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Keeping and Using a Sourdough Starter

Published on
November 6, 2025

There's something timeless about a jar of sourdough starter sitting on the kitchen counter - a living link between the past and present. Speaking of the past, did you know that archaeologists have found evidence of naturally fermented (aka sourdough) bread dating back over 5000 years? In fact, a well-kept sourdough starter could easily outlive you and me. Some kitchens have starters in use today that are over 100 years old, lovingly passed down like family heirlooms.

For generations, home bakers have kept jars of sourdough starter as a part of their everyday life...feeding and using it is second nature. But if that's not a part of your normal routine or you have never used sourdough before, it can feel a little intimidating to not only use it but also keep it alive!Worry not, my friend - it's much simpler than you think. I've had the same starter for about 5 years, and even with severe neglect it's still alive and bubbly.

‍What, exactly, is sourdough?Basically, a sourdough starter is just a mixture of flour, water, and natural yeast. Each starter is unique because the wild yeast in your kitchen (in the air, in the water, in the flour) and even on your hands contributes to the starter's "personality" and that affects how hardy it is, how it behaves, and even - to an extent - the flavor of your finished baked goods. No two starters in the world are exactly the same.There are essentially three ways you can get going with your own sourdough starter:

  1. get it from a friend or family
  2. buy it either online or in person
  3. make your own

If you purchase a starter, it should come with step-by-step directions that tell you what to do right away and each day after that until it's ready to use. I actually bought mine in dehydrated form on Etsy, and it came with wonderful instructions that covered how to rehydrate it, what to do each day for a week, and how to maintain it. The seller also included a few complimentary recipes.Making your own sourdough starter is easy, although tedious, but in my experience, it doesn't always yield a strong starter and baking results can be hit-or-miss. Here are quick instructions to make a sourdough starter from scratch:Day 1

  • mix flour and water together at a 2:1 ratio (1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water) - the water should be warm but not hot
  • use a clean glass container (mason jar works great)
  • stir to combine until a thick paste forms
  • cover loosely with a lid, or use a thin cloth or coffee filter and secure - air flow is important here because gas formed during fermentation can cause the jar to break
  • put in a safe place and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours

Day 2

  • get a clean jar and scoop out 1/4 cup of the starter.
  • in the new jar add starter, water, and flour at a 1:1:2 ratio (1/4 cup starter + 1/4 cup water + 1/2 cup flour)
  • stir to combine, cover, and let sit for 24 hours at room temperature

Days 3-6

  • repeat day 2 process
  • notice when you start seeing bubbles - that indicates your wild yeast is thriving and growing
  • you can also use a rubber band to mark the level right after feeding and watch the starter grow & expand throughout the day
  • the goal is to have the starter double in 12 hours or less; when that happens, it is ready to use

The best option, in my opinion, is to find someone who has a starter and get some from them. If you get a fresh starter or discard from a family or friend, you can just jump right in and start using it after one or two feedings. This would be "maintaining" your starter.Discard refers to the portion of the starter that is taken out when it needs to be fed. If a person didn't "discard" some of the starter and just kept feeding it every day without using it every day, it would be an unmanageable amount in just a few days.

‍How do I maintain a sourdough starter?

‍Despite what you might think, sourdough starters are not as high maintenance as it sounds once they are up and going. If you are going to be using it every day, then just feed it to replenish after you use it. But ALWAYS remember to leave some to feed...even if it's just a couple tablespoons.Some bakers measure by weight, which is the proper way;

‍ I measure by quantity and always use the 1:1:2 ratio - that's equal parts water and starter and double flour. My exact quantities are 1/2 cup starter, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup flour and I use a wide-mouth quart mason jar with a coffee filter and metal jar ring to secure the filter. I keep it tucked in next to the stove, so it isn't bumped but also, so I see it and remember to feed it.

If you are using your starter or don't mind feeding it every couple days it can stay out at room temperature. That's what I do. And if I'm being honest, sometimes I go a while without feeding it and it has survived all this time. After a week of neglect, it will take a couple days of feeding to come back to normal, but it always does.Another option for longer stretches between using and feeding is to store your starter in the refrigerator. For this I would put a plastic lid on it (not the coffee filter). To go this route, just feed your starter as normal, put the lid on it, pop it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to use it - you will have to plan ahead a day or two - bring it out of the fridge, let it come to room temperature for 6-12 hours, feed it every 12-24 hours for a day or so, watching it closely. When it's bubbly and growing and doubling in less than 12 hours, you are ready to bake with it.

‍What do I do with the discard?

I actually bake more with the discard than making true sourdough recipes. A quick Internet search will give you more ideas for using sourdough discard than you could make in a year! I've found some great keeper recipes that way, but you really don't need a recipe to use sourdough discard - you can easily add it in to any of your favorite recipes, as long as the recipe calls for flour.To use sourdough starter discard in a non-sourdough recipe just substitute equal parts of flour and water (or other liquid) from the original recipe with 2 parts discard. Here's an example - my favorite banana bread recipe does not call for sourdough discard. It does call for 2 cups of flour and 1/4 cup of milk.

When I feed my starter, I have about 3/4 cup of discard left. So, I dump that in my banana bread batter, reduce my flour to 1.5 cups and leave out the milk completely. I don't notice a difference in taste, but when I add sourdough discard, the loaves are much taller and softer texture.Here's a list of ideas where you could add sourdough discard into non-sourdough recipes: pancakes, waffles, yeast breads, quick breads & muffins, biscuits, cinnamon or other sweet rolls, casseroles with a crust or crumbly top, cornbread, cheese sauces or other roux-type sauces, cakes or other desserts, chowders or creamy soups, any vegetable au gratin, homemade tortillas or crackers, pasta, cookies, cream of whatever soup, pie crust, and more.

For an actual recipe, here is my simple sourdough discard bread that we love.

One final note

You can use any type of flour for your sourdough starter. Each type of flour will impart different flavors and affect the behavior of your starter. I, personally, stick to AP flour for feeding and maintaining the starter and use different flours in the actual recipe. I like the predictable results I get with AP flour and its inexpensive.