Just realized how much bakery sourdough starter recipes have simplified since I started 12 years ago

I was looking through my old notebook from 2012 and the starter instructions were like a science experiment. People used pineapple juice, specific temperature ranges, feeding every 8 hours on the dot. Now I just mix flour and water and leave it on the counter, feeds once a day at most. The bread comes out the same. Wondering if anyone else has noticed old baking methods that turned out to be overcomplicated.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_james1mo ago

My buddy tried starting a sourdough back in 2015 and followed some online guide that had him weighing his starter to the gram and adjusting water temp with a thermometer. He gave up after two weeks because it was too much work. Last year he tried again with just flour and tap water, same kitchen, same house temperature. First batch took a bit longer to get going but after that it was perfect. He still laughs about how he thought baking bread required a chemistry degree back then.

adam_lewis1mo ago

@the_james that bit about weighing the starter to the gram is exactly the kind of stuff that makes people give up. I did the same thing years ago with my first starter and it felt like a science experiment I wasn't passing. Glad your buddy gave it another shot, it's wild how much easier things get when you just let them do their thing.

anthonymurray1mo agoProlific Poster

Adjusting water temp with a thermometer" - I can't believe people actually do that for sourdough. That sounds like a crazy amount of effort. Tap water and a little patience is way smarter.