Sourdough Starter & Sourdough Recipes

[Teresa]

I will try to explain this in a detailed way... as sometimes I think when we explain something that we have been doing for a long time, we tend to leave out the little things... so bear with me..and I will just talk about it a bit... and try not to leave out stuff.

I always make my starter in a  warm 1/2 gallon jar.Fill with hot water and let set... then dump and add your yeast that is dissolved in a cup of warm water.. your flour and more warm water.
Do not use metel whisks or metal spoons or metal anything at any time with your starter.. Don't ask me why.. it might have something to do with the reaction to the metal and the yeast maybe.

I NEVER put mine in the fridge..unless I am going to be gone for a full week or 2 and can't feed it.. Cold or cool will put it to sleep temporarily.
A starter needs "fed"...
In other words.. you really need to use part of it in something at least once a week.. so you can feed it back.. ( by mixing and putting warm water and flour back into the jar)
When you feed  a starter , it should be and WILL be very bubbly  and alive..and even might ...after it sets on the counter, for an hour or 2.. will bubble and raise over the jar.  I use a piece of cheese cloth secured over the jar top with a rubber band. ( because cheesecloth  breathes )
Depends on what I am going to make.. as I don't use recipes.. I just handful of this and handful of that.. but I use a heavier amount of starter in my recipes than a lot of people do. I have the recipes posted on here... but even then, I use more starter and cut down on the milk...
Then I feed it back .

It should... for the first 4-5 hours or so when you first make it.. be bubbly and almost kind of foamy even. I usually set mine by the Bunn coffee maker.. The little bit of warmth from the steel water reservoir will keep it from getting too cold and going dead.

Then the 2nd day, I add more warm water and flour...
Then the 3rd day..I add more flour and warm water.. using more flour than water. When at the end of the 3 days, I have a jar that is almost full of something about like thin pancake batter.
True starter will have a separation of liquid and solid. There will be about an inch or 2 of liquid that comes to the top. This is perfect. Just stir it back in on occasion with a wooden spoon. Of course when you use a cup or 2 of the starter and you feed it back.. you will keep it stirred.
Your starter should have a wonderful pungent sour smell and lay quiet when it is ready to use. 

If you have any more questions...  ask away.. or call me...
I will do my best to help you.

I have made pancakes..corn bread.. flour tortillas, bread, cinnamon rolls... biscuits..
They have all been excellent..

If you think your starter is dead.. check it by turning on your oven to about 150... until it warms up.. and set your jar inside.. turning off the oven. Let it set in there...See if that does anything to it..
I have used the premade starters.. but actually all they are is a "special yeast" that maybe ..because of climate ..area..and conditions.. do better in getting started. But they are good. I used them for years.. but none of them did ..for me.. as well as the champagne yeast that I use now. I had a problem with them going dead too soon..
A good starter should  stay active and last you a year or more.

Just try a bunch of different ones until you find one that gives you all of the above charateristics.