Sourdough Starter

I have been working on a sourdough starter. It has so far been quite easy. The hardest part is not forgetting about it.

I used pineapple juice and non-bleached bread flour. The reason for pineapple juice is because it kills a certain bacteria that can show up in flour and ruin a sourdough starter. The pineapple juice came from a freshly cut pineapple that was crushed in my Ninja mixer. If you are not familiar with the Ninja, it is the mother of all mixers. That thing can take on anything. I kept breaking my blenders making smoothies. So I went out and bought the biggest, baddest mixer I could find. It came with a complete system. Here is the one that I got:

After the pineapple was crushed, we put it into a cup and let it settle out and separate. We cleared the foam off the top and then strained it multiple times with a small strainer. We then strained it with cheese cloth. The remaining liquid was clear pineapple juice.

I mixed the pineapple juice with the flour in a nonreactive bowl, covered it with saran wrap, and emailed all family members with a picture of the starter and explicit instructions to not touch it under any circumstances.

Phase 1 of starter

I put it in a safe spot and made sure to whisk it 2-3 times a day for two days.

On the third day I added more flour and pineapple juice. I had to move it to a bigger bowl because I was worried it would be too crowded in the other bowl. Next time I will plan better.

Phase 2 of starter

I now have to wait for 1-4 days, still whisking 2-3 times a day to make sure that it stays aerated. As long as it is whisked, it will not spoil or form mold. I need to wait until it is bubbly and foaming.

I will continue to update as we move along in the process!