Did I ruin my sourdough starter?

[Rikki Jean]

Okay, I'm getting paranoid, and wondering if I accidentally ruined my sourdough starter. Oh, and I'm sorry if this is a dumb question or if I post other similar questions; I'm a total novice when it comes to baking, so this is all very new to me!

I'm made this one last night: http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/i...hp?id=249&c=18. It's been about 18 hours (the recipe says to let it stand for 2-6 days), and it's still completely liquid. Is that normal?

Now, in a brainless moment, I used a metal whisk to get some of the lumps out. It didn't even hit me until this morning that I used metal, and I've been kicking myself all day! I have another starter recipe that mentions nothing about not using metal with sourdough, so now I'm just confused.

FWIW, I also made twice as much as the recipe called for, but I really don't think that matters since all of the ratios stayed the same...

So, what do you experts have to say?

[gardenmommy]

Does your starter have bubbles? If it doesn't have any bubbles, it's probably not doing anything. Wait a day or two and see what it does. Try feeding it again, and see what happens.

[quietserena]

In my experience stainless steel or other non-reactive metal implements will not kill a starter.

I mix up my sponge in a stainless steel bowl.

I think you just need to let it wait. It took mine a long time to take off.

it'll be ok. Just let it do its thing.

[Rikki Jean]

Well, new problem. I just found a dead gnat in the starter. I pulled it out, but I don't really know how much of it is contaminated (I was stirring it and it came to the top). So, at this point, should I just toss it?

Originally Posted by gardenmommy

Does your starter have bubbles? If it doesn't have any bubbles, it's probably not doing anything. Wait a day or two and see what it does. Try feeding it again, and see what happens.

It's kind of bubbly. Not like soapy bubbly, but just little bubbles at the top. When you say to feed it again, do you mean to add all the stuff again? Sorry, like I said, I'm a novice!

[quietserena]

Still ok!
In the wild starters thread there are a few experiences with people who had to strain their starters to separate out the 'wild life'. Bugs mean that the thing is living and if you're not too grossed out to continue, you can.

[gardenmommy]

Feeding your starter: Take out about half (either toss it, or use it to make something), and add back that amount in flour and water. Stir well, cover lightly, and let it do its thing.

[425lisamarie]

Eh, I wouldn't throw it out just because a bug fell in it .

[Rikki Jean]

Well, I've now pulled out a total of three gnats...

So, at this point (2 1/2 days) what should the consistency be like? It's still more liquid than solid, but it is thicker than it was when I first posted this. How bubbly is it supposed to be? It's still really low on the bubbly side.

As far as covering it goes, I now have two layers of plastic wrap tightly covering the bowl, because I don't want every gnat in California in there! I guess they're more drain flies than anything...but aren't those the same thing? Anyway, this is like their prime breeding season every year. It's not like we live in filth or something, they just like our house because of all the fresh fruits and veggies. :

[quietserena]

How is it coming?

[cristeen]

I usually put mine in a large mason jar (1/2 gallon, I think), put a piece of muslin over the top and rubberbanded it. That lets the air in/out but keeps out the critters.

[carnelian]

I just pulled my starter out of the fridge after a year

It had separated so there was a lot of dark liquid (the potency) on top and the batter on the bottom. I fed it and then used it to make hot cross buns. It could have used a couple of days to come back to potency but it smelled wonderfully sour.

When I make rye it takes a full week of feeding and transferring before I've got a sponge I can use. So I'd let yours go a few more days before you use it.