Discard belongs naturally in a biscuit: its moisture hydrates fresh flour, its acidity supports baking soda, and its tang plays the same role as buttermilk.
Before you begin
This recipe is written for 100% hydration discard—starter maintained with equal weights flour and water. Use discard that smells pleasantly sour, yeasty, or mildly alcoholic. Throw it away if you see fuzzy mold, pink or orange discoloration, or smell anything rotten.
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 250 g fresh-milled soft white wheat flour, chilled
- 200 g cold sourdough discard, 100% hydration
- 14 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 6 g fine salt
- 100 g very cold unsalted butter or leaf lard
- 60–90 g cold buttermilk
- 15 g melted butter for the skillet and tops
Method
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C), with a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside for the final 8 minutes.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in cold butter, leaving pea-sized pieces.
- Stir discard and 60 g buttermilk together. Fold into the dry mixture. Add more buttermilk only until a shaggy dough forms.
- Pat into a rectangle, fold in thirds twice, then pat 2.5 cm thick. Cut eight biscuits straight down.
- Brush the hot skillet with half the melted butter. Arrange biscuits close together and bake 16–20 minutes. Brush with remaining butter.
Fresh-milled notes
Good to know: Chill the freshly milled flour before cutting in the butter.
Good to know: Discard thickness varies. The buttermilk range lets you adjust without making wet dough.
Good to know: Do not twist the cutter; compressed edges inhibit the rise.
Sourdough Discard Collection
Eight practical ways to turn refrigerated discard into bread, breakfast, supper, and snacks.
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Keep learning
Use the Fresh-Milled Flour Guide, consult the hydration guide, troubleshoot dense bread and sticky dough, and browse the recommended tools.