Comments on: The Care and Keeping of Your Sourdough Starter https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/ Sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:01:32 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-388078 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:01:32 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-388078 In reply to Seva.

The weights of your starter, water, and flour need to be the same. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Seva https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-388055 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 01:04:27 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-388055 How do you measure a 1:1:1 ratio??

]]> By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-387806 Sun, 09 Nov 2025 02:25:41 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-387806 In reply to lowen.

It should be a bit thicker than water, but shouldn’t be doughy. You may be adding too much flour when feeding.

]]> By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-387485 Wed, 05 Nov 2025 02:42:48 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-387485 In reply to Seva.

Hi Seva! You can discard and feed daily or weekly, depending on how much you use the starter. I have feeding instructions under the heading “How much and when to feed my starter” Let me know if you still need more help after reading through that and I will try to clear it up a little better. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Seva https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-387225 Sun, 02 Nov 2025 16:40:38 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-387225 Hi Sam! I was wondering how often and how much of my starter I should discard?

]]> By: lowen https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-387135 Sat, 01 Nov 2025 03:08:34 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-387135 what texture should my starter be? My is kind of doughy and is very slow to grow. Is this bad?

]]> By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-386652 Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:23:03 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-386652 In reply to Elle.

Hi Elle! You’ll need a bigger container, but if you do a 1:1 you can scale it as needed. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Elle https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-385983 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:42:44 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-385983 Hi Sam!I was wondering if I have to put in 80 grams of flour and water.Can I use a different number?

]]> By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-384626 Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:13:40 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-384626 In reply to Ashley.

Hi Ashley! Honestly I will often just “eyeball” it. After doing it enough times I just make a mental note (or sometimes a dry-erase mark on the glass) of how much discard should be in the jar. I’ve been keeping 80 grams of discard and now I just know where that should be on the jar, then I add my 80g each flour and water πŸ™‚

]]> By: Ashley https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-384606 Tue, 30 Sep 2025 13:02:57 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-384606 In reply to Sam Merritt.

Im sorry I’m helpless. How do you know what your weight of the leftover starter is to refeed? I feel like I’m constantly cleaning jars so I know how much my starter weighs but it seems like everyone else just keeps theirs in the same jar?

]]> By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-384336 Fri, 26 Sep 2025 01:47:55 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-384336 In reply to Ashley.

The ratio should be done by weight so you will have to weigh it. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Ashley https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-384309 Thu, 25 Sep 2025 17:19:29 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-384309 In reply to Sam Merritt.

I have! I just don’t know how to do a 1:1:1 ratio if you don’t know how much is left in your jar? Thank you for your help!!

]]> By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-384248 Thu, 25 Sep 2025 02:30:50 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-384248 In reply to Ashley.

Hi Ashley! Have you seen my article on how to make a sourdough starter? There’s no need for a new jar every day. You will discard from that jar and add new flour and water right into the old jar. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Sam Merritt https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-384244 Thu, 25 Sep 2025 02:24:55 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-384244 In reply to Linda Maliziola.

Hi Linda! I think you could change the ratio, but I would feed it this way a couple of times before using. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Linda Maliziola https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-383918 Sat, 20 Sep 2025 14:55:49 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-383918 I have a starter that I’ve been feeding with a 1:3:3 ratio (the instructions I was given when I got the starter). Can I change it to a 1:1:1 ratio? Is there any difference in using a 1:3:3 ratio starter in a recipe that uses a 1:1:1 ratio starter in the same recipe? I assume feeding at a 1:3:3 ratio would increase the amount of starter since you are using more flour and water, but are there any other differences?

]]> By: Ashley https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-383912 Sat, 20 Sep 2025 12:58:15 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-383912 I have been trying and trying to figure out sourdough but I’m still struggling with it. Do you start with a new jar every time you feed it so you know how much you have? Or how does that process work? Then pour off the rest into a discard container? Thank you for all of your awesome recipes!! This is my favorite blog for cooking for my family!

]]> By: Sam https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-372780 Thu, 22 May 2025 01:17:23 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-372780 In reply to Jennifer Miller.

Hi Jennifer! You will want to discard before feeding so the starter doesn’t overflow your jar. πŸ™‚ Welcome to the wonderful world of sourdough! πŸ™‚

]]> By: Jennifer Miller https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-372314 Sun, 18 May 2025 04:03:58 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-372314 In reply to Sam.

I was just gifted a jar of starter but I am a little confused. Should I always discard some when feeding it?

]]> By: Sam https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-367323 Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:41:35 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-367323 In reply to Laurie.

Hi Laurie! I will typically just pour it off and use it right away. If I am using something that I know will take a lot of discard I will pour it off and save it in the refrigerator in an air tight container. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Laurie https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-366518 Sat, 29 Mar 2025 00:03:27 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-366518 How long can you keep the discard to use in recipes and what is the best way to store it?

]]> By: Sarah https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-363805 Wed, 05 Mar 2025 15:24:08 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-363805 In reply to Sam.

Sweet! thanks!

]]> By: Sam https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-363714 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 17:35:21 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-363714 In reply to Sarah.

Hi Sarah! You can do either. I usually feed it right after using (just because I have everything I need out and don’t feel like doing it later) or you can just do it at its normal timing.

]]> By: Sarah https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-363701 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:48:22 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-363701 I didn’t see it addressed, or I didn’t understand if it was: when using active starter for a recipe, does the rest get fed at the normal timing, or right away?

]]> By: Sam https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-359580 Tue, 28 Jan 2025 16:32:37 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-359580 In reply to Sue.

Hi Sue! I have a whole bunch of sourdough recipes. πŸ™‚

]]> By: Sue https://sugarspunrun.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-your-sourdough-starter/comment-page-1/#comment-359263 Sat, 25 Jan 2025 20:52:33 +0000 https://sugarspunrun.com/?p=72804#comment-359263 In reply to Sam.

Hi Sam. Where can I find your sourdough recipes?
Thank you,
Sue

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