Potato flake sourdough discard recipes are perfect when you have a lot of extra starter that you’d like to use up! These are some of the best recipes to use “discard” or starter that isn’t active.
If you have fed your starter but decide not to make anything with it. You’d stick it in the fridge but will need to remove some before the next feeding. This is the discard that won’t be as active as the starter that was recently fed. Fed starter has nice bubbles rising to the top where it is nice and foamy looking.
Active vs. discard?
The term “discard” refers to the excess starter that you might have when feeding or maintaining your potato flake sourdough starter. When you feed your starter with sugar, potato flakes and water to keep it alive and active, you’ll often have to remove a portion of it to prevent it from growing too large. We call the removed portion discard.
Active starter is nice and bubbly. Tiny bubbles will form in the starter similar to a carbonated beverage. At the top of the starter it will be foamy looking with some settled on the bottom and liquid in between.
When will I have discard?
First, let’s talk about your feeding. When you feed your starter, you only want to have 1 cup of starter to feed. Then, when you feed it, you’ll add 1 cup of water, 3/4 cup of sugar and 3 Tablespoons of potato flakes. This adds up to being a little less than 2 cups of ingredients you are adding to your 1 cup of starter that you began with. Resulting in a bit less than 3 cups of starter.
When you get ready to bake, you’ll typically remove about 1/2 of a cup to 1 cup of starter at a time. unless you are making several things at once. This will leave you with more than 1 cup of starter.
When you get ready to feed again, you’ll have a bit more than 1 cup. You’ll need to remove some and put it in a separate jar before feeding. This is so that your starter isn’t too large for the amount it’s being fed. We call the extra amount that is removed, discard.
Do I still need to let my dough rise?
In short, no, you wouldn’t have to let your dough rise with most discard recipes. However I strongly recommend that you do for one main reason. When you don’t allow it to rise or “ferment.” You lose the health benefits of the sourdough.
Sourdough is easier to digest because it has already broken down a lot of the gluten and phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antinutrient found in grains that can bind to minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium. Which inhibits their absorption in the body. The fermentation process in sourdough bread helps to break down phytic acid, making these minerals more available for absorption during digestion.
If you aren’t concerned about the benefits, or just want to skip the lengthy process once in awhile then you’d be able to make several recipes without any fermentation process.
Do keep in mind though, that this will affect the flavor a bit as well.
The difference in potato flake starter discard vs. flour + water discard:
There are many recipes out there for using discard in a recipe and immediately baking with it. Most of the recipes out there are made for traditional flour and water starter.
There are some recipes that you’d be able to use starter without adding any additional flour. This is possible because the flour has already been fermented in the starter. Since it is already fermented, it has the benefits of a fermented dough.
When using a potato flake starter, you always have to add flour to the recipe because it doesn’t contain flour in the starter. Therefore, the flour would need to sit with the starter for some time to gain the fermented benefits.
What types of recipes are good for using discard?
Almost any recipe that will have additional leavening agents added to them is going to be good for using discard. Usually these recipes will not need to rise a lot. Think pancakes or crepes. Even muffins and crumpets are also a great option.
DUTCH BABY RECIPE MADE WITH A POTATO FLAKE SOURDOUGH STARTER
Use discard or active starter in this easy dutch baby recipe. Mix together the night before and have an easy breakfast to throw together in the morning. It only takes minutes to prepare and you can stick it in the oven and walk away while it bakes. If you’ve never had a dutch baby, you’re in for a treat. Imagine a breakfast dish that’s somewhere between a pancake and a soufflé.
A POTATO FLAKE SOURDOUGH LONG FERMENTED BISCUIT RECIPE
Use active or discard for this delicious long fermented biscuit recipe! A fluffy and tasty addition to your breakfast plate or along side your week night dinner.
THE BEST POTATO FLAKE SOURDOUGH BANANA NUT MUFFIN
You can use active or discard in this delicious potato flake sourdough banana nut muffin recipe. A soft, moist, and full of the perfect nutty crunch. A muffin inspired by all of the best banana bread, includes all of the best flavors.
KOLACHES WRAPPED IN POTATO FLAKE SOURDOUGH
This is a recipe you will need to allow the first long rise. You can’t skip straight to baking with this one. Use active or discard potato flake starter to make these delicious sausage and cheese sourdough kolaches. A savory breakfast for on the go. When you pair that with sweet, fluffy potato flake sourdough to encase the juicy sausage and stringy cheese, and you’ve got the perfect twist on a donut shop favorite!
POTATO FLAKE SOURDOUGH RECIPE – PANCAKES
If you are looking for an easy and delicious weekend breakfast, these potato flake sourdough pancakes won’t disappoint. They are fluffy, crispy, and oh, so delicious! Use active starter or discard to make this tasty breakfast!
POTATO FLAKE SOURDOUGH ENGLISH MUFFINS
Making your own english muffins is so simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it already! This recipe will explain the details of making the perfect english muffins using your potato flake sourdough starter. Use active or discard starter and you’ll be making breakfast sandwiches in no time!
