Your Sourdough Starter Is Ready When It Does This, According To An Expert Baker - Tasting Table

"An easy way to tell if your starter has doubled is to simply feed it in a clear, vertical container (I use a mason jar) and mark the level of the starter immediately after feeding (use a rubber band around the jar or a dry-erase marker to make a mark), Once the sourdough starter has doubled, or nearly doubled, in size, this is the key indicator that it's ready to bake with. It should be puffy, airy, and bubbly."

"During the pandemic, people all over took the time stuck at home to learn how to bake (or level-up their baking skills). Even after it ended, a lot of home bakers developed a real passion for making bread, and sourdough remains a favorite. As appealing as sourdough is, it's also challenging. Using a starter can be intimidating and doing so brings a different set of rules for bread baking that you may not be used to."

Many people learned to bake during the pandemic and many home bakers developed a passion for sourdough, which remains popular but challenging. A sourdough starter requires different handling than commercial yeast and can feel intimidating at first. Feed the starter in a clear vertical container and mark its level with a rubber band or dry-erase marker to observe whether it doubles or nearly doubles. A starter that is puffy, airy, and bubbly indicates readiness to bake. Starter kits and jars help track rise and dates. A flat, thin starter or one with a harsh acidic smell is not ready and needs feeding; small bubbles or decreasing volume also signal problems.

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