Since writing Simple Zero Discard Sourdough Bread & Method I’ve further developed and perfected my sourdough techniques, and have included a better recipe and method in the video below. Scroll down for the blog post article and printable recipe. Also read Best Budget Grain Mill Review Here.
Zero Discard Sourdough Bread post has been updated as of 2/3/2024
Zero Discard Sourdough Bread Story
Growing up my mom was and still is very health conscientious, and she taught me to be as well. When I was just 10 a neighbor asked if they could hire me to make them bread, and so my mom taught me how to make honey oat wholegrain bread. I remember how exciting it was being trusted with such a big job!
As of this year I’ve been making bread for 35 years now!
About 20 years ago, I learned of a healthier, better way to make bread. Sourdough! It was 2004, just a few months after I got married. I was expecting our first child when my husband and I went to the Azure Standard farm in Dufur, Oregon. For years I had been hearing about the sourdough bread the Azure farm wives had been making there. I finally got to learn how they did it. It was there I also began learning about the health benefits and the art of sourdough bread and the dangers of commercial yeast.
Our family has a lot of issues with wheat, and we learned that sourdough bread is more nutritious and easier on digestion, especially for those sensitive to wheat. SEE HERE.
Learning how to make a good loaf a sourdough was definitely a journey though. My first loaves could have been used as bricks! It took a lot of time but I’m please to say I’ve mastered the art of sourdough, not only this, I’ve been able to effectively teach the art to friends and family.
Awhile back I started hearing about a sourdough bread method where everyone is discarding large portions of sourdough, and as a large family, no waste mama I was SHOCKED! So now I’m on a mission to share the good news, there is a better, no waste way!
Since 2004 I’ve tried a lot of different methods through the years, over the last 1.5 years I’ve found the easiest method yet.
Zero Discard Sourdough Bread method is one that is SIMPLE and uses NO scales.
Zero Discard Sourdough Bread Method
Preparing the Starter
With Zero Discard Sourdough Bread method, one of my favorite things about it is you don’t have to feed the starter daily. I think you could use any starter off or Amazon or from Azure Standard. This one is my favorite,
Once you’ve followed the initial feeding instructions that come with your starter, fed it and built it up over the course of a few days you should start seeing bubbles. Soon after that you’ll see more, and eventually the starter will begin rising after feeding.
Once your starter rises significantly and is very bubbly, you are ready to start using your sourdough!
Storing and Feeding the Sourdough
The trick in no or zero discard starter, is once it’s fully active, simply store it in the fridge. Starting the day before you intend to feed it, simply take it out of the fridge, and feed it.
I keep 2 cups of starter on hand. Starting the day before baking, I feed it 1 to 1 ratios, so if I have 2 cups starter I’ll feed it 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. If I am planning to do a large baking day I might pull the starter out early so I can feed it a couple times through the day.
Always wait until it has nearly doubled and/or is super bubbly to feed it again!
A trick I’ve learned is to always use distilled water. Never use tap for this, and filtered won’t work either. You want distilled to assure there is zero contamination.
Next you have a couple choices, the temperature of your home will make a difference in what you should choose. You can let your starter sit out overnight if your home is cool. If your home is warm it might over rise though. If it over rises it will begin to fall and you’ll need to feed it again before using it.
Sometimes I let it sit out overnight and feed it again in the morning. Sometimes I put it in the fridge, pull it out the next morning, feed it again and let it activate and double (or nearly double-what we are looking for is lot’s of activity and bubbles).
Please note, 2 cups starter is my reference, you may only want to set aside 1/4 cup starter to use to build up if you are not going to use as much bread.
Also note, you can continue feeding and building up the sourdough for as many loaves as you need (I build it up to about 10 cups active sourdough starter for 10 batches of bread, which I store in the fridge until baking day.
At any point in this process you can set aside at least a cup of starter for next time, but it’s best to save back a cup right after feeding!
I use the remaining sourdough to make bread!
Be sure to check out our other recipes HERE and if you are looking for a grain mill HERE ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS.
Shayla’s Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup active bubbly starter
- 1 cup distilled or spring water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup Sugar (only if making cinnamon rolls or sweet bread)
Instructions
- MIX all ingredients in mixer just until ingredients are incorporated. If mixing by hand add the flour a cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
- LET REST 20 to 30 minutes.
- MIX 30 to 60 seconds, or stretch and fold.
- REPEAT the resting, and mixing/stretch and fold process up to 5 times or until dough is smooth and very elastic like.
- NOTE! IF YOU ARE NOT DOING SAME DAY BAKING, AND YOU PLAN TO PROOF OVERNIGHT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REPEAT THIS PROCESS MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE!
- At this point you have two choices. You can proof the bread immediately for same day baking/use, in which case skip down to the BAKING DAY section below.
- Alternatively you can proof the dough in the fridge overnight, or until you are ready to use it (12 hours up to 4 days). If you proof it in the fridge simply remove it from the fridge early in the morning the day you plan to make bread and proceed with the BAKING DAY section below.
- BAKING DAY; Allow the dough to rise in warm area until nearly doubled. This time will vary depending on the temperature of your home. You can let it rise in a yogurt maker or in your instant pot. Some people like to use their oven with the light on (just don’t forget it’s in there should you go to use the oven. You can also use an ice chest with a heating pad inside.
- Once it doubles you are ready to make what you would like with it! See Notes for what you can make with this.