Activating a dehydrated sourdough starter involves a rehydration process that takes a few days, typically 5-7 days. The process starts by rehydrating the starter with water and flour, followed by feeding it regularly to encourage growth and activity.
Day 1:
Rehydrate: place 10 grams of dehydrated sourdough starter into a clean glass jar.
Add Water: Add three tablespoons of room temperature filtered water to the jar.
Stir and Let Sit: Stir well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula (avoid metal) and let it sit for an hour.
Add Flour: After the hour, add two tablespoons of unbleached bread flour (like King Arthur) and stir well.
Loosely Lid: Place a rubber band around the jar for tracking and loosely cover with a lid.
Days 2-5:
1. Daily Feeding:
For the next few days, remove the lid, add 2 tablespoons of flour and 1-1.5 tablespoons of room temperature water.
2. Stir and Track:
Stir well, place the rubber band at the current level, and loosely cover with the lid.
3. Observe and Adjust:
Monitor for bubbles and signs of activity (rise and fall). Adjust the water if needed to achieve a pancake batter consistency.
4. Continue Feeds:
Repeat the feeding process daily.
Day 6:
Monitor Activity: Observe for rise and fall activity, indicating a healthy starter.
Consider Baking: If the starter has doubled in size within 8 hours of being fed, it's likely ready to use for baking.
Important Notes:
Temperature: Keep the jar in a warm, draft-free spot (around 74-76°F or 23-24°C) for optimal activity.
Water Quality: Avoid using reverse osmosis or distilled water, as it may lack beneficial bacteria and minerals.
Flour Choice: Unbleached bread flour (like King Arthur) is recommended.
Metal Avoidance: Try to avoid using metal utensils for the initial rehydration steps.
Troubleshooting: If the starter doesn't show signs of activity after a few days, try adjusting the feeding ratio or using a different flour.
Maintenance feeding:
Once the starter is doubling in size after feeding, maintain the starter on the counter with ½ cup bread flour, ½ cup filtered water and ½ cup starter. Use the other ½ cup starter to bake bread or discard the remaining starter and store in the refrigerator to make discard recipes.
You can also spread ½ cup of starter as thin as possible on parchment paper until completely dry to make more dehydrated stater. Break apart in tiny pieces and store in an airtight container.