Can I bake with my first sourdough 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.

What is sourdough bread discard?

The starter is a mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and bacteria over time, creating a leavening agent for bread. On the other hand, sourdough discard refers to the portion of the starter that is removed and discarded before feeding the remaining starter during regular maintenance .

Can you use 2 week old sourdough discard?

The simple answer is, you can keep sourdough discard in the fridge indefinitely, however the quality and flavor of the discard will change and even deteriorate over time.

Does sourdough discard need to be room temperature before baking?

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. I will keep sourdough discard in the fridge for about one week.

Does sourdough discard go bad?

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely . As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

Is eating sourdough discard good for you?

Sourdough discard is rich in probiotics, which can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and improve digestion . It's also a good source of fiber, which can help regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and promote feelings of fullness.

Can I leave sourdough discard out overnight?

I left my sourdough discard out at room temperature for a few days. Is it okay? As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding . The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

Can I use my sourdough discard right away?

Here's the thing: most bakers use sourdough discard right away. But if life happens, explore the following options below and see what works best for you. In the Fridge: Some bakers collect and save their sourdough discard overtime in the fridge.

What to do with first day sourdough discard?

You can take a portion of sourdough discard and add a few grams of flour and a few grams of water to create a healthy active sourdough starter. You may need to feed your revived starter a few more times before its ready to make bread.

Can I bake with cold sourdough discard?

You can utilize a cold starter in any sourdough discard recipe . These recipes don't require a sourdough starter for leavening, so you can use your starter directly from the fridge. These recipes offer a fantastic solution for using excess sourdough.

Do I need to feed my sourdough discard before baking?

Absolutely! A jar of sourdough discard serves as an insurance policy against starter death . If you have some discard on hand, remove a spoonful of it and feed it fresh flour and water in a clean jar. You should have a bubbly starter ready to bake with after a couple of feedings, depending on the discard's condition.

Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns Recipe: Quick Sourdough Buns {with video} (2024)

Published: Apr 6, 2021 · Modified: Oct 14, 2022 by The Pantry Mama This post may contain affiliate links.

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These quick sourdough discard hamburger buns are perfect for grilling season.

Make these quick sourdough discard hamburger buns in around 2.5 hours - and use your sourdough discard. Winning right?

They are soft and tender with a rich, buttery crumb yet will wow you with their glossy sheen.

You'll use 100g of sourdough discard in this sourdough hamburger bun recipe.

Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns ... Fast!

Just like this sourdough discard sandwich loaf, these sourdough discard hamburger buns are perfect to make while you are establishing your sourdough starter.

They utilise a small amount of commercial yeast, along with your unfed sourdough starter, to make them rise.

Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns Recipe: Quick Sourdough Buns {with video} (1)

This gives you a delicious flavor, without having to wait.

9 simple ingredients combine to make these sourdough buns. You'll more than likely have these on hand - flour, milk, eggs, butter, sugar, yeast, salt, unfed sourdough starter and sesame seeds.

You can use sourdough burger buns during grilling season, for burger night, breakfast or lunch sandwiches - they're even delicious just with melted cheese and a little cayenne pepper on top.

Baking Notes & Variations

There are a myriad of burger combinations you could use these buns for. The hardest part will be choosing your favorite!

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your sourdough buns:

I choose to knead the dough in a stand mixer because it's fast and convenient. The butter and eggs need to be worked into the dough really well and the stand mixer is very efficient at doing this.

These buns are best eaten within 12 hours of making them. Freeze your leftovers (you'll see notes on this further down).

Split the buns and toast the insides for a delicious brioche style burger. The butter and sugar ensures that these toast up perfectly.

You can skip the sesame seeds for a plain bun. Or use black sesame seeds or even Everything Bagel Seasoning. It's totally up to you.

If you want to make these buns earlier than you need them, you can put them in the fridge after shaping. They can stay there for up to 24 hours. Just bring them to room temp before you bake them. Because they have commercial yeast, they will complete the second rise in the fridge.

This recipe makes 8 buns around 140g each. You can make larger or smaller buns depending on your needs. Just divide the total dough weight by the number of buns you need to get the individual bun weights.

Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns Recipe: Quick Sourdough Buns {with video} (2)

Shaping Sourdough Burger Buns

These buns are really easy to shape. The enriched dough is smooth and not sticky at all. You'll be able to handle it very easily.

You need to divide the dough into 8 evenly weighted pieces (or however many buns you're wanting to bake).

For larger buns divide into 8 pieces of approximately 137g each.

For smaller buns, divide into 12 pieces of approximately 90g each.

Freezing Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns

These buttery hamburger buns are super fast to make fresh, however sometimes you may have a few leftover. Or perhaps you like having a stash in the freezer for easy weeknight dinners.

These sourdough buns can be frozen. Simply place them in a ziploc bag and freeze.

Thaw at room temperature. You can microwave them for a few seconds to soften them up or simply split them and toast the insides before adding your favorite burger fillings.

For more information on freezing sourdough, check out this informative guide.

Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns Recipe: Quick Sourdough Buns {with video} (3)

Want More Recipes?

If you are loving these discard burger buns, you'll love these ideas!

These sourdough onion rings are the perfect side to burgers!
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Got a hunger for more sourdough discard recipes? You'll find loads here.

Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns Recipe

These glossy sourdough hamburger buns have a rich, buttery crumb - perfect for creating your favorite burger at home. The best thing is they are super fast - taking less than 3 hours to make!

4.56 from 141 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Fermentation Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 22 minutes mins

Equipment

Stand Mixer
Digital Scale
Baking Tray

Ingredients

▢ 250 g Milk Warm
▢ 100 g Sourdough Starter Discard unfed sourdough starter
▢ 500 g Bread Flour
▢ 50 g Sugar
▢ 2 Egg Yolks
▢ 100 g Butter softened but not melted
▢ 7 g Instant Yeast
▢ 10 g Salt
▢ 1 Egg White for egg wash
▢ 30 g Sesame Seeds optional

Instructions

Combine the warm milk, yeast and sugar together in a stand mixer bowl and gently incorporate so that the yeast and sugar are dissolved in the milk.
Add the flour, sourdough discard, egg yolks, butter and salt to the bowl and bring together to form a shaggy dough. You may need a silicon spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Use a dough hook and/or knead function for this step.
Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes using a stand mixer (see notes for hand kneading below).
The dough will be silky and completely come away from the sides of the bowl when it's done. There should be no stickiness at all.
Cover the bowl with a plastic bag or wrap and set aside for around an hour to rise. The time it takes depends on the temperature in your home.
Once the dough has doubled, transfer it to your kitchen counter for shaping. If you are able to, weigh your dough. Divide the weight of the dough by the number of buns you want. Then you'll know how big to make each bun.
I make 8 from this recipe and each bun is around 137g. For smaller buns, divide into 12 pieces of approx. 90g each.
Divide the dough into 8 perfectly even pieces (weighing them for accuracy).
Shape each piece into a bun. Pull the edges into the centre to form a rounded top and then place each piece on the counter and roll to shape (like you'd shape a boule).
Place your buns on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and cover with a plastic bag or wrap. Set aside to rise for around 30 minutes. They will be plump and round when they're ready to bake.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Brush each bun with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).
Bake for around 22 minutes or until glossy and hollow when you tap the base. They burn very easily so keep an eye on them.
Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

Notes on Kneading: The easiest and quickest way to make this dough is in a stand mixer or Thermomix. This will allow you to knead the dough easily. The eggs and butter need a lot of work to combine in so if you are going to knead by hand, you will really have to work the dough to incorporate them.

Nutrition

Serving: 140gCalories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 11gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 598mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 429IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Sourdough Recipes, Sourdough Rolls

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