Sourdough Tips, Tricks & FAQs

Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of sourdough! Whether you’re brand new or totally hooked, this page is packed with real-deal info to help you along your sourdough journey.

Sourdough Basics

• What is sourdough?
  Sourdough is naturally leavened bread made with a starter—a mix of flour and water that captures wild yeast and good bacteria from the air.

• No commercial yeast needed
  Your starter does all the heavy lifting. It might take a little longer, but the flavor, texture, and crust are next-level.

• What’s a starter?
  A living culture that needs regular feeding. When happy, it bubbles, grows, and brings that classic sourdough tang.

Tips & Tricks

• Hydration

  No need for fancy water—room temp or even warm-to-hot tap water works just fine. The important thing? Keep your dough soft and pliable, not dry.

• Use water for non-stick magic
  Dip your fingers or utensils in water when working with sticky dough. It’s a game-changer.

• Flour your banneton or towel generously
  Rice flour is the MVP here. It doesn’t absorb moisture like wheat flour and keeps your dough from sticking.

• Temperature helps, but it’s not everything
  Warm spots (like on top of your fridge or inside your oven with the light on) can help your dough along—but it’ll still do its thing in cooler temps, just slower.

• Over-fermented? Unstructured dough?
  No worries—use a loaf pan! Let that dough walk up the sides and you’ll still get a great rise and an even bake.

• Scoring is optional but fun
  A sharp knife or lame gives your loaf character and helps control the rise. Keep it simple and don’t overthink it.

• Sourdough is Flexible

  Got a busy day? No problem. Sourdough works with your schedule. Longer fermentation = deeper flavor. Stick it in the fridge and let time do its thing.

Sourdough Starter FAQs

• How often should I feed it?
  On the counter: daily.
  In the fridge: once a week is plenty.

• What’s that liquid on top?
  That’s hooch—just a sign your starter is hungry. Pour it off or stir it in before feeding.

• Can I use different flours?
  Totally. Whole wheat, rye, or a mix can give your starter an extra kick.

• How do I know it’s ready to bake with?
  It should double in size within 4–6 hours of feeding and pass the “float test” (a spoonful floats in water).

Bread Dough FAQs

• Sticky dough?
  Yup, that’s normal—especially with higher hydration. Use wet hands or a light dusting of flour when handling it.

• How do I know when it’s proofed enough?
  Press your finger gently into the dough—if the dent springs back slowly, you’re good to go.

• Flat loaf?
  Could be under- or over-proofed, or your starter just wasn’t active enough. Try again—it gets better with every bake.

• Crust too hard?
  You can play with baking time or moisture. Try covering it loosely with foil partway through or shortening the bake slightly.

Storage Tips

• After baking:
  Let it cool completely, then wrap in a tea towel or pop it into a bread bag. Skip plastic unless you want a softer crust.

• Freeze-friendly
  Slice it first, then freeze. Pull out what you need and toast it straight from frozen.

Mistakes? Learn and Bake Again

• Skipping feedings

• Using inactive starter

• Overproofing or underproofing

• Cutting into bread too early (but hey, sometimes you just can't wait!)

Final Pro Tip: It’s Not Meant to Be Perfect

Sourdough has personality. It’s wild, unpredictable, and incredibly rewarding. Embrace the quirks, enjoy the process, and trust that every loaf is part of the journey.