How much Starter should I keep
OK So now my starter is nice and viable. I am trying to get into a phase of feeding and using. I am planning on making some Norwich every weekend tell after thanksgiving and I need 390 grams for the recipe. My issue is:
1. Should I even attempt to refrigerate my mother starter (I have about 250 grams in the fridge I am planning on feeding once a week or replacing with discarded stater (Another question I have)).
2. When I make my ripe starter how much starter should I plan on starting with. Does it matter if I start with 100 Grams and feed it 200 grams water and flour. Should I try to have 200 grams of starter and feed it 200 grams of each.
3. Should I on the feeding before mixing be using a 1:2:2 or a 2:1:1 ratio. My starter has trippled and starting to fall after about 10 hours
Personally I hate wasting this much starter but understand this is part of the game. I have not gotten to a point where I can make sourdough pancakes or English muffins. I Also want to make SD Pretzels but have not found a good recipe for it yet.
I try to keep 20-40g of starter on hand when it isn't being used, that way I don't have to feed it nearly as much flour when I do my maintenance feedings, which are generally close to 1:1:1 depending on how sour I want it to be when I do use it. When it comes time to build it up for baking, I will feed at a much higher ratio, 1:3:3 or 1:4:4, to get it to the amount I need in one or two feedings.
In my opinion, keeping a large amount of starter on hand is great if you want to go through a large amount of flour in a short period of time, but unnecessary for any other purpose except perhaps sourdough pancakes.
Feed my starter once a day from day 0 to day 4. Then on Day 5 to 6.5 feed it twice a day to get to what I need to bake. Will slowing down the feeding process do any thing to my dough as long as I give it a good couple of feeding before I want to use it.
PS Norwich Round 2 is tonight. I typed out the instructions as to not miss a step as I did in Round 1. Lets see how they come out.
I wouldn't slow down your feedings to less than twice a day when your starter is thriving, you'll starve it. That said, if you're just storing it, feeding it once a week and keeping it in the refrigerator is fine.
I don't know why, but I do. I feed it weekly, more or less. 15g starter/45g water/60g flour. I feed it 70% AP/20% WW/10% whole rye. Oh, yeah. Now I remember why I do this. It's what David suggested (or maybe he said 180g).
And it works for a vibrant starter. Every week I feed the starter. I add the excess old starter to a big jar, and when I get enough, I make sourdough pancakes or waffles. The newly fed starter is left on the counter overnight and then refrigerated.
Here's David's blog post about the care and feeding of starter (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19250/premarital-counseling-advice-my-baby-brother-aspiring-sourdough-baker).
Good luck.
Glenn
Hi there.
I keep two startes going int the fridge and feed them once a week if I dont use them during that time. I feed one cup flower, one water, discard one cup from mother jar.
My two starters are, one wild that I did here on the Bay.
the other is the 250 yr old KAF.
Both are doing great, and have had no problem keeping them going.
When I use, I take out one cup the night before baking. Add one cup water and flour and let it set overnight. It is bout at it's peak when I am ready to bake the next day.
It has been working well so far. Crossing fingers.
Jim Baugh
JBO TV