9 Healthy Sourdough Discard Recipes You NEED to Try! (2024)

FAQs

Is eating sourdough discard healthy? ›

The best part about using leftover sourdough discard in your baking and cooking? You get the added benefit of fermented grains – making it easier to digest and better absorbed by the body.

But, if you'd prefer not to waste this liquid gold, then you can of course add it into many different things - from sourdough English muffins to sourdough zucchini bread or even sourdough onion rings - sourdough discard is super versatile!

Do I have to discard my sourdough starter? It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter.

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

I don't recommend using starter discard from the fridge to make sourdough bread. Why? The discard could be sitting in the fridge for several days, up to 2 weeks, which is far too long without feeding in an environment that's too cold.

The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits. Too long at room temperature without feeding and you risk your sourdough discard starting to grow mold (usually fuzzy) or bad bacteria (red, orange or pink streaks). If that happens, you need to throw it out.

Absolutely! A jar of sourdough discard serves as an insurance policy against starter death. If you have some discard on hand, remove a spoonful of it and feed it fresh flour and water in a clean jar. You should have a bubbly starter ready to bake with after a couple of feedings, depending on the discard's condition.

If your recipe calls for more than 227g (about 1 cup) of starter, feed it without discarding until you've reached the amount you need (plus 113g to keep and feed again).

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

Should sourdough discard be at room temperature before using? ›

Store it for future baking: You can store sourdough discard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future baking with sourdough discard recipes. When you're ready to use it, let the discard come to room temperature before using it to bake.

On the other hand, sourdough discard refers to the portion of the starter that is removed and discarded before feeding the remaining starter during regular maintenance. It contains some of the fermented mixture but may not be as active as a fully refreshed starter.

Whole wheat flour is an excellent choice for creating a sourdough starter due to its nutrient-rich composition and potential for fostering a robust microbial community.

You might for this reason choose wholegrain sourdough or serve it with something nutritious like eggs or nut butter and fruit,' she says. Not only that, but sourdough bread is higher in fibre than some other types of bread making it stand out when it comes to potential ties with weight loss.

The healthiest bread flour is 100% whole grain flour. Whole grain flour could be rye, barley, spelt, oat, or wheat flour - the key is that the flour is made from 100% whole grains. Whole grain breads provide essential nutrients that are lacking in bread made from white flour.

Can I eat raw sourdough starter? No, it's not advisable to eat raw sourdough starter. While some people claim to have healed their gut problems by eating probiotic rich sourdough starter, it's not really advisable. Raw sourdough starter contains uncooked flour which can harbor harmful bacteria among other things.

Why do you discard sourdough starter? Bakers often ask us, “Do I really need to discard my starter?” And the answer is yes. Regularly discarding a portion of your starter and refreshing it with flour and water keeps the microorganisms in it healthy, happy, and thriving — and healthy starter translates to better bread.

Check the loaf for mold, that's the most likely thing that has happened to sourdough bread out on the counter. The bread will likely be pretty stale and dry at that point as well, but if you're toasting it or otherwise cooking it, that part's fine as long as there's no mold.