Long Term Preservation of Yeast Dough Starter (11/13/2016)
Simple Drying Preservation
• Ready the sourdough starter for storage by feeding it with equal parts unbleached flour and lukewarm water then let it rest, covered, until it becomes very bubbly.
• Spread it out to dry onto baking sheet covered with plastic or parchment and dry completely until brittle for several days at room temperature or in a dehydrator at its very lowest setting. The dry brittle starter should peel off easily and should be broken into small chips or pulverize with a small mallet.
• Store the dried starter in an airtight labeled canning jar, a cool, but not refrigerated, dark place.
Bringing the Sourdough Starter Back to Life
• To bring the sourdough starter back to life, measure out 1 ounce (1/4 to 1/3 cup) of the dried chips. Mix the dried starter in a pint container with 2 oz (¼ cup) of lukewarm water, tamp it down so that the water barely covers the chips and occasionally stir for about 3 hours or until the chips dissolve.
• Once the mixture is fairly smooth, feed with 1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) of unbleached flour then cover it lightly and place it somewhere warm to rest for 1 or 2 days until it bubbles. Then feed the starter again with 1 ounce of lukewarm water and 1 ounce of flour then cover it and put back in its warm spot until it is vigorously bubbling again. Feed the starter one more time 1 ounce of lukewarm water and 1 ounce of flour then recover and wait until it is vigorously bubbling again and is ready for use.
If vacuum sealed, this dried starter stock has been known to store 9 years become active within 24 hours and ready for use in 3 days. Stored in Mylar with oxygen absorbers, it should last even longer.
Colonial Yeast Starter Preservation
• When you are making a loaf of bread, pinch off a piece of the un-risen dough about the size of a small apple.
• Place a layer of salt in small container that can be sealed.
• Press a deep depression in the dough and fill it with salt.
• Place the salt filled dough into the container and completely cover with more salt.
• In 7 to 10 days it will dry to a hard lump that can be kept for months.
• To use the yeast, scrape off all of the salt; then chop into fine pieces.
• Add 1 cup of warm water to the pieces and stir until most of the dough liquefies.
• If desired, strain through a cloth to remove any unresolved crust.
• Add liquid yeast to about a cup of flour, stir in then cover overnight to for a bubbly, very soft sponge.
• Add sponge to any bread recipe having about 3 cups of flour.
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