Active Starter vs. “Discard” - Setting the Record Straight
Perhaps you have perused my Truly 100% Organic Sourdough Baked Goods page, and have noticed the terms, “long-fermented recipe” and “discard recipe” and wondered what in the world I am referring to. My hope is that after reading this post, you will be more confident in your understanding of the similarities and differences between a long-fermentation recipe and a discard recipe.
How does “discard” differ from active sourdough starter used in a long-fermented recipe, you may be wondering? Active Starter is in its bubbly and active state, fed a few hours prior, and it will have risen considerably from the time it was fed flour and water. This bubbly, beautiful, lively starter is what is used in most bread recipes. A good, strong, active starter will do its work to help create a beautiful sourdough dough resulting in a fluffy loaf of bread with a lovely crumb. “Discard” as it is called, was active starter at one point and is now in an unfed, somewhat inactive state, having lost most but not all of its oomph.
Practically speaking, I personally WANT discard on hand as there are several possible uses. I keep a covered glass dish in my refrigerator, and when I have extra starter I do not need for a recipe, I pour it into that bowl. Here are FOUR ways I like to make use of my “discard” I build up over time and store in my refrigerator.
1. When I have 2 cups or more of “discard” saved up, I add eggs, butter, natural sweetener, and a few other ingredients which will make a lovely pancake or waffle batter. Because all of the flour has been fermented and no additional flour is added with the recipe I use, the sourdough health benefits are similar to those sourdough baked goods made with active starter as the flour has been thoroughly fermented and broken down for easier digestibility .
2. A recipe where discard is added and the dough or batter sits for a few hours, is another way to use up discard. There are some sourdough health benefits also as the dough has been able to ferment and the discard is able to partially digest the flour as well. Often, another leavening agent is added such as baking powder or baking soda to these kinds of recipes.
3. If one adds a small amount discard to a recipe and bakes it immediately, there are little to no extra health benefits as there has been ZERO time for the flour to experience any kind of legitimate fermentation. Another leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda must be added to most of these recipes. These are NOT to be considered genuine sourdough recipes. In my descriptions for my brownies and blondies, you will find that I state “discard recipe - no fermentation” in my write-ups. Giving customers the expectation that these are truly a sourdough recipe with all of the sourdough benefits is incredibly misleading. While this is a very good way to use up “discard”, I want to be sure customers know that these discard recipes will give them zero sourdough health benefits.
4. One last reason to keep sourdough discard in the refrigerator is to potentially create more active sourdough starter if needed. All you would be required to do is to remove a portion of the discard and feed it with a 1:2:2 flour and water ratio a few times before it returns to an active state sourdough starter. Essentially, this is what is done if you have to place the entirety of your starter in the refrigerator while you are out of town, are needing to take a break from baking sourdough, or if you only bake sourdough once in a while.
One question that pops up frequently is, “Do I have to keep a discard bowl in my refrigerator for the extra unused starter?” If that idea does not appeal to you, then absolutely not! I have a friend who implements the Dry Starter process, not to be confused with dehydrated sourdough starter. She loves this method because she does NOT desire to end up with discard. I love that sourdough can fit anyone’s needs and preferences.
To close out, I have included some valuable links from one of my favorite cultured foods guru, Donna Schwenk. I have followed her for over a decade, and she is absolutely incredible with ALL cultured foods, not just sourdough. Whether you choose to make your own sourdough baked goods (discard or long-fermented), or purchase Truly 100% Organic Sourdough from Rachel Mae Bakes, being informed about the terminology will help you to be that much more confident in what you are purchasing and/or baking. I would love your feedback or any tips you may have for using up your sourdough discard!