Sourdough discard is a term used to describe the excess starter removed from a sourdough starter and is classified as ‘unfed’. How is it made? How can it be used in a recipe? Allow me to break it down!
When I made my first sourdough starter from scratch, I felt in over my head on all the research. There were so many new terms and processes to make the same thing.
I went through some trial and error to figure it out. Now I share these sourdough tips, education and recipes, here on the blog! After being gluten free for 14 years, a sourdough starter has truly changed my life.
What is sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard is the portion of your sourdough starter which is removed from your jar and used in another recipe, saved for later, shared with a friend or (if you really must) thrown away in the trash.
Any starter removed from your jar is considered “discard”. Any starter remaining in your jar is considered “carryover”. The more you feed your sourdough starter, the more discard you will have to use in recipes!
We like to keep a low maintenance starter, feeding a ratio of 1:1:1, only based on the amount of discard we need for a recipe. This helps us to waste less and stops the overwhelm of “too much discard” than we know what to do with.
Why is sourdough starter removed?
If sourdough starter was never removed, a starter would grow infinitely, requiring more flour and water to feed it. If nothing was discarded, the starter would become acidic and weak. Removing starter maintains the maturity and strength of a sourdough starter.
Sourdough discard vs. active sourdough
Sourdough discard is starter which has been removed from a sourdough jar and is potentially not “at peak”.
It can be stored in the fridge or preserved for later by freezing or drying it. Discard can be used in a recipe for later, though it may take a little bit longer for it to ferment than active sourdough discard.
Some sourdough discard recipes use the addition of a leavening agent (baking soda and/or baking powder) to help a baked good rise. Others may use the help of commercial yeast. Some may let the starter come back (and feed on the flour in the recipe), by letting it ferment for an extended period of time.
Active sourdough discard is starter which is “at peak” and used immediately within a sourdough recipe. It is not stored for later use, rather added to a recipe at peak. If looking at a sourdough jar or using a rubber band to track progress, this is the top of the height it reaches before it falls again.
Many recipes can use sourdough discard and active sourdough starter interchangeably. The difference being how long it takes for a recipe to ferment.
Same day sourdough recipes (like sourdough pizza and mixed berry Dutch baby), may have better outcomes (a fluffier, less dense end product), if starter is used at peak. Others, like sourdough cinnamon roll pull apart bread or sourdough discard garlic knots, are long fermented and are not impacted by discard vs active starter.
Throwing away discard
The only time sourdough discard needs to be thrown away is before a sourdough starter reaches maturity. When a sourdough starter is becoming established, it is not ready to be used within a recipe. We created a low maintenance sourdough starter requiring less than 2 cups of discard during the entire sourdough starter creation process.
Anytime after your sourdough starter is ready to bake with, use the discard immediately or save it for later and turn it into a recipe! Sourdough discard can be used in any recipe, not just sourdough bread!
You can use it to make any recipes from fruit pizza to pancakes, cheesy pull apart bread.
What can you use excess sourdough discard in?
Sourdough discard is used for a variety of recipes. After the first initial period of creating a sourdough starter from scratch, you can use the discard in sourdough recipes. If you made your sourdough starter a little bigger than anticipated, here are over 25 recipes using 3/4 cup (6 ounces) or more of starter.
Some of our favorite sourdough recipes using a lot of starter include:
- Sourdough German pancake
- Sourdough Hawaiian rolls
- Sourdough cinnamon rolls
- Sourdough discard chocolate chip bagels
Storing sourdough discard
Sourdough discard can be saved and used later. If you want to save sourdough discard, store it in the fridge, freeze it for later, or turn it into dried sourdough starter.
Each method has its own preservation technique. However, it is important to note sourdough starter can not sit on the counter (and not be fed) for an extended period of time.
Sharing sourdough with others
If you have extra sourdough on hand, share it with a friend! There are multiple ways to share sourdough with others. Start by taking a portion of your sourdough and moving it into a separate jar.
Share it with a friend who could use a little sourdough in their life. Consider sending a little extra flour their way too, in case they do not have any unbleached flour on hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have any other questions about sourdough discard? If so, leave them in the comments below!
Does discard have any of the slow digesting factors that are in active sourdough? That’s why I started doing sourdough, it’s better for my diabetic family member than regular bread. But do we lose all that benefit if we use discard in the recipe?
Hi Deborah! Thank you for your question – based on my research, the benefits only increase as sourdough bread / baked goods ferments. The longer something ferments, the more digestible it becomes. The main difference between active sourdough and sourdough discard is how recently it has been fed.
In my research, sourdough becomes more digestible as it sits for an extended period of time. This is why I like long fermented sourdough recipes due to the reduction of gluten content (I was formerly gluten intolerant).
The longer a sourdough bread (or baked good) sits, the more the bacteria and yeast in sourdough discard ‘consume’ the starches found in flour. This can reduce the overall glycemic index of the sourdough bread. The bread is not carb free, but fermentation process produces lactic acid (and other amino acids) which impact the digestibility of starch.
If you want more information on the health benefits of sourdough and the impact on the glycemic index, this article by a Registered Dietician is a good one! The author also completed a study on a CGM (glucose monitor) to test out eating sourdough bread vs. other carbs.
I too have a family member who is diabetic and she enjoys sourdough baked goods, too! Please note, while I am not a registered dietician or doctor and I can not provide medical advice, but I hope this answered your question!
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