Welcome!
If you purchased or have been gifted a dried Sally starter packet, you’re in the right place!
On this page you’ll find a complete step-by-step guide on getting your starter rehydrated plus how to use and care for your starter after that.
Sally Starter Guide
Rehydrating your dried Sally starter
What you’ll need:
- 10g Dried Sally Starter
- 1 Glass Jar
- 1 Stirring Utensil
- 1 Cover for Jar
- 1 Rubber band
- Organic white flour - I use King Arthur brand for starter maintenance
Recommended:
- Kitchen Scale - for better accuracy and recipe success!
Step-by-step: (Kitchen Scale Method)
Prep:
Clean jar and stirring stick with warm soapy water. Rinse well and let air dry.
Combine sourdough starter + 10 grams water in the clean jar. Stir well and let sit, covered, for one hour to hydrate. After an hour, add 10 grams "Sally food" (organic white flour) to the jar. Stir until well combined. Cover jar with the cloth lid and secure with the metal band. Let sit in a warm location for 24 hours.
Day 1:
Add 30 grams water + 30 grams "Sally food" to your jar. Stir well and let sit for 24 hours.
Day 2:
Measure out 30 grams and “discard” the rest - you can keep the discarded starter in a jar in the fridge. Now add 30 grams water + 30 grams "Sally food." Stir well and let sit for 24 hours.
Day 3:
Repeat steps from Day 3. You should be seeing more bubbles in your starter. Wrap the provided rubber band around the jar to measure any rise activity.
Day 4:
Repeat steps from Day 3. At this point your starter should double in size within 8-12 hours. Once it has done this, your starter is ready to be used in a recipe. Continue the feeding and discarding cycle daily or store in your refrigerator and feed once per week.
Day 5:
Prefer paper? Download instructions to print HERE
No kitchen scale? No problem.
Step-by-step: (Imperial Measurements)
Prep:
Clean jar and stirring stick with warm soapy water. Rinse well and let air dry.
Combine sourdough starter + 2 teaspoons water in the clean jar. Stir well and let sit, covered, for one hour to hydrate. After an hour, add 3 teaspoons "Sally food" (organic white flour) to the jar. Stir until well combined. Cover jar with the cloth lid and secure with the metal band. Let sit in a warm location for 24 hours.
Day 1:
Add 3 tablespoons water + 1/4 cup "Sally food" to your jar.* Stir well and let sit for 24 hours.
Day 2:
Pour out roughly half of the mixture and “discard” - you can keep the discarded starter in a jar in the fridge. Now add 3 tablespoons water + 1/4 cup "Sally food." Stir well and let sit for 24 hours.
Day 3:
Repeat steps from Day 3. You should be seeing more bubbles in your starter. Wrap the provided rubber band around the jar to measure any rise activity.
Day 4:
Repeat steps from Day 3. At this point your starter should double in size within 8-12 hours. Once it has done this, your starter is ready to be used in a recipe. Continue the feeding and discarding cycle daily or store in your refrigerator and feed once per week.
Day 5:
*The consistency should be similar to creamy peanut butter. If your mixture is very dry and doesn’t stir easily, add a bit more water.
Tips for Success
Using a kitchen scale is highly recommended. Is this mandatory? No. But it will make your life so much easier and will ensure more accurate and consistent results.
Temperature matters, find a cozy place for your starter. The ideal temperature for sourdough starters is between 75F-85F. This temperature will ensure the best rising results. Be sure to keep your starter away from direct heat sources and out of direct sunlight.
Filtered water is best. Sourdough microbes are delicate and chlorine in tap water can cause problems. Using filtered or non-chlorinated water is best. Don't have any? Let tap water sit out on your counter uncovered overnight. The chlorine will evaporate and your water will be ready to go.
Sourdough “discard” shouldn’t be thrown away. There are so many wonderful recipes to be made with the discarded portion of sourdough. Follow us for recipes and ideas on how to use it!
Questions? Ask Bianca at hello@auntiebspantry.com
For more sourdough recipes, tips, and guidance be sure to follow us!
Maintenance
Keeping your starter happy and healthy
Maintaining a daily feeding schedule will ensure your starter is active and ready to use daily. Feeding once every 24 hours (AM or PM) is usually a good way to go. Some recipes recommend feeding twice in 24 hours for a stronger starter.
1:1:1 Method: Kitchen Scale Recommended
Keep your starter at room temperature and feed once daily with equal parts by weight of starter, flour, and water. Discard all but the starting amount of starter each day.
Example:
30g starter + 30g flour + 30g water = 90g total
Discard 60g to bring it back to 30g starter, and repeat each day.
Tip: When your starter doubles in size after feeding, you’ll know it’s ready to be used in most recipes calling for “active” starter. Be sure to record the amount of time it takes your starter to double in size so that you can plan better for recipes. It should take somewhere between 6-12 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
No scale? No problem.
If you don’t have a scale or don’t need exact measurements for a recipe, feel free to use this more relaxed method.
Simply mix 1/4 - 1/2 cup starter and flour plus enough water to make a thick but stirrable mixture. It should be the consistency of nut butter. Add more or less water and flour to get it just right.
Discard roughly half (or more) of the starter each day. Repeat the process daily if you would like to have an active starter on hand all the time.
Need to take a break or “pause” your starter?
If so, go HERE.
Recipe Prep
Once your starter doubles in size within 6-12 hours of being fed, it’s time to start using it! How you use it is entirely up to you. Whether you want to make classic crusty sourdough bread or if you’re ready to get creative with the endless array of sourdough-based recipes, Sally will get you started.
The key to understanding sourdough recipes is knowing the difference between active starter, non-active starter, and discard.
What is an active starter?
Your starter is considered “active” when it’s bubbly, doubled in size, and displays a fresh yeasty aroma. When the starter is at this peak activity level it’s ready to leaven bread most effectively.
Active starter is best used for classic bread recipes that require a strong leavening agent. This includes traditional breads like focaccia, baguettes, sandwich bread, or any bread that needs to rise.
*NOTE: Different recipes may call active starters by different names, such as “fed,” or “ripe.”
What is an non-active starter?
After your starter rises to its peak height, it will slowly run out of momentum and start to fall back down. At this point, your starter will no longer leaven bread as quickly or effectively, however, it can still be used in recipes that don’t need leavening.
Recipes that work great with a non-active starter (or starter that isn’t at its peak bubbly stage) include cookies, pie crust, tortillas, waffles, and virtually any bread or baked good that doesn’t need to rise.
What is sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard is the portion of the starter that is removed during regular feedings. It can be used when it’s still in an active bubbly state or it can be used well after the bubbles have subsided.
If you choose to NOT use discard right away, it can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or more. Keep in mind that the longer you wait to use it the more lactic acid will build up, increasing that tangy flavor and making your discard very sour.
Using Sally Starter in A Recipe
When you’re ready to try a recipe, make sure the total amount of starter you have will be enough for what the recipe calls for plus a little extra to set aside. The point is to always keep a little bit of your starter so that you can keep the cycle going indefinitely!
Here’s an example:
If you need 100g active starter for your recipe, you could start with 40g starter and feed 40g flour + 40g water to get 120g total. Use the 100g in your recipe and save 20g.
Pausing Starter
We all need a break sometimes! If you aren’t baking or using your starter regularly, there’s no need to feed it daily. You can “pause” or slow down your starter using various methods.
These are my two favorite methods that I recommend trying first.
Classic Refrigeration Method:
Feed your starter the normal 1:1:1 ratio (with or without a scale). Cover your container with a lid and place near the back of your fridge.
Once every 1-2 weeks take your starter out, discard half and feed per usual. If you’re ready to bake, feed your starter and leave out at room temperature overnight. It should be bubbly and active by the next day.
Long Storage Method:
If you won’t need your starter for an extended period of time, try using this traditional method.
Use or discard all but a small amount of your starter. No need to use a scale here, just keep a small amount, such as 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup. You don’t need much.
Next, add 1/2 - 1 cup of organic white flour. Or enough to get a dry crumbly mixture with no moisture. Keep your dry mixture in a covered container in the fridge. Your starter will be just fine stored this way for several months (maybe more).
When you are ready to use your starter again, take it out of the fridge and follow the Sally Starter Guide to get things going. You’ll want to measure out 10g of your dry mixture and follow the directions. After a few days of feeding, your starter will be active and bubbly again.
Questions? Ask Bianca at hello@auntiebspantry.com
The information provided on this website is intended for general information purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized medical advice.
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