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Woman stirring bubbly sourdough starter in a brown crock with a wooden spoon, surrounded by wheat berries and stalks.
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5 from 2 votes

Sourdough Starter with Freshly Milled Flour | Recipe + Tips

A reliable, step-by-step method for making a sourdough starter with freshly milled flour using hard red or hard white wheat. Includes an optional day-one orange-juice kickstart, sifting "hot-soak" guidance, and clear readiness cues, tested in my cottage kitchen since 1999.
Prep Time10 minutes
Rest/Build Time 7-14 Days14 days
Course: Sourdough, Sourdough Starter
Cuisine: Traditional
Servings: 1 active freshly milled flour sourdough starter
Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

  • 1 Grain Mill
  • 1 Wide Mouth Glass Jar
  • 1 Digital kitchen scale
  • 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
  • 1 Rubber band or tape
  • 1 Fine Sieves #50 or #60

Ingredients

Base Ingredients (for every feeding)

  • 50 g Freshly milled hard red or hard white wheat flour sifted #50–60 — 50 g per feed
  • 50 g Filtered or mineral water — 50 g per feed
  • 50 g Fresh-squeezed orange juice optional, Day 1 only — 50 g
  • 10-15 g Rye flour* optional only use on days 4-5 in place of part of the flour optional, for sluggish starter, Day 4–5 only — 10–15 g in place of part of the flour

Ingredient Totals (so you know what to mill or buy)

7 day build: ~350 g flour + 350 g water + 50 g orange juice if using

  • 50 g Optional* Fresh squeezed orange juice instead of the water
  • 350 g Freshly Milled FLour
  • 350 g Water
  • 10-15 g Rye flour (optional, for sluggish starter, Day 4–5 only)  in place of part of the flour

14 day build: ~700 g flour + 700 g water

  • 700 g Freshly Milled Flour
  • 700 g Water

Instructions

  • Day 1: Mix flour and liquid – In a clean jar, combine 50 g sifted freshly milled flour with 50 g filtered water (or orange juice, if using). Stir smooth, scrape down the sides, cover loosely, and rest at room temperature (70–75°F).
  • What to expect: A few tiny bubbles or a mild citrus-grain scent if you used juice. Quiet is normal.
  • Day 2: Observe and stir – Check for small bubbles or a fruity aroma. If quiet, don’t worry. Stir to add oxygen, scrape the sides, and cover loosely.
  • What to expect: Sometimes still calm; sometimes lightly bubbly. Stay the course.
  • Days 3–5: Begin feedings – Discard all but 30 g starter. Feed with 50 g flour + 50 g water, stir smooth, mark the level, and cover.
  • What to expect: Around Day 3 or 4, you may see a false rise that collapses—this is normal. Keep feeding daily.
  • Days 6–7: Build strength – Continue the same routine. If your starter doubles within 4–6 hours, it’s becoming strong—feed twice daily if needed.
  • What to expect: More bubbles, a pleasant tang, and a domed top. If sluggish, feed once with a bit of rye flour for a boost.
  • When it’s ready – A healthy starter will double reliably, smell clean and tangy, and appear stringy and web-like when lifted with a spoon. With freshly milled flour, this can happen in 5–10 days, though up to 14 is still normal.

Notes

  • Hydration Tip: Freshly milled flour absorbs more water than store-bought flour. Aim for a thick pancake-batter texture; add a splash of water if it feels too stiff or dry.
  • Sifting vs. Hot Soak: Sifting (#50–60) removes coarse bran for easier rise tracking.
  • Prefer 100% grain? Try the Hot Soak Method — pour boiling water over the sifted-off bran, rest 15–30 minutes, cool completely, then mix it back into your starter or dough.
  • Kahm Yeast vs. Mold: A thin, smooth white film is kahm yeast (harmless—just skim and keep feeding). Fuzzy or colored growth (pink, orange, green, or black) means mold—discard and restart.

Maintenance Routines

 
Room-Temperature “On The Countertop” Routine (Daily Bakers): Keep your starter on the counter; feed 1:2:2 by weight once daily (or twice if it rises and falls fast). Use what you need for baking; the rest becomes discard.
“Refrigerator” Friendly “THICK STARTER” Routine (Choose Same Day or Next Day Version):
  • Thick Maintenance Jar: Feed 30 g starter + 150 g flour + 120 g water (1:5:4). Stir smooth, rest 1–2 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate loosely (never seal tightly). This thick starter can rest up to 30 days between feedings.
  • Planning Ahead: If you bake several times a week, make enough thick starter at once to cover your upcoming recipes. For example, if you have four bakes that each require 150 g of starter, build about 600 g of thick starter in one batch. Keep it refrigerated and pull from it as needed—using it directly for overnight ferments or early-morning same-day builds.
Same-Day Baking from Fridge: Take what you need from your thick fridge starter and feed it 1:1:1 (example: 40 g starter + 40 g flour + 40 g water) to build the total amount required for your recipe. Let it double at room temperature (about 4–6 hours), then bake with it at its peak.
Next-Day Baking (Overnight Ferment): Use the exact amount of thick fridge starter your recipe calls for—no feed needed. Add it directly to your dough. → In warm kitchens (above 73 °F), refrigerate your dough overnight to prevent over-fermentation. → In cooler kitchens, leave it covered on the counter for a slow, steady rise.