Sourdough “discard” is a misleading name. I have many students confused about this and wonder what it is. If you don’t know what sourdough discard is, read this post here: What is sourdough discard?
This layer of liquid is alcohol and is also known as “hooch”. It is released by the microorganisms as a way to protect themselves. Simply pour it off to use your discard. Some people stir it in, but there’s no documented benefit, it just adds that sour flavor into the starter.
As long as it has not been contaminated by mold, it will become more and more sour. If left long enough it will begin producing an alcohol layer.
How long can sourdough discard be stored?
Best practice is to use the discard within 3-4 weeks, but if left longer it is okay. It just becomes more broken down and sour over time.
Bottom Line
If the idea of having an emergency supply of sourdough discard or discard for recipes is appealing, then learning how to store sourdough discard it is a good idea. But if that idea overwhelms you, you can discard it or compost it, just make sure to keep a remainder going for your next batch.
Store it for future baking: You can store sourdough
sourdough
deg som innehåller levande jäst och mjölksyrabakterier. Surdeg är en deg som med levande vildjäst- och mjölksyrabakterier-kultur, och som används som jäsämne i nyberedd deg vid bakning av bröd. Mer subjektiva påståenden är att den ger bröd med bredare smak och bättre struktur.
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. I will keep sourdough discard in the fridge for about one week.
If you need your starter to take a nap or be babysat, just stick it in the fridge! I have kept my inactive starter or “discard” in the fridge for six months and brought her back to life in three feedings. Make sure you store it in a locking lid jar, that is essential!
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.
Absolutely!You can take a portion of sourdough discard and add a few grams of flour and a few grams of water to create a healthy active sourdough starter. You may need to feed your revived starter a few more times before its ready to make bread.
Can I use my sourdough discard straight out of the fridge to refresh my starter? Yes!You do not need to warm it up first. Just grab what you need and do your refreshing!
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.
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.
One note: Don't start using your discard until your starter is really up and running. In other words, if you've just started your starter and it's not yet established, then you shouldn't save that discard. Wait until you have a healthy, active sourdough starter, then keep any discard from routine feedings.
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.
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 put it in a Tupperware container, put the lid on it, and I keep it in the fridge. And if you're feeding this, you know, however often you're feeding your starter, just add the discard to this same container, keep it in the fridge. You can keep discard for one week, so sometimes it's helpful.
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.
Sourdough discard is a wonderful component to many of my daily recipes, but it does occasionally get ahead of me. If you want to avoid wasting that flavorful discard, it can be stored on the counter for 1-2 days, in the fridge for about a week, or even in the freezer for months!
You can use 1-2 week old discard in “discard recipes”… think cookies, brownies, muffins, non-yeast breads, tortillas (pretty much anything that doesn't require active starter (aka wild yeast).
How to Revive Your Sourdough Starter From The Refrigerator. To revive, take your jar out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for an hour or two to warm up. The mixture may or may not be bubbly like mine below, but either way, stir it so everything is reincorporated.
How to Revive Your Sourdough Starter From The Refrigerator. To revive, take your jar out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for an hour or two to warm up. The mixture may or may not be bubbly like mine below, but either way, stir it so everything is reincorporated.
If you aren't intending to use your sourdough starter every day, it is best kept in the fridge. To do this, feed it as instructed above, seal the jar and then stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours (to help reinvigorate the yeast) before placing in the fridge to store.
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.
Freezing sourdough discard has some benefits that are different than freezing sourdough starter. Sometimes you want to have some discard on hand that has a mild flavor to add to your baked goods. Being able to freeze discard a day or two after it's been fed means that your discard will have a light tang.
Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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