I’m furious. She was covered but some how it got under and into my starter. Why? How? What the actual hell.
Thank god I gave some to my mom and she’s kept it alive🥲 this was my first successful starter and she was beautiful and made beautiful loaves. I started her in January 🥲
That being said, can someone explain to me like I’m 5yo how to dry out and save starter? I don’t want to just keep a jar in the fridge that may or may not live and I don’t know if you can freeze it but I NEVER want this to happen again.
by Mighty_owl98
42 Comments
Damn that sucks so bad. I’m guessing you’re on the east coast, stinkbugs are waking up now (they overwinter in gaps in the walls).
Drying out starter is easy – just lay out a thin amount on a baking sheet on some parchment paper and allow it to dry out completely. You don’t want to heat it. Once it scrapes off easily with no gummy residue it’s good for storage.
Covered with what exactly?
This guide from King Arthur is good. If you live in a humid or cool climate it may be helpful to put in your oven with the light on only to help it dry out.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/05/01/putting-sourdough-starter-hold
Edit: had misspelled “oven” lol
O noo, stinky Martin. Try it you might discover a new flavor. Like they have those moldy cheeses….
I keep some starter in the freezer as a back up. A week of regular feedings and it was back. It was quite convenient when I was moving.
Eh. I’d just fish it out and not tell anyone. You eat a lot more bugs than you think you do.
FWIW King Arthur says you can’t freeze it but I have successfully resurrected and baked from frozen starter in like 2 feeds so it is definitely doable. I think you just can’t keep it frozen for a long time. I keep some in the freezer and some dried now. Freezer for the quick fix option and dried just in case that doesn’t work for whatever reason (frozen too long, etc).
Okay, grossness aside, I doubt the stinkbug would seriously impact the health of the starter. I’d scoop it out with a big spoon or ladle, leaving some starter at the bottom and refeed it.
Bugs like those end up in our foods all the time; you don’t want to know what’s in your frozen spinach, lol.
I would spoon a tiny bit of the starter from the area most further away from the bug. Then use that tiny bit to grow the starter again in a new jar.
If whatever that is, in your starter got in even with it covered, it can more than likely get in if you follow the KA method (which is what I did) and it does work. However, if you know someone who has a [dehydrator](https://pantrymama.com/how-to-dehydrate-sourdough-starter/) or have access to one, you can safely dehydrate your starter in a few hours, rather than over the course of a few days (if I remember correctly, one took 3 to 5 days).
Extra protein was not on your BINGO card! 🫣
I fucking hate stink bugs- my sympathies
Hey, my dog has eaten my starter. twice. I’ve tried to make a starter about 6 times now (troubles with flour, heat going out, mold, etc. basically low probability thing going wrong went wrong) and the last two times, with a starter JUST starting to establish and do well (about a week before being able to use it) my dog has eaten it. I’m losing my mind. attempt 7 starts tomorrow 🤦♀️
They are also called shield bugs so at least your starter is Protected! I would scoop out and use the starter. My starter took 6 hours to dry on parchment paper. Just spread it thin. And keep the bugs away from it. 😊
I just get greaseproof paper and spread a thin layer of stater with a spatula, I leave it in the oven with the light on to dry
Don’t worry. I get people are emotionally attached to their starter but you can always make a new one. A couple grains of instant yeast (I know, sacrilege) with some flour and water is all you need. That or just remove the bug and feed it again.
I don’t really see the big deal. Sure it’s annoying but stink bugs are clumsy idiots that get everywhere. A starter is just an ecosystem full of microscopic bugs, dead and alive. scoop a tiny bit out from the far side and start a new jar.
You can scrap some starter off the sides of the jar and keep it going
Scoop out about half of it, feed it and keep going.
Definitely freeze yourself some back up copies! I keep three in my freezer, just pour discard into a freezer safe bag, get all the air out, and then I usually lay it flat to freeze for better storage. That way if anything happens to yours you can easily revitalize it. Some folks dehydrate their starter to save it…I’ve never tried it, seems like a lot of extra steps.
Just grab a tiny spoonful from the other side of the cup and restart. It’s not swimming around.
I left my starter in Florida years ago and my Mom shipped it to me and the jar cracked and spilled out during shipping. So, I scraped a little piece off the side that was clean and just restarted.
You only need a drop.
Oh no 😭😭
Meh, scoop him out and move on
https://preview.redd.it/1vxr3gdqffpg1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7507c9a128a34927fadd412cabbd2b301edf9775
I gasped
One the bright side, one less invasive stink bug? 😬 that really sucks
I don’t have any thoughts, advice, or a stance, but the spectrum of comfortability with keeping this starter is really interesting to me. Everywhere from “I don’t see why this is a big deal at all” to people saying that’s the foulest thing they’ve ever heard. The intersection of the science / reality around food safety and the gross factor of a stink bug in your starter is really stirring up some controversy, here
But of extra protein is all
Fwiw when my starter is on the counter, I put a paper towel over the top and then use the band of a mason jar to hold it down. Nothing visible is getting in.
Just grab a soup spoon or larger and scoop out the bug and move on with your glorious baking. It’s not that big of a deal.
Just scoop the bug out and keep feeding it. Also keep a lid on your starter jar, just don’t screw it down all the way.
Oh no! That starter looks heavenly! Idk but I’d seriously consider scooping his lil azz outta there & try to forget it ever happened! Stinkbug, where? 😅 I’ve been trying to get a starter going for a few weeks now & I don’t know what the problem is. I’ll take the drippings off his back at this point! 😆😩
Boy, that stinks.
You do you but I’m just scooping that guy out, along with maybe the top inch and keeping the starter. It’s a harmless bug.
Wow, that’s a pretty wide emotional range for a starter that you had for three months lol
Wisconsinite?
lmao just scoop him out
You’re at home! Just scoop him out and move on. Stink bugs are considered “pests” not a “health hazard”. They don’t spread diseases. Just throw him away.
I hate stink bugs with a fiery passion. They always show up at the worst times and in the worst places. I’ll contribute to stink bugs genocide in loving memory of your starter.
It’s just extra protein
Oh no! One of these little fuckers flew into my hot bath the other night and I had to drain it and clean the tub before resuming. He survived at least.
To dehydrate your starter just spread it out thinly on parchment paper and allow to completely dry out. Once dry, break it up and put in a jar. Keep it in a cool place. Will keep for a very long time. I place the parchment on a wire shelf in my toaster oven because it dries out faster if it has airflow from the bottom rather than placing it on a cookie sheet or silicone mat.
These inclusions are getting ridiculous.