Sourdough starter is simple to dry and preserve for long term storage  Dry Sourdough starter is safe to store at room temperatures indefinitely if it is properly dried  You can rehydrate dried sourdough and bake with it in roughly five to seven days

Keeping a supply of dried sourdough starter in the pantry or freezer ensures you have a way to revive your starter in half the time of starting one from scratch

For best results you should feed your starter before drying it You also want a strong, mature starter which will aid in the rehydration process and yield a strong starter that is ready to use right away

The three methods used for drying sourdough starter are oven drying, air drying, and drying it in a food dehydrator

Baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats are best to use The starter needs to be spread thin so that is dries quickly and can be crushed

Set out the starting to air dry is the easiest method Simply spread out the starter and leave it on your kitchen counter until it has fully dried You will need to cover the starter to protect it from gnats or other small bugs

Your oven can also be used, but there is risk of killing the bacteria if your oven gets too hot If your oven has a bread proofing function this can be an option We recommend setting your oven to around 100 degrees F and it should take about 12 hours

A food dehydrator is the third option that you can use, but the risk of over heating the starter is also possible with this method Some dehydrators can not be set to a low enough temperature of around 100 degrees F

Spread your starter in a thin layer on your parchment or silicone Set on the trays and check on it in roughly 8 hours Once the starter is crisp and dry, and can be easily broken apart it is done and ready for storage

Dehydrated starter can be stored in any airtight container or jar It will be stable in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry for up to 1 year

It can also be frozen for longer storage It is best to grind or blend the dried starter into a fine powder and load it into a freezer safe, airtight bag Remove all of the excess air from the bag, and be sure to label it

To revive a dried starter you add back the water, maybe some flour, and wait  Then add in some more water and flour and wait  The yeast and bacteria will slowly revive and begin metabolizing again Repeat feedings until your dried starter is fully reconstituted and active again

Click the link to read our full post on how to dehydrate and revive sourdough starter