The trick that saved my sourdough starter after 3 failed attempts

I tried for 6 weeks to get a sourdough starter going and it kept getting moldy or just smelling like rotten feet. Then a baker at a farmers market told me to use pineapple juice instead of water for the first week. The acidity kills off the bad bacteria early. I tried it and had a bubbly starter after 8 days. Has anyone else tried something like this for starters?

2 comments

2 Comments

thea8578d ago

Nah pineapple juice just adds sugar, real sourdough shouldn't need any tricks or shortcuts.

lunakim8d ago

Pineapple juice isn't really about sugar though. It adds a little acidity and helps kickstart fermentation, especially if you're using newer flour or trying to get things moving in a cooler kitchen. The sugar gets eaten up pretty fast by the bacteria anyway. I've seen plenty of traditional bakers use a tiny bit of pineapple juice to tame overly sour starters or give them a boost. It's just a tool, not a cheat.