When creating a sourdough starter from scratch, my advice is to feed twice daily… each time, discarding HALF the volume just before you feed.
Yes, discarding half each time…
Really??? Discard half the starter at each feeding?? Throw good food away?
On today’s #AskWardee, I’m sharing why discarding half is actually the most frugal thing to do. Yes — the most frugal.
Hear me out. 🙂
Read, listen, or watch below!
Subscribe to #AskWardee on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, or the Podcasts app.
Q: Do I Really Have To Discard Half My Starter At Each Feeding?
To make my free no-knead einkorn bread, you’ll need a sourdough starter. This recipe contains instructions… and there’s a video, too, right here.
You’ll notice when watching the video (or reading the instructions) that I recommend this:
When creating a sourdough starter from scratch, my advice is to feed twice daily… each time, discarding HALF the volume just before you feed.
Yes, discarding half each time…
Pam V. didn’t like this at all:
Seems like a lot of waste to be throwing half of it away every day. That’s time and money, period. This stuff isn’t cheap.
Why Discard???
Though it may seem counter-intuitive… let me explain. 🙂
Discarding half is wayyyy LESS wasteful than keeping it around or “sharing” the other half with a friend because…
The sourdough starter is not a viable starter until 3 to 5 days old and sometimes longer. It takes that long for the organism balance to get established.
Discarding half is actually the MOST FRUGAL way to do this…
Think about it… If you don’t discard some each time, you have to feed it MORE flour each time (because it’s a larger quantity of batter to keep going).
Some say they want to keep the “other half” and give to a friend. The problem with this is… at every feeding, there’s another half which becomes other HALVES at each new feeding…
First 2, then 4, then 8, then 16…. up to 256 from the first mixture after just 4 days!
And EACH ONE needs to be built up to maturity (3 to 5 days with 2 feedings a day).
Who has that much counter space, abundance of flour, OR that many friends? 😉
It’s much less wasteful to discard some each time than to use tons of flour or try to make tons of new starters.
Now that you know, don’t let this be an excuse that stops you from getting started with sourdough. When you make your sourdough starter, you needn’t fear wasting or discarding… you’re actually being frugal!
Please Note That I DIDN’T Say…
I didn’t say you’re discarding sourdough starter once your starter is mature. No. Once your starter is established, all of it goes into your baked goods!
And even when you’re building up a starter, the part you discard can still be used. It doesn’t have to be wasted at all!
- Add it to baked goods (it’s just flour and water).
- Put it in the compost.
- Feed it to chickens.
- Try one of these 15+ sourdough discard recipes.
However, if it smells at all bad (which it often can as the organisms balance out), then don’t add it to baked goods! That would definitely need to be composted or fed to the chickens.
No matter what, I can promise you this… the process is worth it because at the end you’ll have a viable sourdough starter that can provide your family with healthy and nutritious baked goods for years… and years… and years!
Enjoy the process… even when discarding half each time as you get your starter established. 🙂
FREE No-Knead Einkorn Sourdough Bread Recipe
Einkorn is a bit tricky to figure out how to use because it behaves differently.
Yet, you can skip the learning curve by using my free and AMAZING no-knead einkorn bread recipe!
The recipe is FREE, easy, and healthy, and takes only 15 minutes of hands-on time!
Click here for the free recipe: No-Knead Sourdough Einkorn Bread.
Soon your family will be saying: “This is the best bread EVER!”
Helpful Links
- FREE No-Knead Einkorn Sourdough Artisan Bread Recipe
- Einkorn 101
- 4 Reasons I <3 Einkorn
- How To Make An Einkorn Sourdough Starter
- How To Transition A Sourdough Starter To Einkorn
- Sourdough Tips, Troubleshooting & Frequently Asked Questions (KYF092, 167)
- Why Won’t My Sourdough Bread Rise? How To Know When Your Starter Is Strong Enough For Bread-Baking
- Where To Buy Einkorn
Now, do you feel better about discarding some sourdough starter with each feeding?
...without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
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I wish I’d come across this article when I first started making sourdough. I read a lot of articles and watched Youtube videos and none of them clearly explained WHY you were throwing half your starter mix out, nor that it was something you only need to do at the beginning. This article will help a lot of people!
Eric at http://www.breadtopia.com uses einkorn all the time in his breads, mostly sourdough. He also uses other heirloom and ancient grains. He has a quick and easy technique with sourdough. I hadn’t made any sourdough in years (used to). I bought his live sourdough starter , used his almost no knead techniques and had a lovely loaf of 1/2 white/1/2 whole grain einkorn bread in 3 days from purchase. I noticed in his blog that he mentions using leftover starter for naan bread , which intrigues me.
One thing I like to do when feeding my starter is to save the discard in a 2 quart mason jar and put it into the fridge. Once I have 4 cups (my kids like pancakes A LOT), I make pancakes with the discard. See? No waste!
What is your recipe for pancakes.
Hi Jean,
Here’s our recipe for pancakes: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/recipes/erins-oh-so-fluffy-sourdough-pancakes/
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi Micah
Thanks for the advice. The recipe for the pancakes say sourdough and technically the waste is not sourdough yet, but I’m guessing that it still comes out yummy? Do you use the same quantity of ‘waste’ product like in the recipe (I.e 2 cups)?
Hi, Safi.
The “waste” may not have a fully sour taste but it is soured as the organisms have been feeding on the flour-water.
They are very yummy! 🙂
Yes, you use the same amount.
~Danielle. TCS Customer Success Team
Micah, could you provide a recipe and more details on this? I’m new to making sourdough and I want to use the discard for pancakes
I start a new sourdough each spring after the feast of unleavened bread and I start with 1/4 cup water and 1/3cup+1tbsp flour, 12 hour later I add the same, then after that for 2 weeks I remove half to another jar and add 1/4 cup water and 1/3cup+1tbsp flour to both even though the “waste” jar should require more, it works great. I do so until I have around 4 cups in the “waste” bin and then I make individual pizza crusts for the girls and put them in the freezer for lunches. Repeat!
“I didn’t say you’re discarding sourdough starter once your starter is mature. No. Once your starter is established, all of it goes into your baked goods!”
The world of sourdough seems confusing. According to this excerpt from Wardee’s article, I’ll never have to feed my starter again once it’s mature? Is that correct? It says once starter is established, ALL of it goes into baked goods. Am I understanding this correctly? Thanks so much for any help!
Tiffany,
What I mean is that instead of discarding the part you remove, instead you’re removing some to go into your baked goods.
You do keep feeding it, you do reserve some each time.
I hope this helps clear it up!
Hi, if you upload a transcript, the very least you could do is properly subtitle your YouTube videos. Some of us depend on subtitles to hear.
Hi, Adrian.
I’m sorry. We do not have subtitles at the time but the live show is based off the transcript, which is available before the live show. The Transcript is almost identical to audio.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
You asked if I still think tossing the put I have t take out when I’m starting up, and feeding is a waste (after reading your explanation).
While I understand the importance, and that if you didn’t take some out, you would end up with WAY too much sourdough, I do still feel that your tossing is a waste. I don’t have chickens. And tho I do a “compost pile”, we never seem to do it “right”, and we don’t use it on our garden. (partly I guess, cause we don’t do a proper compost.
So anyway, yes tho I understand what you’re saying, I do still find it a waste of expensive ingredients. (Especially when using Einkorn flour, which is NOT cheap.) I won’t use regular flour, and still am afraid of the carbs from the Einkorn. I’ve VERY carb sensitive!
Hi Billie,
It is important to “discard” doing the initial start of your sourdough otherwise you will be increasing your feeding of flour as Wardee says “Think about it… If you don’t discard some each time, you have to feed it MORE flour each time (because it’s a larger quantity of batter to keep going).”
You only need to discard during the first week. After that you use the entire starter for your baking needs.
I have saved my discard and used to make pancakes. So there are other options for the discard other then to “toss”.
Most grains contain carbs so Einkorn does have carbs.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
I have been using my starter for about two years maybe longer. I have never discarded any of it, even when I first made it. The first time I made it, I let it grow, used part of it, fed it again and put it in the refrigerator. Every three weeks I bake 18 sourdough buns for my husband’s lunch. I remove the starter from the refrigerator, let it come to room temp, feed it, use most of it in my recipe, feed the leftovers, let it bubble and grow, then return to the refrigerator. Very simple and no waste!
Re: sourdough
Since each half is “exactly” alike, why not just start with a much smaller amount and then just double it each time – no waste then? Should be easy to do with an accurate kitchen scale.
Hi, KD.
It will still grow astronomically if you don’t discard half. Maybe a little less in the end but still too much to manage (and more flour needed to feed) after a few feedings.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you so much for the great information! I’m on day 4 of my first starter and this was very helpful 🙂 It’s starting to smell like actual sourdough bread so I am very excited to try using the discard in baking soon.
What about feeding the discard to pigs?
We haven’t (we don’t have pigs) but you could try. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
It doesn’t make me feel any better about discarding the excess starter because I don’t do it. For the starter I’m doing now, over the first three days, I used it to make crumpets from a recipe from King Arthur Flour, adding only a bit of sugar, salt and baking soda. Now I have a larger amount, so I’m going to make pancakes from the same source. I like what some people do in keeping it in a jar in the fridge until the dividing of the starter is done. Here are those recipes for discard starter: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/collections/sourdough-discard-recipes … you can find lots more by searching.
Hello, why not just start with a small amount, e.g. 10g of flour and water? Then day 2, 20g of starter, add 20g of flour and water.
Day 3, 60g of starter, add 60g of flour and water.
Day 4, 180g start plus 180g of flour and water.
Day 5, 540g
You might not be able to continue much beyond that without discarding but have avoided discarding 200g-400g each day.
Would this be possible?
Donal that’s what I did when I started mine and discarded nothing. It’s a very good starter and it worked well to do it that way.
I hated the waste typical in sourdough bread recipes for building up a starter to a leaven.
Once you have an established starter (I got some from an acquaintance), you can maintain a really small amount, just 60g (about 2 Tbsp). There is no waste and the bread tastes great.
Read about it at https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2018/10/30/maintaining-a-smaller-sourdough-starter
Hi Phillip, we only discard while establishing a sourdough starter. Usually the first 4-7 days.
Wardee talks about maintenance feedings here: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/weekly-kitchen-tips/askwardee-018-whats-your-daily-sourdough-routine/
Hope this clarifies things. ~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
So I couldn’t feed my starter (my initial starter/NOT mature yet) for one day but then got back on track. I fed it and it hasn’t risen, do I still discard half? I’m pretty sure I do. Because if I add more and it rises it will probably go out of its container. I can’t use this discard for baked goods, right?
Hi Laura, if your starter is still very young (less than 1 week old), yes you need to discard.
You can use the discard to make pancakes. 🙂
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi how long can I keep discard one the fridge?
Hi, Jay: You could probably keep the discarded starter in the fridge overnight if you want to use it to make pancakes the next day. Any longer than that, and you’d probably want to feed it and let it sit again (especially if you need to build it up) before using it in a recipe. —Sonya, TCS Customer Success Team
It’s funny to read about all the anguish over throwing away “good food,” because although I realize it’s silly to stress over throwing out such a small amount, I feel the same way. ?
I poured mine into the chicken/duck/turkey/goose food. Every day I make them a bucket of lightly fermented, soaked feed (they love it & turn up their beaks at icky dry feed), so I just added in a bit more culture from the starter. Didn’t make much of a dent, but it made me feel better.
These are the best starter instructions I’ve ever tried; such a simple method and it worked wonderfully. Thanks!
Hi Cindy, thank you for your suggestion of feeding to your birds! You don’t have to “throw” away the discard. It can be used for soaking other grains, making pancakes etc.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team