MYO Beginner Friendly, Almost-Effortless Sourdough Starter Mold-Free Forever

Ah, mold. My ol' nemesis. It can totally ruin your day (not to mention your starter!)

Once you discover mold, there is no saving it - safely that is.

If you're like me, you got into sourdough for the health benefits and free yeast. Once you lose more than four starters (in a row) to mold, you begin to question whether this is a worthwhile endeavor -especially if you're trying to be frugal!

So , the real question is. . .

One word. . . Refrigeration.

For those who bake in batches, want to save money on feeding, or don't have the time to manage your sourdough everyday, the fridgerator is your best friend.

Here are FIVE almost-effortless tips for mold-free sourdough days - using your fridge!

1. Start with a Happy, Well-Fed, Bubbly Starter

This probably goes without saying, but it never hurts to remind ourselves of the basics. You need to establish a happy, bubbly starter first before storing it in the fridge.

If you need help creating a healthy starter, read my article on the easiest sourdough starters for beginners!

Also, check out the T-shirts I've made celebrating all things sourdough and cultured foods!

2. Choose the Right Container - Preferably Glass

Knowing how much you'll bake is how you'll choose your container.

If you don't bake very often, I'd recommend a vessel that holds about a 1/4 C flour (of choice) to 1/4C water. Something like a Quart Jar should do for occasional sourdough bakes.

If you bake every week (or in large quantities,) I'd recommend a vessel that holds up to 1C or 1 1/2C flour with equal parts water. I personally use a container that can hold up to a half gallon of liquid. Keep in mind, your sourdough needs room to rise (to at least double in size) and to be mixed around, you won't be using up all available space in your container.

As far as type of container, to be honest, I've only ever heard of sourdough being stored in glass. I'm sure there are other vessels (like food-safe sealed wood and ceramic) that may work as well - just make sure the container you use is safe!

3. Use Clean Tools and Utensils When Handling Your Starter

Always use clean utensils when interacting with your starter. Bacteria and spores from dirty tools can introduce mold into your starter. Rinse your utensils with hot water before each use, or better yet, dedicate a set of utensils just for sourdough.

I personally have a wooden scraper dedicated to only bread-making and I wash it well between uses.

As far as type of tools, I've heard many people recommend sealed, wooden instruments over anything else - especially metal. Some sourdough enthusiasts detest using any metal, claiming it will cause problems in your sourdough. Other sourdough lovers disagree, claiming they see no change. I love the aesthetic and feel of wooden instruments over plastic or metal, so I use my wooden spatula when turning my starter.

4. Use a Coffee Filter or Breathable Cloth to Completely Cover your Starter

Covering your Sourdough starter with a coffee filter, tea towel - with something to tie it down, or some other fabric that allows air through without having visible holes are the best types of cloth to use.

It is a great way to allow proper airflow without compromising your culture to mold spores or pesky insects - like gnats or house flies.

5. Give Your Active Starter a Fresh Feeding Before Storing in the Fridge

Anything you can do to boost your starter's yeast strength is a win - in my opinion.

A simple discard and feeding of flour may be all you need to ensure it's vitality in the fridge. However, if you've had much trouble with mold, you may want to feed your yeast with other high-starch items such as potatoes. It may be a little "unorthodox" in the Sourdough world, but I added potatoes (and even some coconut sugar!) to my starter to give the yeast a nice boost. Sure, it may not be strict grains anymore; but once I did that, I had no problems keeping my starter nice and healthy!

For After the Fridge. . . Planning Ahead is Key!

When you decide to bake, you'll want to plan ahead. It takes time for your sourdough culture to come back to room temperature and back to bubbly-life. I recommend setting out your starter the night before your baking day - at least 8 hours prior - and give it a fresh feeding at least 4 hours prior to making your desired recipe. If you're doing a discard recipe, then you only have to worry about it raising back to temperature.

When you decide to bake, you'll want to plan ahead. It takes time for your sourdough culture to come back to room temp.

One More Thing - Important Reminder!

When you've taken your chilly starter out and brought it back to life, it will act like a normal starter - which means daily feedings!

If you forget this, you'll likely loose that starter along with all the time and effort you put into it. Ask me how I know :') R.I.P. Bubbly Bob. . .

Well, that's it! Happy Baking!