How to Reactivate a Dehydrated Sourdough Stater

Ready for your step-by-step guide on how to reactivate your dehydrated sourdough starter?! The whole process takes less than one week. You will transform your small amount of dried sourdough starter into an active sourdough starter and ready to bake with in less than 7 days! With a little attention and care, this starter will provide you with the best, homemade, delicious and oh so nutritious sourdough baking at home and to share.

I am going to be honest here, I like to consider myself as a lazy sourdough baker. The idea of feeding and caring for my starter daily made me too anxious. The 2019 sourdough baker Jes went from taking her sourdough with her on car rides and friends’ house to quickly learning how to stop being a helicopter starter mom by using a little technology called…..the refrigerator. And I will tell you more about it later.

If you obtained your dehydrated sourdough starter from us here at Sensible Homestead, you are awesome and thank you for supporting us, you are helping us raise a family.

Day 1: In a clean pint-size mason jar (or similar) cobmine 15g (1 Tbsp) of dried sourdough starter (this package) with 40g (3 Tbsp) of filtered lukewarm water. Let it sit for a few minutes. Stir it occasionally. Then add 20g (2 Tbsp) of flour. Mix well. Cover the jar. Set aside.

Day 2: After about 24 hours, in the same jar, add 20g (2 Tbps) of flour and 20g (4 tsp) of water to the starter. Mix well. Cover the jar.

Day 3: Repeat day 2.

Day 4: Add 75g (1/2 cup) of flour and 50g (1/4 cup) of water to the same jar. Mix well. Cover the jar. Mark the level of your start on the jar. Your starter should rise today.

Day 5: In a clean mixing bowl, add 100g (1 cup) of flour and 100g (1/2 cup) of water. Mix well. Transfer the starter into a clean larger container such as a quart or half gallon mason jar. Cover jar and set aside. If your starter is now actively bubbling, rising and falling...you have successfully reactivated the dry starter! When a starter rises to double its size and stay elevated, that is considered “peak activity” and is ready to bake with. It will deflate after a few hours and will need to be fed or refrigerated.