gal in plaid long-sleeve shirt with tan apron stirring sourdough starter
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REHYDRATING YOUR SOURDOUGH STARTER: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

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There’s a beautiful sense of continuity and tradition in bringing a sourdough starter back to life. Whether you’ve received dehydrated flakes from a friend or are returning to your own after a hiatus, rehydrating your active sourdough starter is a journey back to the roots of baking. Follow this step-by-step guide to awaken your starter once again.

gal in plaid long-sleeve shirt with tan apron stirring sourdough starter
Every good loaf of bread begins with a strong and healthy sourdough starter. You should be ready to bake your first sourdough loaf in just 5 days, so let’s get started!

Here’s a little disclaimer: While I will give you estimated amounts, we rarely use a kitchen scale in the kitchen. We like our sourdough starter to have the consistency of thick pancake batter. So, if it is too runny – simply add more flour, too dry – add more water slowly. Also, we like to say let your sourdough starter work for you, not you work for your sourdough starter. (Meaning, if you can’t do the next “step” in 20 minutes that’s okay, do it when you get the chance). Sourdough is very flexible.

sourdough starter fed and overflowing in big bowl.

Rehydrate your dry sourdough starter – Reactivation Process 

SIMPLE PROCESS

  • Add roughly equal parts of dehydrated starter, flour, and water to a jar and mix together. Add more water or flour to get your thick pancake consistency. Cover and let sit to ferment. Continue to feed a couple tablespoons of flour and water to get the desired consistency at least once a day until it starts doubling in size. Once it has doubled in size, you are ready to bake your first loaf of bread or sourdough goodies.

DETAILED WHOLE PROCESS

Step 1: Collect Your Tools and Ingredients

Begin with assembling the essentials:

  • Dehydrated sourdough starter (Lazarus- if you purchased from us)
  • Flour* (unbleached flour, all-purpose flour, bread flour, rye flour, or whole wheat flour)
  • Lukewarm water
  • A clear glass jar or container (preferably a wide-mouth jar)
  • A digital kitchen scale (great for consistent precise measurements, however, we do not use one so it can be done without)
  • A warm place to keep your sourdough starter- place on the counter if your kitchen temperature is warm, in oven- with light on, or wrap your jar with towels/warm corn bag.

Flour*- You can use any flour that you would like to feed your sourdough starter as long as it provides the starches the wild yeast in your sourdough needs to convert to Co2 to rise the dough. We like to use unbleached all-purpose flour. 

Day 1- Step 2: Wake Up Your Starter

Day 1 – Start the revival:

  • Mix 10g(1 tablespoon) of dehydrated starter into a jar with 60g(1/4 cup) of lukewarm water.
  • Stir gently until the starter is fully dissolved, creating a uniform mixture. Exercise patience; the flakes need time to fully hydrate.
  • Cover with a paper towel, beeswax cover, coffee filter, or jar cover with an elastic band and let it sit on your counter for one hour (up to 12 hours).

Day 1- Step 3: First Feeding

Day 1 Continued – Now that your starter is liquid again:

  • Add 40g(1/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour and mix well aiming for a smooth consistency. Combine until there are no dry patches of flour. 
  • Cover the jar with something breathable like a cloth or coffee filter, fixed with a rubber band.
  • Let sit for another 12-24 hours in a warm location (wrapping in a towel or sitting in the oven with the light on may give it a jump start). 
  • Looking at the side of the jar, you should begin seeing tiny bubbles forming even though the starter will not expand much. It may also get a slightly tangy smell—a sign of life.

Day 2- Step 4: Fermentation Started, Continue to Feed:

Day 2 – Let it multiply:

  • If after 24-48 hours you still don’t see much activity, don’t lose heart; proceed with another feeding.
  • Do not discard any starter.
  • Add 40g(1/8 cup) of water and 60g(1/2 cup) of flour to the sourdough mixture and mix together well. Allow 8 to 12 hours for it to ferment. 
  • The starter should start to double in size.

Day 3- Step 5: Fermentation Continued

Day 3 – Give it a boost:

  • This is completely optional – in fact, we do not discard any starter. If you don’t want to discard, just continue with another feeding.
  • Once the mixture has doubled in size, discard 100g (approx. half of the starter – again, we do not measure by grams). 
  • Then feed what remains with roughly equal weights (50g) of flour and water. 
  • Allow this to ferment for 8-12 hours during which the starter should triple or quadruple in size.

Pro Tip: Mark the beginning height of the starter on the outside of the jar with a rubber band prior to fermentation. This creates a baseline for you to measure your sourdough’s growth throughout the process. An active and healthy starter should triple or even quadruple in height within 6 to 8 hours of being fed depending on the width of the container it’s in and its hydration. You’ll want to use your starter right when its height plateaus for optimal results. However, we have used ours throughout the plateau and it did just fine, just be mindful that it will eventually collapse. If it does collapse, you will need to give it another feeding.

Step 6: Ready to Bake

Day 3 or 4 – It should be ready to use:

  • You should see a lot of bubbly activity after a good feeding has time to ferment. 
  • As long as it doubles/triples in size, it should be ready to go.
  • Give your hand at some sourdough goodies and let us know how it goes!

MY SOURDOUGH BREAD BAKING – QUICK SCHEDULE:

Every great loaf of sourdough bread begins with a strong starter. Baking with your sourdough starter! My sourdough bakers schedule – 

  • Night before, give sourdough starter a good feeding (1-2 cups of flour and enough water to make it a thick pancake batter consistency). 
  • Cover your jar and leave your starter on the counter to rise.
  • The next morning, mix your ingredients together according to your recipe. 
  • Shape the dough and let rest. If you have time do two or three stretch and folds throughout the day (may be 20 minutes apart or a few hours for me – in between gardening, chores, etc. for me). 
  • Shape the dough, cover and let rest overnight in the fridge. 
  • The next morning or when you are ready to bake, take it out, score, and bake! 

Step 7: Regular Feedings & Ongoing Maintenance

You’ve made a loaf of bread or some sourdough goodies. Now what?

  • Now you can set or not set a feeding schedule. 
  • Make your sourdough work for you, not you work for it so…while you can feed it daily, you don’t have to. 
  • You can use a clean jar every time you feed or keep it in the same one.
  • WE DO NOT DISCARD AT ALL- as it wastes good sourdough and flour. However, if you desire, you can discard half the starter each time and replenish with fresh flour and water.

HOW WE RECOMMEND TO FEED & MAINTAIN A STARTER:

  • Feed what’s in the jar with equal weights/amounts of flour and water. Stir well until it’s lump-free. Then, let it rest at room temperature until it becomes bubbly and active. Your starter is ready to use when it bubbly and doubles in size. This can take anywhere from 2-12 hours depending on the temperature and condition of your starter. Take out what you need for the recipe and then feed again.
  • If you only bake a few times a month, keep your starter in the fridge and feed it once a week. If you’re an avid baker, store your starter at room temperature and feed it a small amount at least every other day. If we don’t plan to use it for a few days, we may only feed it a Tablespoon of flour (& enough water for pancake batter consistency). Then when we are going to bake, we will feed it good the night before- see above for our common bread baking schedule.

WHY KEEP A DRIED SOURDOUGH STARTER:

It’s a good idea to keep a dried sourdough starter on hand even if you have a strong active starter that you use often. For example if you go on an extended vacation, get mold, someone accidently gets rid of it, the kids get into it, gnats, etc.

Keeping your own dried sourdough starter is easy! Spread a thin layer on counter, parchment paper, or baking tray and let dry for 2-3 days until it is completely dried. This puts your sourdough starter in a dormant state and is ready to rehydrate whenever you need it or want to gift to friends or family. For long term storage, place in a cool dry, dark place in an airtight container. Remember, it only takes a little bit to get you back up and going so you do not need much.

gal with tan apron stirring sourdough starter in jar

Success Tips

  • The consistency of your starter is crucial. Adjust the flour and water ratios depending on whether you want a more vigorous yeast activity (thicker starter) or bacterial activity (thinner starter). We like a thick pancake batter consistency.
  • Always use clean equipment to prevent unwanted bacteria or mold.
  • If any molds develop, start anew with a fresh dehydrated starter.

Troubleshooting

How long will it take to rehydrate and activate a sourdough starter?

  • Typically, it takes 3 days up to a week, depending on various factors like temperature, flour type, and feeding frequency.

Can I use different flours for my starter?

  • Absolutely, different flours can introduce various nutrients and flavors. Many bakers enjoy using a blend or experimenting with rye or whole grains. We simply use unbleached flour.

What if my starter isn’t showing signs of activity?

  • Make sure it’s kept in a consistently warm environment and that you’re following the feeding schedule closely. Patience is vital. If you’ve attempted several feedings without signs of life, it may be time to try with a new dehydrated starter. 
  • Rehydrating a sourdough starter isn’t just about preparation for baking; it’s almost like participating in an ancient ritual, connecting us with generations of bakers throughout history. Embrace the process and look forward to the rich, tangy breads that your reborn starter will help you create.

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