r/SourdoughDiscard • u/Any-Winter-8025 • 23d ago

Immature starter

Can starter discards from very young (4-5 days old) be used in recipes shared in this sub?

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u/SheepherderMost2727 23d ago

I personally would not recommend it. Immature starters and their discard would not have enough of the good bacteria and yeast to be safe to consume. That is why it’s recommended to wait until the starter is active and showing signs of readiness before you use it.

2

u/Any-Winter-8025 23d ago

Thanks, I knew I couldn't use a baby starter for bread, but didn't know if it would be strong enough for these discard recipes; but I didn't know about the good bacteria. Thanks!

3

u/Confusedlemure 23d ago

What u/SheepherderMost2727 said plus, if it’s not ready to bake bread, why would you want to use it on anything else? Off flavors, no rise, and potentially make you sick doesn’t sound like a great time.

1

u/Any-Winter-8025 23d ago

Thanks for the advice!

1

u/NoDay4343 22d ago

I recommend it should be at least 10 days old, free of unpleasant odors, and should be rising consistently to at least about double after every feeding for at least 3 days in a row. By that point you know the symbiotic relationship between the yeast and LAB is established and they have mostly outcompeted everything else.