Stop Slowly Killing Your Sourdough: How to Feed for Strong Starter

The number one mistake I see beginner sourdough bakers make is religiously following the original instructions on how to feed their starter.

If told to feed 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water per day, they continue that cycle even as the starter grows. Eventually, they’re left with 4 cups of “half-dead” starter that can’t even lift a loaf of bread. There’s just one thing they don’t understand yet:

Sourdough needs to double.

The Math of a Healthy Starter

If you have 1/2 cup sourdough, it needs to be fed at least 1/2 cup flour and enough water to make it a thick lumpy batter with no dry pockets of flour. But if you have 4 cups of starter, that “monster” needs 4 cups of new flour to stay healthy.

I know that sounds insane — now you have 8 cups! So, what’s the solution? Use these two principles to keep your starter from devouring the flour budget whole:

Shrink Before You Feed: “Discard” or use up your sourdough before feeding, making sure to leave about 1/2 cup starter left to feed
The “Hibernation” Hack: Keep your starter in the fridge. It slows its growth down so it only needs to be fed once a week.

Okay, so how often should you feed your starter if you’re keeping it on the kitchen counter? Daily, and if it’s really hot out then technically twice daily. That’s why most home bakers keep their starters hibernating in the fridge and just pull it out to wake up when they’re ready to bake.

The Secret to a “Stronger” Starter

Want a more robust, healthy rise? Here is the secret:

You can’t over-feed sourdough starter.

If you need to “resurrect” some near dead starter feed it over double its volume for a feeding or two and see how healthy and bubbly it gets.

This might sound crazy if you have been obsessing over measuring everything perfectly, but I don’t measure. I just eyeball it when I double my flour and err on the side of a little over double. Then I add water and mix until it is a lumpy batter consistency with no dry flour pockets.

What About the Discard?

Before you despair about being up to your eyeballs in extra starter, remember: Anything that is made with flour and liquid can be made with sourdough starter.

You don’t even need new recipes. There is a simple equation for substituting starter into the family favorites you already use. Plus, you can even use that discard to replace buttermilk and activate baking soda in almost any recipe.

Click here to learn my Simple Substitution Equation & Technique