Your dehydrated starter is a dormant culture that needs to be rehydrated before its first feed. Start by mixing the whole packet with an equal weight of tepid water. Do not discard any starter after this first step.
Planning your next feed? Try our Sourdough Starter Peak Calculator to estimate fermentation time using your feeding ratio, temperature and flour. It's a guide, so always check your starter's activity too.
Once it has hydrated, feed the whole mixture using the instructions for wheat or rye below. Keep it warm and wait for it to rise strongly and fill with bubbles. When it reaches peak rise after feeding, you’re ready to bake.
Download the printable starter and beginner recipe guide
What you’ll need
- A clean jar with enough room for the starter to at least double
- Digital kitchen scales
- Tepid water, around 27°C is ideal. Tap water is generally fine
- A spoon or spatula
- A loosely fitted lid
- Flour that matches your starter:
- Wheat: good quality bakers flour, ideally at least 12% protein
- Rye: wholegrain rye flour
Stage 1: Rehydrate the whole packet
- Tip the entire packet into a clean jar, including any small granules.
- Weigh the dehydrated starter.
- Add the same weight of tepid water. For example, add 50 g water to 50 g dehydrated starter.
- Stir thoroughly. It may not dissolve completely straight away.
- Fit the lid loosely and leave the jar somewhere warm, ideally around 24–27°C, for 12–24 hours.
Do not discard anything after this step. Small bubbles or a mild fermented smell may begin appearing, but the starter does not need to rise strongly before its first feed.
Watch: Activate your dehydrated starter
Follow along with the video, or use the written steps above.
Stage 2: Feed the whole mixture
Do not discard any starter. Weigh the hydrated mixture and feed the entire amount.
For 100 g of hydrated starter:
- Wheat: Add 100 g water and 100 g bakers flour
- Rye: Add 120 g water and 100 g wholegrain rye flour
Mix thoroughly until no dry flour remains. The starter should be thick, roughly like crunchy peanut butter.
Fit the lid loosely, mark the starter’s level and keep it somewhere warm, ideally around 24–27°C. Keep it away from direct sunlight, cold draughts, hot appliances, fruit bowls and compost bins.
Watch: Feed your activated starter
This video shows how to feed the activated starter, build enough for baking and create a backup.
Why feed the whole mixture?
Feeding the entire hydrated starter gives you plenty of active starter to work with. Once it reaches peak rise, you will have enough to:
- Measure out what you need for your first bake
- Create one or more frozen backup starters
- Retain approximately 50 g as your ongoing mother starter
If you are only baking one loaf, divide the additional starter into as many frozen backup portions as you find useful. You could also use a portion to establish another starter.
When is your starter ready to bake with?
Your starter is ready when it has:
- Doubled or tripled in volume
- Plenty of bubbles throughout
- A pleasant yeasty or slightly sour smell
- Reached peak rise and has not started collapsing
Use the rise rather than relying only on time. Keep it around 24–27°C and mark the starting level so you can clearly see how much it rises.
If it is bubbling but not rising strongly, first check that it is warm enough and that the consistency is thick, roughly like crunchy peanut butter. A starter that is too wet may be active but unable to hold enough gas to rise.
Your starter has reached peak rise. What’s next?
If your starter has risen strongly and is full of bubbles, you’re ready to start making your sourdough.
Choose the beginner recipe that matches your starter:
Need a hand? Send us a photo and let us know which starter and flour you are using at ohcrumb@doughmygod.com.au, or call 1300 991 822.