wyatt_shah85•1mo agoProlific Poster

Sourdough starter myths I fell for years ago

I spent 3 months babying a starter with daily feedings at exact temperatures because blogs said it had to be that precise. Finally talked to a baker in Philly who told me to just leave it in the fridge for a week and feed it when I remember, and my bread came out better than ever. Anyone else had better luck being lazy with their starter?

3 comments

3 Comments

robert_smith361mo ago

More neglect gave me BETTER bread too.

mason_foster681mo ago

Oh man, I hear you loud and clear on that. There's something about a dough that's been left to its own devices for a bit longer that really brings out the flavor in a way you can't rush. I've had plenty of loaves where I got busy or just plain forgot about the dough for an extra hour or two, and they always came out better than when I was hovering over it. It's like the yeast and bacteria just need some quiet time to do their thing without us interfering. Kind of a lesson in patience, even if it's accidental.

leow901mo ago

More neglect gave me BETTER bread too" is exactly what I found after wasting a ton of flour. I read somewhere that a lot of sourdough lore comes from people trying to sell you stuff or get clicks. This one article from a food science guy said that wild yeast is way tougher than those blogs let on, and the whole "discard every day" thing is just a way to make you go through more flour so you buy more. I started feeding my starter once a week and leaving it on the counter, and it actually smells better now. It's almost like the more you mess with it, the more stressed out the bacteria get. Real talk, my best bread came from a starter I forgot about for two weeks in the back of the fridge.