Why stir sourdough only with wooden spoons?
When reading about sourdough (in german texts at least), they almost always say to stir it with a wooden spoon.
Why do they do that? Does metal or plastic somehow interfere with the sourdough?
Best Answer
This is not true anymore, and modern recipes omit that part.
Back then, when silverware was made either from silver or pre-stainless-steel-alloys the acid in sourdough (and other foods*) would interact with the metal and corrode/color the metal and/or spoil the food.
So put your sourdough in your (stainless steel) mixing bowl and knead it in your kitchen machine as you like.
*examples (thanks to @Stephie): eggs (there were special egg-spoons made from horn or tortoise shell and later bakelite or plastic to prevent the sulphur in the eggs interacting with the metal), marmelade/jam (special spoons, jam would get runny if it got in contact with the wrong spoon), potatoes (there is a rule to not cut them with a knife).
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Quick Answer about "Why stir sourdough only with wooden spoons?"
Wooden spoons give you a firm strong handle to hold, making stirring easier and more effective–and without any fear of the handle breaking. It also provides you with a solid tool for scraping things off the sides and bottom of your pan.What happens if I stir my sourdough starter with a metal spoon?
Things that WON'T kill your sourdough starter METAL: Stirring your starter with a metal spoon or placing it in a metal bowl won't kill your starter. While we don't recommend making or keeping your starter in contact with reactive metals like copper or aluminum, stainless steel is harmless.Do you have to use a wooden spoon with sourdough starter?
There are a few rules when working with sourdough. Starter should never come in contact with metal. It should always be stirred with a wooden spoon, and after it's mixed, it should be stored in glass, plastic or pottery containers. Also, the starter can be stored in the refrigerator and used as needed.Is it OK to mix sourdough bread metal bowl?
Glass and ceramic can work too, but make sure it's thick enough to take a beating. You'll want to stay away from metals other than stainless steel because the acid in the sourdough can react with the metal and leach toxins into your dough, however it's uncommon to find non-stainless steel metal mixing bowls.Can you use metal utensils with sourdough?
Any scientific evidence to support "no metal utensils or bowls" for sourdough? I have seen a lot of this chatter but rarely anything to back it up. "never stir your starter with ssteel or metal utensils", "never rise your dough in a ss bowl" etc.wooden spoon machine for big homeuse spoon
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