Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (2024)

Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (1)

Many bakers know that the secret to artisan bread is a strong, active sourdough starter. But sourdough starters can seem fickle at times.

Experts recommend feeding a starter twice daily. And at each feeding, you hold onto 1/2 cup of your original starter, discard the rest, and then add its same weight in water and flour.

With this schedule, you’d discard almost a cup of sourdough starter every day. While a cup might not seem like a lot at first, it can quickly add up. And if you don’t bake often, that discard will end up in the trash.

Do you really need to discard sourdough starter daily?

Well, that depends on a few factors.

How Often Do You Bake?

I don’t run a bakery at my house, and my family is fairly small. Even though I bake regularly, I couldn’t possibly use a cup of sourdough discard on a daily basis.

To minimize waste, I keep much smaller amounts of my sourdough discard. Instead of 1/2 a cup twice daily, I only feed my starter 1/4 cup once in the mornings. This ensures I have a constant supply of sourdough starter when I need it. Unfortunately, it is also means my sourdough starter is slower and less active as a result.

If you don’t want to discard sourdough starter daily, scale back your feedings by 1/4 cup amounts. Still feels like you’re baking too much? You can further reduce your feedings to a weekly basis if you keep your starter in the fridge rather than on the countertop.

What Do You Want to Make?

Sourdough starters require regular feedings to stay active. 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.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, depending on what you want to bake with it.

Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (2)

Although you need an active, well-maintained starter for certain artisan breads, you can still make tasty bread with a sluggish, slow starter so you don’t have to discard sourdough starter daily.

In fact, many of my favorite sourdough bread recipes use discard for flavoring to give bread that classic tang. To get a better rise in the oven, these recipes combine sourdough discard with commercial yeast. No need to worry about timing your baking with your starter feedings.

7 Sourdough Discard Bread Recipes

If you have a new starter or if you struggle to maintain your current starter, I recommend the following sourdough recipes. These recipes make beautiful bread with a combination of discard and commercial yeast, making them a great option for beginning bakers. When you opt for recipes like these, you can discard sourdough starter daily without waste.

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (3)

Honey Wheat and Rye Sourdough Sandwich Bread

A beautiful blend of flavors, this sandwich bread combines the sweet from the honey, the tang from the sourdough, and the earthy undertones of whole wheat and rye.

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (4)

Satin Smooth Sourdough Sandwich Bread

A soft and airy sandwich loaf

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (6)

Sourdough Discard Bread

Use up your sourdough starter with this beginner's artisan loaf

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (7)

Honey Whole Wheat Sourdough

A wholesome whole wheat recipe with just a hint of honey

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (8)

Crusty Sourdough Cottage Bread

A sourdough sandwich bread recipe with a tasty crunchy crust

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (9)

Beginner Sourdough Sandwich Bread

New to making sourdough bread? This easy sandwich bread recipe is a great option for beginners.

Check out this recipe

7 Sourdough Discard Recipes That Aren’t Bread

I love bread. I absolutely love it. And I definitely make a lot of it because of how much I love it.

But even I get a little bored with the same recipes day in and day out. If you want to discard sourdough starter daily and minimize waste, give these fun recipes a try.

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (10)

Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

A cake-like chewy cookie with a sourdough tang

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (11)

Sourdough Discard Waffles

A fresh new take on classic waffles

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (12)

Sourdough Discard Popovers

A fast and easy breakfast that uses up your sourdough discard

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (13)

Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Muffins

Cinnamon sugar and sourdough? Yes please. These muffins make a great snack anytime.

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (14)

Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Muffins

A chocolate chip variation of sourdough discard cinnamon muffins. A great breakfast and a great way to use up sourdough starter discard.

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (15)

Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Use up that starter with this muffin recipe. Double the chocolate, double the yum.

Check out this recipe

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Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (16)

Sourdough Discard Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

A tangy, sour yet sweet muffin. These tasty breakfast snacks use up your starter without sacrificing flavor.

Check out this recipe

My Secret for Baking With a Slow Starter

Sourdough discard recipes are a great way to bake with a slow and sluggish starter. You don’t have to worry about timing, and you can still enjoy that sourdough tang.

But what if you want to make naturally leavened artisan bread? Should you still discard sourdough starter daily?

Let me tell you my little secret: No. You don’t have to discard your starter every day.

Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (17)

In case you didn’t see my White, Wheat, and Rye Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe, you may want to check it out. In that particular recipe, I make a levain with my starter the night before I mix my bread.

To make the levain in that recipe, I take 3/4 of a teaspoon of my starter and combine it with 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water and set it aside. This essentially mimics feeding an active starter, as you’re giving a small amount of starter a large amount of food.

By the time morning rolls around and I’m ready to mix my dough, I have an active, bubbly starter that’s ready to go. I’ve successfully used this technique with multiple artisan bread recipes and my bread has still risen beautifully.

Do You Have Suggestions?

You don’t have to waste flour on a daily basis if you want to maintain a sourdough starter. By adjusting how much you feed your starter and by choosing discard recipes, you don’t have to discard your sourdough starter daily.

However, I realize that my recipe list is still somewhat small and limited. Do you have a favorite sourdough discard recipe that you don’t see here? Feel free to submit a recipe of your own, and I’ll share it on my site! Or tell me about what you do with your starter discard in the comments below.

Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? (2024)

FAQs

Do You Have to Discard Sourdough Starter Daily? â€ș

You don't have to discard your starter every day. In case you didn't see my White, Wheat, and Rye Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe, you may want to check it out. In that particular recipe, I make a levain with my starter the night before I mix my bread.

How often should I discard sourdough starter? â€ș

Room-temperature starter should be fed every 12 hours (twice a day) using the standard maintenance feeding procedure: discard all but 113g, and feed that 113g starter with 113g each water and flour.

Can I feed my sourdough starter without discarding? â€ș

Once the sourdough starter is established on day 8, all you have to do is just give it flour and water. You no longer need to discard half of it.

What happens if you forgot to discard sourdough starter? â€ș

If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.

Can I leave my sourdough starter out all the time? â€ș

Yeasts and bacteria don't only love warm, but also humid environments. đŸŒŸIf you want to keep your starter on the counter, I advise you feed it every 12h, possibly in a ratio of 1:4:4 /1:5:5. However if you don't bake daily, I would advise to store the starter in the fridge to avoid as much as you can waste.

Can you use day 1 sourdough discard? â€ș

Remember, you can't use the discard from your homemade sourdough starter for the first 7 days. You can use sourdough discard in all kinds of sourdough discard recipes, including these no wait sourdough recipes, overnight sourdough discard recipes and sourdough discard recipes that use up a lot of discard.

Can you use 2 day old sourdough discard? â€ș

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.

Can I use an active starter instead of discard? â€ș

Absolutely you can! Active starter can be used in the same way as sourdough discard in sweet or savory baking. You can add active sourdough starter to any recipe you would add discard to following the same calculation.

Can I keep adding to my sourdough discard? â€ș

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. You can continue to add more discard to the jar just pour it in and give it a stir before placing it back in the fridge covered.

How long can sourdough starter sit on counter unfed? â€ș

I wouldn't go more than 24 hours without feeding a very young sourdough starter (it may survive longer than this unfed however you will leave it open to the risk of mold). Mature sourdough starter aged more than 6 months old should be able to survive unfed on the counter for around 3-4 days without any risk of mold.

How do I know if I ruined my sourdough starter? â€ș

Established starters are more resilient. and typically don't go bad as easily. But if you see something like mold growing in. your starter, anything that looks fuzzy, that is a sign your starter has gone bad.

Should I stir my sourdough starter before feeding? â€ș

No you do not have to stir sourdough starter before you use it. You measure the sourdough starter by weight, not volume, so stirring it or not makes absolutely no difference. What does "fed" sourdough starter mean? Fed sourdough starter refers to a starter that has been fed flour and water (preferably by weight).

Can I leave sourdough discard out overnight? â€ș

I left my sourdough discard out at room temperature for a few days. Is it okay? As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

Do you have to discard sourdough every day? â€ș

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.

Why is my sourdough starter bubbling but not rising? â€ș

If your starter gets completely covered on top with bubbles but does not rise, it is healthy but may just be a wet mix. Try reducing the water in your next feeding and see if you have different results. Also, the type of flour you are using can impede the rise of your starter.

Can I use sourdough discard straight from the fridge? â€ș

Yes you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, you don't need to let it come to room temperature if you don't want to. What is this? If you are using it straight from the fridge it may be a little stiff or thick, so you'll need to ensure you mix it really well.

How do you know if you need to throw out sourdough starter? â€ș

As you can see (or smell!), a sourdough starter should have a sour, tangy, and yeasty aroma, with subtle undertones depending on the type of flour used. However, offensive or foul odours such as rancid, putrid, or mouldy smells are signs that something has gone wrong with the starter.

Should I stir my sourdough starter between feedings? â€ș

stir your starter in between feedings - try stirring it twice in between feedings and really give it a chance to get oxygen into the mix. This will help to activate your starter without too much effort.

How often should you change your sourdough starter container? â€ș

How Often Should I Clean My Sourdough Starter Jar? Use the same jar daily and keep it as clean as possible. During a feeding, discard part of your starter per usual and then scrape down as much residual starter as possible, reincorporating it back into the mixture.

Does sourdough starter discard go bad? â€ș

How long can you keep sourdough discard? I've kept mine in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks without feeding and used it in sourdough discard recipes and it was just fine. As long as it's not growing mold or bad bacteria, it's safe to use.

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