Sourdough Banana Bread (Starter Discard Recipe) - Umami Girl (2024)

FAQs

Do you discard everytime you feed sourdough starter? ›

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.

Culinary-wise, sourdough discard can be used in various recipes such as pancakes, waffles, muffins, sourdough pasta and quick breads like sourdough banana bread to impart a tangy flavor, reduce food waste, and add complexity of flavor to your baked goods.

Active starter and discard both come from the same sourdough starter. However, they are in different phases. Active starter has been fed flour and water within the last 12 hours or so and is growing until it hits its peak. Once it begins to fall it is considered discard.

You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.

Now you have a choice: you can either discard some of it and keep feeding the same amounts you always do and you're left with the same amount of starter you always have. Or you can keep all of it to build it up. However, 1 cup of starter needs more food and water to sustain itself than 1/2 cup starter needs.

Can I leave my starter out overnight after feeding it? Yes, if you have just fed it.

Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

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.

The Gray Liquid on Your Discard is Called Hooch

If you see this in your sourdough starter it means your starter is hungry and needs to be fed. It often shows up on discard left in the refrigerator. Pour the hooch into the sink, stir up your discard and use the discard.

It can be at room temperature or come directly from the fridge. The texture is less bubbly (if bubbly at all) when compared to fluffy active starter. Sourdough discard is not active enough to make bread dough rise, and despite its name the “discard” does not have to be thrown away.

When should you throw out a sourdough discard? ›

It's usually pretty obvious when your starter has gone bad. You will either see mold or discoloration (generally pink or orange). If you see either of these things, you will need to toss your starter. The smell is usually a big give away.

We have a whole collection of Sourdough Discard Recipes that you can bake with your sourdough discard; in these recipes, discard adds flavor but doesn't do much in the leavening department. Some of our favorite sourdough discard recipes include: Classic Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes.

So once your starter has reached maturity, each time you use your starter in making sourdough bread, it is considered "discarding" in that you use it and can then just feed what's left in the jar for your next batch. It's easier to explain using an example. Say you have 120g of starter in your jar.

#3 Sourdough Flavor, No Flour Added

Similar to case #2, above, discarded sourdough is used in recipes with no additional flour called for, so it can be baked immediately. The discarded starter's flour is already fermented and it adds sourdough flavor to the recipe.

Tenderizer: The acidity in sourdough discard weakens gluten development and reacts with chemical leaveners which results in soft and fluffy baked goods. Fermentation: Adding sourdough to baked goods also imparts the magic of fermentation.

How often you should feed your starter depends on how much you use it during the week. I would keep it in the fridge if you only use a few times a week. A good idea is to feed it every time you use it, leave it on the counter for 8 hours, and then put it back into the fridge until you are ready to use it again.

Sourdough Discard is Best Stored in the Fridge

But you'll still want a lid that lets air escape so those gasses don't build up over time! Note: The flavor of your starter will change slightly depending on what temperature it's stored at.

Before using your starter, you may want to feed it every 6 to 12 hours for 24 to 48 hours to get it nice and active. From the counter I like to feed it every 12 hours for 24 hours and then 4 to 6 hours before use. This ensures the best rise and taste in my breads.