Sourdough Starter Rehydration

This is a quick and easy way to rehydrate your new packet of dehydrated starter. You can also find many other resources for alternative ways to rehydrate, and maintain your starter, but in this post, you'll find a step-by-step guide the easy way.

Instructions

Pick Your Container

• Find a glass or plastic container that’s around 32 ounces in size minimum. You can go larger if you’d like to maintain a larger starter, or smaller container if you'd like to discard at each feeding and maintain a smaller amount of starter.

• Remember, your starter will double in size at each feeding, so it can quickly get out of control if you're not using or discarding it.

Prep Your Container

• Once you’ve chosen a container, ensure it’s clean then pour your dehydrated starter into it.

• It's also fun to give your new sourdough "baby" a name.

Gather Your Supplies

• All-purpose flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, bread flour or whole wheat flour. Note: If you're interested in feeding and maintaining your sourdough starter with whole wheat flour, it's best to ease into the whole wheat by diluting with all-purpose flour by 1/2 for the first 2-4 feedings. For instance, if you need to feed with 50 grams, use 25 grams all-purpose and 25 grams whole wheat.

• Filtered water from your fridge, a pitcher, or home system. Not straight from the unfiltered sink.

• Kitchen scale with grams for unit of measurement.

• Clean rubber spatula or wooden spoon

• Weigh your empty jar and note the weight. This will be a helpful reference for future feedings.

Start Your Rehydration

• Feed your starter a 1:1:1 ration of starter to flour to water.

• Add 1.5 ounces/45 grams of four and ounces/45 grams of filtered water to your jar and stir it with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to completely combine. Note: for the purposes of a more accurate measurement, I will be referring to you weights below in grams.

• Scrape down the sides and cover loosely with lid or paper towel and rubber band.

• Let it sit on the counter at room temperature for 12 hours.

Feed Your Sourdough Baby

• Now that your starter is rehydrated, it’s time to do a feeding. Do NOT discard any of the rehydrated starter. Feed your starter with a 1:2:1 ratio.

• That means you should have 135 grams of total rehydrated starter. So this feeding, you'll add 135 grams of flour and 67 grams water. Stir to combine. You can either leave it on the counter to ferment/rise for 24 hours then use it for a recipe or place it in the fridge for later baking.

Maintain Your Starter

• Now that your starter is rehydrated, you’re ready to bake!

• Before your next feeding, you can choose to discard a portion of your starter, use the discard in a recipe or continue to grow it. Either way, your starter will need to be maintained from now on.

• Here’s how you’ll maintain your starter: Feed the starter with a 1:1:1 ratio every 24 hours if stored on the countertop at room temperature or once a week if stored in the fridge.

• If you store your starter in the fridge, when you're ready to start baking with it again, simply bring it to room temperature and feed all or a portion of your starter using the ratios above. Note: It may take 24-48 hours for your starter to begin doubling in size...that's okay...it's just waking up from its nap.

Enjoy!

• You can now discard or bake with your new sourdough baby whenever the urge hits you.