Ways To Use Your Extra Sourdough Starter (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with my extra sourdough starter? ›

Sourdough discard works well in many baked goods that don't require lively yeast—flat foods like crackers, tortillas and pancakes. Or you can use it to flavor recipes that rely on leavening from other sources, such as active dry yeast, baking soda and baking powder.

Allow to sit of for 4-12 hours before using in a recipe, once it has about doubled in volume. If not using for baking, feed about 12-24 hours after last feeding or place in the fridge.

You can change the amount of starter you need to fit your specific needs. GENERAL RULE: The less starter you use, the slower your dough will ferment - often resulting in a more sour flavored loaf. And you guessed it..the more starter you use, the faster your dough will ferment - resulting in a less sour loaf.

You don't have to waste flour on a daily basis if you want to maintain a sourdough starter. By adjusting how much you feed your starter and by choosing discard recipes, you don't have to discard your sourdough starter daily.

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.

Sourdough Starter

This is obviously well-suited to grain dishes and baked goods, but can also be used to culture beans, fruits, and even vegetables. You can also use sourdough bread to make kvass, which has a bread-yeast beer flavor.

Sourdough starter stored in the fridge will stay in good shape for the occasional baker who might be making a loaf or two every couple of weeks. But if you need to store it longer—for instance, if you won't be baking much in the summer—the freezer is your best option.

*Do not try baking with your starter right after feeding it. Allow time for it to grow and feast on the flour before using it. Starters are usually ready to bake with around 4-12 hours after a feeding depending on the amount you feed your starter.

How to tell if sourdough starter is bad? ›

Typical signs of food spoilage and mold include pink, orange, or green colors, white fuzzy spots, or sometimes areas that are darker with white areas on top. If you see any of these signs, I would recommend throwing your starter away and creating a new one.

The world's oldest sourdough starter is supposedly over 5,000 years old. The statistic states that there exists a sourdough starter, a mixture of flour and water used to ferment dough, which is believed to be over 5,000 years old, making it the oldest known sourdough starter in the world.

If you don't discard your sourdough starter, it will grow too big and be unmanageable. Not to mention you will go through an unmentionable amount of flour.

Is It Cheaper To Make Your Own Sourdough? Yes it's cheaper to make your own sourdough at home, as oppose to buying it from a bakery.

If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.

Fortunately, you can chill or even freeze your sourdough starter to slow down the yeast's activity and preserve it until you're ready to bake.

Absolutely yes, this won't be a problem. Any flour that you would use for baking, it can also be used to feed your starter. You can go back to your flour as soon as you get some of it. Or you might actually notice your starter is much happier with the new one.

A mature sourdough starter can last for several weeks kept in a refrigerator without being fed. If your sourdough starter has been in the fridge for a while and you want to give it a refresh, follow the steps below. Discard all but 25 grams and add 100 grams of filtered water and 100 grams of flour.

It will last two months in the fridge without being fed. I've seen it last much longer, but much depends on the health, feeding, and activity of the starter prior. Be sure to feed your starter, with its consistency being the thicker the better, before a longer term fridge storage.