Chef John's Sourdough Starter

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44 Reviews
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This sourdough bread starter is part 1 of my 2-part recipe. It takes 4 days to make the starter, but there's really not much to it other than feeding the starter once a day for about 10 days.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Updated on January 9, 2024
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Prep Time:
15 mins
Additional Time:
10 days
Total Time:
10 days 15 mins
Servings:
8
Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

  • 700 grams bread flour

  • 700 grams filtered water, divided

Directions

  1. Day 1: Mix together 70 grams flour and 70 grams water in a container with a lid. The container needs to be large enough to accommodate another 70 grams water and 70 grams flour. Cover loosely so gases can escape. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours at 70 degrees F (21 degrees C).

  2. Day 2: Add 70 grams flour and 70 grams water. Stir. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature for 24 hours at 70 degrees (21 degrees C).

  3. Day 3: Remove half (140 grams) of the starter. Add 70 grams flour and 70 grams water. Stir. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature for 24 hours at 70 degrees (21 degrees C).

  4. Day 4 through about Day 10: Repeat Step 3 each day until the starter smells fruity and yeasty and is beautifully fermented. You can test this by seeing if it doubles in size within 2 to 3 hours of feeding.

  5. Refrigerate until needed. Most people recommend you feed the starter once a month or so (Step 3).

To Make Bread Using a Refrigerated Starter:

Feed the starter at room temperature for 2 days. Use your refreshed starter to make bread on the third day. Remember to set aside 140 grams of the starter and feed it again before returning it to the refrigerator.

Chef's Notes

The exact number of grams seen here doesn't really matter as long as you're using exactly the same amount of flour and water by weight.

I use gram weights for flour and water to ensure I'm using exactly the same amount for each. 700 grams of flour equals about 5 1/2 cups; 70 grams is a scant 1/2 cup. But I do recommend using a kitchen scale to measure grams.

For best results, use bottled water; chlorine can kill the yeast/bacteria. You can also use boiled, cooled water.

You can use different kinds of flour. I like to use half spelt and half bread flour, but this recipe will work with pretty much any combination, including all wheat flour.

Get the recipe for Chef John's Sourdough Bread.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

316 Calories
2g Fat
64g Carbs
11g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 316
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 11g 21%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 88mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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