My sourdough starter got moldy after 2 weeks of neglect

So I went on a trip to visit family in Austin last month and completely forgot about my starter sitting on the counter. When I got back, there was this fuzzy green spot on top. I tried scraping it off but the whole thing smelled funky. Should I just dump it and start over or is there a way to salvage it if I catch it early enough? Has anyone successfully saved a starter that grew mold?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbara42914d ago

My first starter got moldy like that back in 2021 when I had to go to my sister's wedding in Nashville. I tried scraping it off and even tried feeding it with a tiny bit of fresh flour but the smell just got worse over the next day or two. Honestly in my experience once you see actual fuzzy mold and the whole thing smells like a wet sock it's pretty much toast. I'd just dump it and start a new one, I've had way better luck starting fresh than trying to save a funky starter. Your mileage may vary but I wasted a good week trying to rescue mine and ended up right back at square one anyway.

brown.susan14d ago

Wet sock smell, now that's a real party foul in the sourdough world.