When is the best time to use my sourdough starter?
When I feed my sourdough starter and leave it out to make bread, it reaches max size in about 6 or 7 hours, then it begins to fall back. Is this the point at which I should make bread in order to get the maximum rise from my starter?
Best Answer
From my experience, using the starter when it is at it's peak activity will help your dough rise faster but not necessarily higher. There are a lot of factors that contribute to how much dough expands when baked including, but by no means limited to: loaf shape, docking pattern, oven temperature, and oven humidity.
Be aware that there can also be a point at which dough has risen too much and the structure and texture suffers.
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Quick Answer about "When is the best time to use my sourdough starter?"
The very short answer is, your sourdough starter generally will be at its peak anything between 4 and 12 hours after feeding. The optimum time to use it will be when there are lots of bubbles at its surface and it has has physically risen to its peak level, just before deflating back down again.When should you not use sourdough starter?
However, if you see a pink or orange tint or streak, this is a sure sign that your sourdough starter has gone bad and should be discarded. The stiff starter above was left out at room temperature for two weeks. It's definitely time to throw it out and start over.How long do you have to wait to use sourdough starter after feeding it?
Schedule for feeding your sourdough starter: Your starter needs to be fed about 1x per week if refrigerated, and every day if left at room temperature. Generally, about 5-6 hours after feeding my starter is ready. The time may vary based on room temp, dough temp, etc.Should sourdough starter be at room temperature before using?
When you want to use your sourdough starter in a recipe, feed it and stand at room temperature for 4-8 hours before you intend using it. It should at least double in volume and bubbles will start breaking the surface in this time, which will indicate that it is strong and 'active' enough to use.Understanding Sourdough Starter | feeding, ratios, leaven, when to use, what to feed
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Answer 2
I rarely care about the state of the starter dough. IMHO, it is one of the least important factors. The amount of impurities in the flour is the most important factor for my results at home. The "dirtier", the better. I get the best results by far with stone-milled organic flour from a regional producer.
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