You have created your own sourdough starter. Now what? How do you maintain it if you don't bake every day? How do you keep it active and healthy if you only bake on weekends?
I used to be very anal about feeding it every single day, and I'd catch it at peak. Then later on, I didn't have that much time so I learned to relax and you know what? It still works. I guess it's because my starter is already active and strong, so I could be a little relaxed in the feeding schedule.
Here's what I usually do. I feed it once in the day, whenever I have the time, and let it peak at room temperature. If I feed it 1:1:1 (equal parts starter:flour:water), it will peak in about 4-5 hours. This is my starter, fed with my flour. Each starter is different. After that, I'll feed it again 1:2:2 (1 part starter, 2 parts flour 2 parts water), let it double then put in the fridge. The next day, I take it out, let it peak and repeat the entire process.
There will be days I don't feel like feeding. Laziness is real. So, I just leave it in the fridge and not feed. No biggie. When I have the time, I'll take it out, let it peak and then feed again. Sometimes you'll find the starter already collapsed in the fridge. Discard most, and just feed it as usual. For me, I always make it a point to feed at least twice a week. I don't mind keeping discards because I always make my squishsquishbread every Sunday for the kids to bring to school. If I want to make a sourdough bread, I make sure I feed it 3 times back to back before using. This makes the entire process easier. Bread rises better, crumb will be more open.
If I don't plan to use my starter at all for a long period, say months, I will dry the starter, keep it in a vacuum sealed bag and put in the fridge. Just feed the starter as usual, and once it peaks, pour the starter onto a parchment paper. Spread it thin with a spatula. The thinner it is, the easier it is to dry. Then, just let the starter air dry for 2 days. Once dried, crack the starter, powderise it if you want, and seal it. This is good for a year.
This is all I can think of. The more you feed your starter, the stronger it'll be. Can't run away from it. I also notice that when your starter isn't as acidic, it's just generally easier to make the bread. The process will be smoother with minimal problems. I might have left out some points, so if you have any questions, please feel free to comment in the post and I'll reply.
Happy baking!
Lily
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