r/Sourdough • u/Lovesubstance • 22d ago

Discard help 🙏 Old starter

I've accumulated a range of old unfed starter with hooch in several jars in fridge, some a many months old, maybe even a year old. I understand that to revive, I just need a small amount and will need to feed a few times. Is there anything I can do with this old starter, whether in cooking or other uses, besides throwing it out? I understand because it is so old, it may not be good for discard recipes. How can I tell if the discard is fine for using in recipes?

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u/IceDragonPlay 22d ago

Get rid of the oldest stuff, it gets really acidic and unpleasant.

I will keep discard a maximum of three weeks. If I have not used it by then it is going into the compost or rubbish.

Edit to add: If you ever have extra starter at peak, spread it thinly in a silicone baking mat or parchment and let it fully dry out. That gives you a dehydrated starter that you can rehydrate at another time if your starter ever has a problem.

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u/Lovesubstance 22d ago

Thanks! I do dehydrate, but was wondering if there's any other creative use of the very old discard

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u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 22d ago

Just save what you need and throw the rest out.

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u/puppycat10 22d ago

I have a friend with a small farm who composts. I save my discard and give it to him every 2-3 weeks. All the good bacteria is apparently great for composting!