Appreciation post: a baker in Portland told me to stop using a mixer for my sourdough starter and it fixed everything

3 comments

3 Comments

The baker was right. Using a mixer on a sourdough starter is like using a blender for pancake batter, it's just too aggressive. The high speed rips the gluten structure apart and over-oxygenates it. You end up with a starter that's weak and foamy, not the bubbly and stretchy stuff you want. Stick with a wooden spoon or even just a fork. It takes a minute more but the starter will work way better and your bread will rise properly. Have you tried switching to hand mixing yet?

wesleyjohnson1mo ago

Explain what the baker said was wrong with the mixer. Was it adding too much air or just beating it too hard?

amygonzalez1mo ago

Wait, did @wesleyjohnson see that video about over-mixing cake batter? Honestly, the baker was probably saying the mixer speed was too high, which does both things. It beats it too hard and that forces in too much air. Tbh, that's how you end up with a tough cake or one that sinks in the middle. It's a super common mistake even a lot of home bakers make.