Author Topic: Thinking of giving up on my starter (Read 1805 times)

JD · « **on:** July 30, 2012, 01:32:24 PM »

Honestly... I'm just getting tired of the inconsistancies with using a starter. Completely unpredictable for me using a standard dough making process.

Thinking of switching to Glutenboy's recipe using IDY and a long ferment to get what I'm after (NY Style). Anyone else ditch their starter and live happily ever after?

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2012, 01:59:42 PM »

For the most part, the inconsistencies are not in the starter, but in how you treat it. The "inconsistencies" can be exploited to produce a wide range of flavors and controlled to create extraordinary pizzas. I wouldn't give up. Temperature control is key, especially this time of year in the northern hemisphere.

weemis · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2012, 02:58:36 PM »

Quote from: motofrk on July 30, 2012, 01:32:24 PM

Anyone else ditch their starter and live happily ever after?

LOL. I had a started given to me once, before i knew about this site. I felt the same way, but i'm sure it was due to my ignorance on the matter. if i still had it, i'd be willing to play around with it, but it died.

yeast is cheap and easy.

PowerWagonPete · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2012, 10:44:07 PM »

Quote from: weemis on July 30, 2012, 02:58:36 PM

yeast is cheap and easy.

Creating sourdough out of thin air is even cheaper, Weemis, and just as easy.

anton-luigi · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2012, 10:57:33 PM »

Quote from: PowerWagonPete on July 30, 2012, 10:44:07 PM

Creating sourdough out of thin air is even cheaper, Weemis, and just as easy.

yes, but in the words of Forrest Gump, "you never know what you're gonna get" spend the lousy 15 bucks and get the Italian cultures, proper care and feeding, and they are yours for life.

anton-luigi · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:00:34 PM »

Quote from: motofrk on July 30, 2012, 01:32:24 PM

Honestly... I'm just getting tired of the inconsistancies with using a starter. Completely unpredictable for me using a standard dough making process.

Thinking of switching to Glutenboy's recipe using IDY and a long ferment to get what I'm after (NY Style). Anyone else ditch their starter and live happily ever after?

I seriously doubt you are going to find anyone who has stopped using the starter once they started. The couple extra steps you have to go through with starters is more than worth the rewards.

pizzaneer · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2012, 11:28:15 PM »

speaking of which, I'd love to have a little Ischiia baby come in the mail.

I've been fooling around with wild yeast starters for years, never had one develop that had good rising properties, just massive taste. Not bad, but still have to add some IDY/ADY for decent rising.

PM me if you could send me a tiny bit.

pizzablogger · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2012, 05:37:55 AM »

Brian, instead of dumping outhalf my Ischia next feeding, I'll just split it and give you half with a fresh feeding....it'll be about 400g of Ischia.

pizzaneer · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2012, 06:33:26 AM »

Sounds great Kelly. Thanks!

JD · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2012, 07:58:18 AM »

Okay I won't give up... but my patience is wearing thin. Maybe I'll do a little mix of starter & IDY, or just IDY and compare flavors. I'll keep feeding it though... it's a home-made starter that has decent flavor, but the rise & spring is hit or miss, but never great.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2012, 08:19:51 AM »

Quote from: motofrk on July 31, 2012, 07:58:18 AM

Okay I won't give up... but my patience is wearing thin. Maybe I'll do a little mix of starter & IDY, or just IDY and compare flavors. I'll keep feeding it though... it's a home-made starter that has decent flavor, but the rise & spring is hit or miss, but never great.

Why waste your time on an unsatisfactory starter? You could care for it and practice with it forever and never get great results. I'd recapture or purchase.

pizzaneer · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2012, 08:43:28 AM »

+1

That's what I meant to say as well. In all my efforts, I never got lucky with wild yeast. Sometimes the flavor was really good, but IDY/ADY was still needed. It's really a crap shoot, you never know what you're going to get.

JD · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2012, 10:51:29 AM »

Would anyone be interested in trying my starter? I have some dried flakes vacuum sealed that I keep as a backup in case my active starter gets infected. I would be intersted to see if its just me or if its indeed my starter.

I'd be willing to pay someone a few $ to mail me dried flakes that is known to make good pizza... preferably NY style. Let me know!

JD · « **Reply #13 on:** August 02, 2012, 05:11:40 PM »

Well I went and purchased an Ischia Starter.... will update with (hopefully) positive results.

R2-Bayou · « **Reply #14 on:** August 02, 2012, 05:23:06 PM »

Made 6 pizzas on the LBE last night. Fed the starter in the morning the day before, but had to work super late and missed peak starter activity. It had already deflated completely and looked like pancake batter by the time I got to it that night. GASP! I had to actually use.... gulp...... instant dry yeast! not much experience using IDY, but i just used a standard neapolitan formula:

100% Caputo 00
64% Hydration
2.7% Salt
?% IDY (used about 1/3 of a 1/4 tsp)

Bulk fermented room temp 72°F 20 hrs, balled room temp 3 hrs.

The dough had great oven spring and tasted good, but not nearly as good taste wise as when I use my starter. The IDY gave a fresh, yeast taste, but starter develops a tang that I just didn't experience with the IDY. It worked in the pinch, but not ideal..

I'm still all about the starter..

JD · « **Reply #15 on:** August 11, 2012, 01:16:03 PM »

I'm about 6 days into activating my Ischia starter and compared to my old starter, it doesn't smell too good.

The first two days or so it smelled slightly sour like it was infected. I did a few washes and was able to get rid of the sour smell, but now the smell is hard to describe... I suppose you could say it smells "dirty" as if you mixed a little bit of soil with flour and water. It certainly doesnt have any type of pizza dough smell to it. It also is still slow to grow between feedings, probably minimum 12hrs before I start seeing signs of life at 75*

Any suggestions?

JD · « **Reply #16 on:** August 12, 2012, 08:37:35 PM »

What a difference a day makes...

On day 7 I finally got a beautiful smell from my starter. Did another feeding and it doubled in about 2 hours so now its sleeping in the fridge.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #17 on:** August 12, 2012, 09:02:00 PM »

It is likely that the different organisms in your starter will take some more time to reach an equilibrium that will yield consistent results. I'd keep feeding regularly for several more days.

JD · « **Reply #18 on:** August 12, 2012, 09:52:31 PM »

Will do, thanks Bill

anton-luigi · « **Reply #19 on:** August 13, 2012, 09:47:18 PM »

Quote from: R2-Bayou on August 02, 2012, 05:23:06 PM

Made 6 pizzas on the LBE last night. Fed the starter in the morning the day before, but had to work super late and missed peak starter activity. It had already deflated completely and looked like pancake batter by the time I got to it that night. GASP! I had to actually use.... gulp...... instant dry yeast! not much experience using IDY, but i just used a standard neapolitan formula:

100% Caputo 00
64% Hydration
2.7% Salt
?% IDY (used about 1/3 of a 1/4 tsp)

Bulk fermented room temp 72°F 20 hrs, balled room temp 3 hrs.

The dough had great oven spring and tasted good, but not nearly as good taste wise as when I use my starter. The IDY gave a fresh, yeast taste, but starter develops a tang that I just didn't experience with the IDY. It worked in the pinch, but not ideal..

I'm still all about the starter..

You should have just fed it again, and gave it an hour or two, would have likely been raring to go again