Revive Your Dehydrated Sourdough Starter: A Simple Guide to Bring It Back to Life

Are you ready to breathe life back into your dehydrated sourdough starter? At Great Lakes Sourdough, we've perfected a straightforward method to rejuvenate your dried sourdough flakes or powder. This quick and easy process restores your starter to a bubbly, happy liquid, preparing it for baking delicious sourdough bread. Follow these comprehensive instructions to get your Great Lakes Sourdough Starter back in action!

How to Rehydrate Your Dried Sourdough Starter

1. Initial Rehydration

Empty the entire 15-gram package of dried starter into a 100 mL jar. Add 15 grams of filtered, tepid water. Loosely cover the jar to allow air to escape. Let it sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate the dried bits.

2. Adding Flour

Add 1-2 grams of organic rye flour and 13–14 grams of organic bread flour to the jar. Mix well, cover with a finger-tight lid, and place in a warm area around 24 °C (75 °F). If needed, add up to 5 grams more water to achieve a thick pancake batter consistency.

3. First Feeding

After 24 hours, add 45 grams of tepid water and 45 grams of flour (10% rye, 90% bread flour). Leave in a warm area for another 24 hours.

4. Second Feeding and Storage

After another 24 hours, check for tiny bubbles. Remove 20 grams of the liquid starter and place it into a clean 100 mL jar. Add 20 grams of tepid water and 20 grams of flour (10% rye, 90% bread flour). This small amount helps minimize waste as you revive the starter. Discard the leftover in your compost (avoid putting it down the sink unless diluted).

5. Ongoing Maintenance

Continue the process of discarding half and feeding with equal amounts of water and flour. Your starter is ready for baking when it doubles in size. Calculate the amount needed for your recipe, plus 50 grams to have enough for future use.

4 Reasons to Dehydrate Your Sourdough Starter

• Long-Term Storage: Dehydration preserves your sourdough starter for extended periods, even years, without spoilage.
• Convenience: Dried starters are compact and lightweight, perfect for travel or storage.
• Emergency Backup: A dried starter serves as a reliable backup if your active starter gets damaged or fails.
• Easy Sharing: Dehydrated starters are simple to share, allowing you to spread the joy of sourdough baking by gifting or mailing them.

The Science of Dehydration and Rehydration

Dehydrating a sourdough starter removes its water content, putting the yeast and bacteria into a dormant state. Though inactive, these microorganisms remain alive and can be reactivated with moisture. Rehydrating involves mixing the dried flakes or powder with water and flour, waking up the yeast and bacteria and providing them with food to start growing again. This process kickstarts fermentation, bringing your starter back to life.