Keeping your sourdough in the fridge is a great way to avoid jars and jars of discard if you’re not a daily baker. Contrary to what many believe, maintaining it correctly won’t affect its quality and can even help if you struggle to feed it every day.
Here, I’ll tell you how to maintain a healthy sourdough starter in the refrigerator: the right jar to store it in, where to store it, and how to feed it so it doesn’t get sluggish.
When to Put a Sourdough Starter in the Fridge?
First, it’s best to store only a well-established sourdough starter in the fridge. That means a starter that’s at least a month old (although I would wait at least 2 months to refrigerate mine), rising and falling consistently, and baking good, consistent loaves with good flavor.
Anyone who does not use a sourdough starter daily will benefit from keeping it refrigerated. Maintaining it in the fridge will end with the need for daily feedings, as the starter will be less active when cold. If you don’t bake often and don’t really want to use the discard when making a recipe or toss a lot of starter into the trash, keeping it in the fridge might be a good option for you.
If you’re struggling to remember to feed it every day, this storing method might be just perfect for you. Keeping the jar of your starter in the fridge cuts the need for daily feeding to one feeding per week, and you can even use it days after a feeding to bake bread with it.
I also see it as a good option during summer or if you live in a warmer climate. As you know, sourdough is temperature-dependent, and the warmer it gets, the more it needs to be fed because it gets more active and runs out of food sooner. During summer, outside the fridge, my starter shows signs of hunger before 24 hours if I keep a ratio of 1:1:1 when feeding it.
Lastly, keep it in the fridge if you’re going on vacation. If stored correctly, you can leave a sourdough starter in the fridge for months without feeding it, and it will still survive – starters are more resilient than you think!
How to Store Your Starter in the Fridge
Let’s find out how to maintain a sourdough starter without having to feed it every day in your fridge.
Start with a proper container. You need to cover your starter in the fridge so it doesn’t go bad. I use an airtight jar for my starter, but any container or jar with a lid that can be shut fully will do.
You can’t store a starter inside a refrigerator in an open jar or covered with a cloth or paper towel (I’m against it even when the starter is kept at room temperature). Not covering it fully causes cross-contamination and even mold, so be sure to use a proper jar for your sourdough starter.
Here are some of the containers I use for my starters:
To store it in the fridge, start by feeding your starter. I wait for it to peak before storing it in the fridge, but you can store it after a couple of hours or even after feeding it. Fully cover it, screw the lid shut, and store it in the fridge.
Storing your starter after it reaches its peak allows you to use it for baking for up to 5 days after refrigeration. I prefer to let my starter fully peak rather than just double before refrigerating. I’ve tested both methods, and letting it peak before refrigeration resulted in a better rise compared to refrigerating it after it only doubled.
Although you can, I do not recommend feeding and storing a starter right away. Let it sit on the counter for a couple of hours, until your starter at least shows some signs of activity. Whenever I use the feed and store method repeatedly with one of my starters, it starts to weaken after a couple of months.
You should feed your refrigerated starter every seven days to keep it healthy and not overly hungry. But don’t fret if you forget and it goes without feeding for longer than that. Remember: your starter is resilient. It will only develop mold or bad bacteria inside your fridge if it is not covered properly.
What’s the Feeding Ratio for a Fridge Sourdough Starter?
I have experimented with 1:1:1, 1:2:2 , and 1:5:5 ratios. I didn’t see much difference between 1:1:1 and 1:2:2, but since I use my starter to bake at least twice a week, it gets fed properly at least twice in that period.
If you bake with your starter once a week or more, I recommend a 1:1:1 feeding ratio. Feed your starter, let it peaks, and store it right after in the fridge.
If you’re baking every other week or going on vacation and leaving your starter unfed for weeks, I recommend a 1:5:5 ratio or higher to ensure it has enough food. If you plan to leave your starter unfed for more than a week, you can feed it and store it immediately.
The important thing is storing it correctly, in a clean container, fully shut.
How Long Should I Take the Sourdough Starter Out of the Fridge Before Baking?
In case you let it doubles or peak and then refrigerate, it’s been less than six days since the last feeding, and you don’t see signs of hunger, you can use your sourdough starter straight from the fridge. I’ve been baking bread this way since last year, and it has made my life so much easier!
If it’s been more than five days since the last feeding, or your sourdough starter has a layer of hooch, has gone all the way down in the jar, and it’s runny, you should feed it before using it for baking.
If you use the feed and refrigerate method and it’s been less than 5-6 days since the last feeding, your starter might need to stay at room temperature to rise before baking with it.
How to Reactivate a Forgotten Sourdough Starter from the Fridge
If your starter has been in the fridge with no feedings for longer than one month, it might be too hungry, weak and acidic. It is probably thin and might have developed a thick hooch layer.
To revive it, discard all the hooch and give the starter a good stir. Feed 20g (about 2–3 tbsp) of sourdough starter with a 1:5:5 ratio. It might take a while to rise (the starter will be cold from the fridge and might be too acidic, making it sluggish). Give it time, and it will rise. Do not discard and feed again until it rises and reaches its peak.
FAQ
How often should I feed my sourdough starter if it’s in the fridge?
To keep a healthy starter, you should feed it once every seven days. That way, it won’t become too hungry, weak, and acidic.
What happens if you don’t feed your sourdough starter in the fridge?
If you forget to feed your starter, even when it’s inside the fridge, it will get hungry. Not feeding it after a couple of weeks will probably make some hooch start to appear at the top, and forgetting it for a couple of months might make it too acidic. You can fix an acidic starter with a couple of 1:5:5 feedings.
How long can you refrigerate sourdough starter without feeding?
If kept in a jar with a lid tightly shut, a starter can survive inside the fridge for many months without feeding. It might get too acidic, though, and an overly acidic starter might be bad for baking good loaves.
Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it?
When you feed your starter, you want to use a 1:1:1 ratio to keep it healthy. That means, for each gram of starter, you want to give it at least one gram of flour and one of water. If you feed your starter and have to feed it again before baking with it, it’s more convenient to discard some of it than to feed a bigger amount of starter.
Is it better to keep a starter in the fridge?
If you’re struggling with daily feedings and have a mature, established starter, it might be easier for you to keep it in the fridge.
The Best Way to Store Your Sourdough Starter
Keeping your sourdough starter in the fridge is a great way to simplify maintenance while ensuring it stays healthy and ready for baking. With proper storage in a fully covered container and weekly feedings, your starter can thrive for months without daily care.
Whether you bake frequently or only occasionally, refrigerating your starter can save time, reduce waste, and make sourdough baking more manageable.
