A Sourdough Bread Rookie's Journey: Rehydrate Sourdough Starter

Sourdough. That simple word makes me drool because I simply adore sourdough. For the longest time I wanted to try making it, but honestly— I have always been intimidated by what seems like a daunting process. But once I decided to jump in, I realized that while there is a short time investment up front, it is not daunting. It just takes time.

This made me realize that I am probably not the only person out there intimidated by sourdough preparation. So, I decided to share my learning journey and share what has worked for me, as I learn to perfect my sourdough making skills. This is going to a multi-part post for ease of understanding for those of you who, like me, are rookies in this area.

NOTE: This process is specifically for feeding dehydrated starter. You can get dehydrated starter from a variety of places. Two that I have seen are Ballerina Farm and The Farmhouse Contessa. From the photo below, you can tell that I am using TFC’s starter.

When you order the dehydrated starter, it will come in a bag. The dried starter reminds me of thin flatbread. A beautiful thing about it is that the dehydrated starter will last infinitely, as long as it is stored in an airtight container. Make sure you place the container in a cool, dry place.

LET’S GO

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 4B

First, let’s talk about the equipment that you will need for this part. You will need:

  • Clean glass jars with lids. I love using Weck jars.

  • A measuring food scale

  • A cup with a spout to pour water into the glass jar

  • And a spoon for mixing I like to use the wooden spoon.

Once you have assembled all these items, it’s time to begin. Let’s go. On Day 1 you will:

Step 1. Turn food scale on and set to ‘grams.” Place clean glass jar on the food scale and tare to set the scale to 0.

Step 2. Spoon 10 grams of the dehydrated started into the jar, and hit the tare button on the tare button to set back to 0.

Step 3. Pour 20 grams of lukewarm water to the jar, and hit the tare button to set to 0.

Step 4. Add 20 grams of bread flour to the jar. Mix all the ingredients well, cover with a lid and set aside.

** This process is repeated for the next three days (Days 2-4). What we are looking for is a starter that has doubled in size and has bubbles on the surface. You can see below the starter progressing from Day 2 through Day 4.

On Day 5 the starter again should have doubled in size and have bubbles, and then it is time to feed like you would normally. For this particular starter, it looks like this—

Step 1. Take a spoonful of the starter and add it to a clean jar.

Step 2. Add a 1/3 cup bread flour.

Step 3. Pour scant 1/3 lukewarm water to the jar, and mix. Cover it and set it aside. This will be ready to use in 6-8 hours.

Some tips I found useful—

  1. Starter rose better in a warmer room, around 70F. If your room is colder, it will take longer.

  2. Lukewarm water makes a difference so don’t skip this step. This baby milk warm.

  3. Be prepared for failures, and celebrate those, because they will make you a better sourdough baker.

  4. You can tell from the first photo that I still have lots to learn, but the aesthetics part of sourdough making, but it is a delicious journey— and I mean that, because this bread is delicious!

  5. This is ONLY for rehydrating the starter, and will be sharing in a separate post about next steps.

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