grainiacANCIENT GRAINS • PRACTICAL BAKING
Waste Less • Bake More

Sourdough Discard Collection

Eight fresh-milled recipes that give a well-kept jar of discard a proper job.

Discard is simply starter removed before feeding. It may not be strong enough to raise bread alone, but its flour, water, acidity, and flavor remain valuable ingredients.

Know your discard

Every recipe here assumes 100% hydration discard: equal weights flour and water. Refrigerated discard can smell sour, fruity, yeasty, or mildly alcoholic. Discard it if it develops fuzzy mold, pink or orange streaks, or a rotten odor.

Why some recipes still use yeast

Discard is not necessarily active enough to leaven dough on schedule. In sandwich bread, cinnamon rolls, pizza, and pretzels, a small amount of instant yeast provides reliable lift while discard supplies flavor and helps reduce waste.

Fresh-milled help

Each recipe links to the grain guide, hydration guide, troubleshooting articles, and recommended tools.

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