Reactivation takes place over 5 days. It is important that you complete each days task to ensure your starter thrives!
Reactivating a dehydrated starter is a more reliable way to start a thriving culture. Beneficial bacteria have a chance to infiltrate your starter before bad bacteria do. Giving your starter’s immune system a leg up from the jump.
Don’t worry about using grams here simple measurements work fine!
When you are ready to begin reactivating your dehydrated starter, start by grabbing:
- PACKET OF DEHYDRATED STARTER
- WARM, NOT HOT WATER
- FLOUR, UNBLEACHED!
- CONTAINER FOR STORAGE, I like wide mouth mason jars or glass snapware!
- MIXING BOWL & RUBBER SPATULA
DAY #1
GETTING STARTED
- In your clean, wide mouth pint jar, add your dehydrated starter and ~ 1 1/2 tablespoons of warm (NOT HOT – think baby bathwater minus) water.
- Allow to soak for several minutes, breaking up any larger chunks – it doesn’t have to be smooth, just get most of it dissolved.
- Add 1 tablespoon of your AP flour and combine. Scrape the sides of your jar and cover lightly (cotton towel, paper towel, coffee filter etc).
- Leave on the counter in a warm spot (out of direct sunlight) for 24 hours.
I like to start this on a Monday that way my first baking day lands on a Saturday giving me plenty of time to let my doughs rise and learn from my mistakes!
DAY #2
GIVE IT A NAME
- Grab your jar and, add 1 tablespoon of warm (NOT HOT – think baby bathwater minus) water and stir to combine.
- Add 1 tablespoon of flour and combine. Scrape the sides of your jar and cover lightly (cotton towel, paper towel, coffee filter etc).
- Leave on the counter in a warm spot (out of direct sunlight) for 24 hours.
Need some inspiration? Deanna over at Homestead and Chill did a great round up of starter names here!
DAY #3
DO YOU SEE BUBBLES YET?
- Grab your jar and, add 1 tablespoon of warm (NOT HOT – think baby bathwater minus) water and stir to combine.
- Add 1 tablespoon of your AP flour and combine. Scrape the sides of your jar and cover lightly (cotton towel, paper towel, coffee filter etc).
- Leave on the counter in a warm spot (out of direct sunlight) for 24 hours.
DAY #4
BULKING UP!
- Grab your jar and, add 1/4 c. of warm (NOT HOT – think baby bathwater minus) water and stir to combine.
- Add 1/3 c. of your AP flour and combine. Scrape the sides of your jar and cover lightly (cotton towel, paper towel, coffee filter etc).
- Leave on the counter in a warm spot (out of direct sunlight) for 24 hours.
Your jar should be pretty full by now!
DAY 5: HOMESTRETCH!
- Grab your jar and pour ~ 1/2 c starter into a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 c. warm water (NOT HOT – think baby bathwater minus) water and stir to combine. Anything left in the original jar should be reserved in the refrigerator or used in a recipe for discard or tossed in the compost/trash!
- Add 1 c. of your AP flour and combine. Add to a clean jar – Scrape the sides of your jar as needed and cover lightly (cotton towel, paper towel, coffee filter etc).
- Leave on the counter in a warm spot (out of direct sunlight) for 24 hours.
YOU WILL BAKE WITH IT TOMORROW!
when feeding my sourdough starter I do not measure exactly or use my kitchen scale unless making a giant batch. I know the consistency that I prefer my starter at and I adjust my quantities from there.
DAY 6: TIME TO BAKE!
By Day 6 your starter should be rising and falling reliably and be strong enough to use in a recipe. While it is still young you may find that recipes that use some commercial yeast and some sourdough work best.
Different recipes call for different versions of starter! Be sure to pay attention to your recipe so you know when to use it!
- Active Starter or At Peak Activity – fed starter that is very bubbly and has plateaued in height.
- Discard Starter – starter that is deflating or deflated after peak activity
I know, you want some recipes… just keep in mind that there are a lot of variables at play in a sourdough loaf. Bread is as much by feel as it is by a recipe. That being said, here are our favorite resources for recipes!
King Arthur Flour has one of the most extensive and well tested collection of sourdough discard recipes that I have found. So far there hasn’t been a single recipe we haven’t enjoyed and made again!
Homestead and Chill has a simple No knead Sourdough recipe we have used successfully for boules and “crusty” sourdough
Venison for Dinner Kate’s Soft Sourdough for sandwich bread, french bread, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, and more!
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS?
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