This Is The Best Container For Your Sourdough Starter

Once you've gotten your homemade sourdough starter established and are on the way to consistently amazing home-baked bread, it's time to consider the best container for storing the starter remnant you'll save between bakes. Ideally, this will be a clear container so that you can easily check on how the starter is doing while it waits for you. You'll be looking for bubbles, liquid hooch floating on top, and also how much the starter has grown, all signs of the general health of the starter. The container should have a lid to keep out unwanted debris and prevent spills of your precious mixture. And the container should not be so small that the growing starter will overflow, but also not so large that it's hard to notice the rising.

Glass jars fit all the criteria, which makes them an excellent choice. Plastic containers don't always come in a convenient range of sizes, and they can sometimes hold onto unwanted bacteria or smells that you don't want in the starter. They're also not usually designed to be used for long periods of time, so they can crack and break. And skip any metal containers, which spell disaster for your starter due to the potential to transfer metallic flavors.

There are tons of options for glass containers, from reused food containers to sturdy mason jars. Your best bet is a jar with a wide enough opening to scrape every last bit of your precious starter out. For the same reason, opt for one with relatively straight sides without crevices or curves. These characteristics will also help you clean that jar out between feedings most efficiently. If the jar can go in the dishwasher for sanitizing, that's even better. Also take a look at the lid — ideally, it's material that won't rust or corrode, as you don't need bits of lid falling into the starter.

Overall, sturdy, versatile canning jars are a favorite starter container for many bakers. Depending on how much starter you keep, there's sure to be a jar that will hold it without hogging up too much space on your counter or fridge. Canning jars are less prone to break and crack since they've been manufactured to hold up to boiling, and you can find a variety of lid styles to cap the jars. And once you find the jar that's perfect for you, it's not hard to get a back up.