Dehydrated Sourdough Starter
Unlock the secret to preserving your sourdough starter by learning how to dehydrate sourdough starter! This guide will show you the simple yet effective steps to dehydrate your starter, perfect for saving it for future baking projects or sharing with other bread lovers. No more wasting or starting from scratch.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter active, or unfed discard
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper sheet.
- Spread a dollop of starter or discard in a thin layer - the aim is to dry the starter quickly, so thin layers are best.
- Set aside in a safe place to dry naturally, this could take up to 3 days. If the top layer is hard and dried after day 2, peel it from the parchment or silicone mat and flip it over and allow it to dry for another 24 hours to ensure the entire thickness is completely dried.
- Break the dry starter into chunks or process it in a blender or food processor into a powder before transferring to an airtight container for long term storage.
- Don't forget to condition. Each day for 7 days, shake the jar and watch for signs of moisture on the outside of the jar. If there are signs of moisture, it needs longer to dry, if there are no signs of moisture, it can be safely stored long term.
Notes
Storage
Now, where to put it? You have a few options here. If you're planning on using your dehydrated starter in the next few months, your pantry or a kitchen cupboard will do just fine. The key is to keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. But what if you're looking at a longer hiatus from your sourdough adventures? Well, then your freezer is your best friend. If you store dehydrated sourdough starter in the freezer, you can extend its shelf life even further, up to years! Just make sure your container is freezer-safe and you're good to go.reviving dried starter
It's no good to preserve sourdough starter if you can't reawaken it easily! Reviving dried starter is as easy as feeding.- Add 50 grams of starter to a small bowl, and add 50g warm water (80-85f), stir well.
- Allow it to sit and rehydrate for 12 -24 hours.
- Weigh 50g of the starter/water and feed the starter with 50g water and 50g flour every 24 hours until bubbly and active.
