl; either discard the remaining starter, or use it in another recipe (see "tips," below). Add 1 scant cup (113g) flour and 1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm water to the 1/2 cup (113g) starter in the bowl.How do you make sourdough starter with potato flakes?
Make the Starter FeederIn a small bowl, mix together the warm water, sugar, and potato flakes. Add to the starter, mixing well. Let the mixture stand on the countertop for 8 hours, stirring every so often. Refrigerate for three to five days before making the bread.How do you maintain sourdough starter without discard?
To keep it happy and make it thrive you have to feed the wild yeast living in your starter. Feeding is as simple as adding more flour and water. You open the jar, put it on a scale, add equal parts flour and water, stir it all up, pop the lid back on loosely and put the container back where-ever you keep it.Does sourdough starter need filtered water?
Either tap water, spring water, bottled water or filtered purified can be used to feed a sourdough starter. As important minerals are removed from distilled water it's not recommended. Any drinkable water is suitable for a starter. But, if local tap water is heavily chlorinated bottled water should be considered.Learn How to Begin and Feed a Mashed Potato Sourdough Starter: See EVERY Step!
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Answer 2
I've never used anything other than good old bread flour or all-purpose flour. I've had a lot of success with Peter Reinhart's system of doubling the weight of your starter with equal parts flour and water. In other words, if your starter weighs 4 ounces, feed your starter with 2 ounces flour and 2 ounces water. Hope this helps!
Answer 3
I've only ever used white flour and water, nothing else. I mix mine with equal weights of both to get a 100% hydration starter.
Nothing else is at all necessary.
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