How to Dehydrate Sourdough Starter

How to Dry Sourdough Starter in a glass jar

Learn how to dehydrate your sourdough starter as a way to preserve your starter in case something happens, so you will never had to start from scratch again.

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Keyword: Sourdough, Sourdough Starter

Prep Time: 10

Drying Time: 1

Total Time: 1 10

Calories: 46kcal

Author: S Jones

Equipment

Good Quality Baking Paper
Pastry Brush

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter Active and Bubbly is better

Instructions

Dry Sourdough Starter

First, you will need to feed you starter.
When it is at its peak, use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer of the starter over a piece of baking paper.
Leave the paper in a warm place to dry. The time it takes to dry will depend on the temperature and humidity of your home.
Make sure that the place you choose is not near a window or door where the paper can get blown away.
Keep an eye on it to make sure that it doesn't mould or get insects on it.
Once it is dry, you will need to store your starter.

Drying Sourdough Starter in a Dehydrator or Oven

Spread a thin layer of starter on baking paper or trays and place in the dehydrator using the lowest temperature you can.
Ideally, you just want the air to circulate around the starter, drying it as it goes. Any setting under 37˚C (98.6˚F) will not kill all the good bacteria you need.
The same can be done in the oven. After spreading the starter on lined baking trays, place in the oven with only the light on. Do not use any heat. you could even place it in the oven after it has been turned off, using the residual heat to dry the starter.
Once it is dry, you will need to store your starter.

Storing Dry Sourdough Starter

Once your starter is completely dry and brittle, there are many different ways to store it. The dried sourdough starter can be stored as shards, granules or powder. There is really no difference between them as long as they are dried and stored correctly, they should rehydrate easily.
* Place broken shards in a clean, dry glass. Screw on the lid and store in a cool, dark place.
* Break into pieces and store in a zip lock back away from heat and light.
* Grind into a powder and store in a glass jar or zip lock bag.
* Vacuum seal the pieces, shards or powder.
Dried sourdough starter should last indefinitely as long as it is kept away from light, heat and moisture.

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Nutrition

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. The values may vary according to the ingredients and tools that are used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed information.