Rye Sourdough Starter

Total Time: 6 Days

Ingredients

• Air-tight 500mg - 1L maison jars

• 70 g whole grain rye flour preferably organic (1/2 cup)

• 70 ml warm water (105°F or 41°C)

• 70 g whole grain rye flour preferably organic

• 70 ml warm water (105°F or 41°C)

• 70 g Sour Starter from the preceding day

• 70 g medium or whole-grain rye flour preferably organic

• 70 ml warm water (105°F or 41°C)

• 7 g rye sourdough starter

Instructions

Day 1: Make the rye sourdough starter

1. Start with equal amounts of organic rye flour and water by weight. Dump them in a nonreactive (glass, porcelain, stainless-steel, plastic) container, mix by hand into a stiff paste, cover, and let stand at room temperature (68 to 72°For 20 to 22°C) for 24 hours.

Days 2 to 7: Refresh the rye sourdough starter

1. The next day, discard all but 70 grams of the culture and mix the remainder with the refresh ingredients, cover, and let stand. Repeat each day, discarding all but 70 grams of the preceding day’s culture.

Days 8 and Beyond: Maintain the rye sourdough starter

1. In a perfect world—or in a working bakery—sourdough starters are refreshed daily. That said, daily feedings demand both a degree of dedication and abundant flour supplies that are impractical for all but the most committed home bakers. You can get by refreshing your starter every 36 hours or so.

2. Mix the rye flour, water, and rye sourdough starter by hand until incorporated. Cover and ferment at room temperature (68 to 72°F or 20 to 22°C) overnight or for 10 to 12 hours. The sponge will be very bubbly, have a clean sour smell, and will have tripled in volume. Store refrigerated in an airtight container and it will last indefinitely.