Fresh Milled Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
If you keep a sourdough starter, chances are you have a little sourdough discard hanging around that needs to be used. While there are plenty of delicious ways to use sourdough discard, one of my favorites is incorporating it into a homemade loaf of sandwich bread!
This fresh milled sourdough discard sandwich bread is soft, flavorful, and perfect for everyday use. Made with freshly milled whole wheat flour, it is a wonderful way to combine the goodness of whole grains with the flavor of sourdough. Whether you’re making sandwiches for lunch or enjoying a slice of toast with butter in the morning, this is a loaf you’ll want to make again and again!
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Why You’ll love this recipe
- 100% Fresh Milled Flour Recipe
- Practical way to use Sourdough Discard
- Perfect Sandwich Loaf for Sandwiches and Toast
- Soft texture with amazing flavor
- Great everyday bread
Ingredients you will need for Fresh Milled Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
- Water – Warmed to 100-105 degrees F.
- Sourdough Discard – Can be active starter or discard. I use sourdough starter straight from the fridge.
- Egg – May substitute with Sunflower Lecithin or Flax Egg. To make a flax egg, mix 1 tbsp flax mill with 3 tbsp water and mix well. Let sit 5-10 minutes until the mixture is gelled.
- Olive Oil – May use avocado oil or melted butter.
- Honey – Optional.
- Fresh Milled Flour – I used 300 grams Hard White Wheat with 90 grams Kamut for a light and airy loaf.
- Salt
- Yeast – May use active dry yeast or instant yeast.
Full ingredient amounts in printable recipe card below
What Type of Wheat Should You Use?
I prefer a mixture of Hard White Wheat and Kamut for this recipe. However, a mixture of Hard Red and Hard White makes a great loaf as well.
If you want to incorporate an ancient grain, add up to 100 grams with the rest being hard white or hard red.
Hard wheat works best because of its high protein, low moisture. It builds gluten extremely well and holds structure when shaped.
How to Make Fresh Milled Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
Step 1. Mill the flour
Mill your wheat berries on the finest setting of your GRAIN MILL.
Step 2. Mix the dough for Soaking (Minus salt and yeast)
Warm the water to 100-105 degrees F.
Mix the water, sourdough starter/discard, egg, oil, honey, and flour in the bowl of a STAND MIXER.
Mix on speed one just until the dough comes together and no dry bits of flour remain.
Cover and let this dough soak for 20-30 minutes to soften the bran and germ.
While this dough is soaking, measure out your salt and yeast in a small bowl.
Step 3. Knead the dough (Add in salt and yeast)
After the dough has soaked, sprinkle the salt and yeast over the dough.
Turn the mixer on speed 2 and knead the dough for 8-15 minutes or until it becomes smooth, glossy, and stretchy. You can knead up to 20 minutes. Just keep an eye on the dough and stop the kneading if the dough starts sticking to side of the bowl.
This dough is a bit tackier, even after kneading. This leads to a very moist, soft loaf.
You can check the gluten development by doing the “windowpane test”.
Pinch off a small piece of dough and stretch it between your fingers gently. If it stretches until it is almost see-through without tearing, the dough is properly kneaded.
Step 4. First Rise/Bulk Fermentation
Once the dough has been kneaded, cover and let rise for 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
Step 5. Shape and Second Rise
Prepare a 8.5×4.5 LOAF PAN by spraying or coating with a bit of oil or butter.
After the dough has risen, turn the dough onto a work surface. I like to spritz the work surface with a little water.
Turn the dough a few times to deflate the dough.
Shape the dough by rolling the dough up into a log shape.
Place in the loaf pan and cover with a bowl cover or piece of parchment paper and let rise until the dough is over the top of the pan by 1-2 inches.
Step 6. Bake the Bread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the loaf for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 200 degrees F.
Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to avoid a gummy crumb.
Tips for Success
- Don’t add extra flour. This is a somewhat slack dough that bakes into a very moist, soft loaf.
- Don’t skip the soaking step as this will lend to a quicker knead with better gluten development.
- Keep an eye on the dough and catch it just after it doubles to avoid over fermenting.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
- Consider using a kitchen scale for best results.
Want more Fresh Milled Sourdough recipes?
Soft Same Day Fresh Milled Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Fresh Milled Sourdough Pasta – Easy Homemade Pasta Recipe
Fresh Milled Sourdough Hamburger Buns in the Bread Machine
Fresh Milled Sourdough Coffee Cake (Easy & Wholesome)
Easy Fresh Milled Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe
The Easiest Beginner Fresh Milled Sourdough Loaf
Frequently Asked Questions
Either will work just fine. We are not letting the starter do the heavy lifting in this loaf, so it doesn’t matter if it has been fed recently.
Not really in this recipe. It may add a minimal amount of rise depending on the temperature of your kitchen, however the yeast does the work for this loaf.
Absolutely! Hard red wheat will make an even more flavorful and hearty loaf.
Yes! Use my BREAD MACHINE FRESH MILLED LOAF directions for this loaf.
Yes. Slice the loaf and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Storage Tips
Store cooled loaf in a bread bag or airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days.
Freeze in freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Fresh Milled Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
- Homemade butter
- Meat and cheese
- Tuna or chicken salad
- Soup, chili, or stew recipes
- Homemade jam
Fresh Milled Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Warm Water (227 grams) Warmed to 100-105 degrees F.
- 1/2 cup Sourdough Discard/Starter (137 grams)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil (25 grams)
- 1 tbsp Honey (19 grams) Optional
- 1 Egg
- 3 cups Fresh Milled Flour (390 grams)
- 1 tsp Salt (7 grams)
- 2 tsp Yeast (6 grams) May use active dry or instant yeast
Instructions
- Mill your wheat berries on the fine setting of your grain mill.
- Warm the water to 100-105 degrees F.
- Mix the water, sourdough starter/discard, egg, oil, honey, and flour in the bowl of a STAND MIXER.
- Mix on speed one just until the dough comes together and no dry bits of flour remain.
- Cover and let this dough soak for 20-30 minutes to soften the bran and germ.
- While this dough is soaking, measure out your salt and yeast in a small bowl.
- After the dough has soaked, sprinkle the salt and yeast over the dough.
- Turn the mixer on speed 2 and knead the dough for 8-15 minutes or until it becomes smooth, glossy, and stretchy. You can knead up to 20 minutes. Just keep an eye on the dough and stop the kneading if the dough starts sticking to side of the bowl.
- This dough is a bit tackier, even after kneading. This leads to a very moist, soft loaf.
- You can check the gluten development by doing the “windowpane test”.
- Pinch off a small piece of dough and stretch it between your fingers gently. If it stretches until it is almost see-through without tearing, the dough is properly kneaded.
- Once the dough has been kneaded, cover and let rise for 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Prepare a 8.5×4.5 loaf pan by spraying with oil or spreading with butter.
- After the dough has risen, turn the dough onto a work surface. I like to spritz the work surface with a little water.
- Turn the dough a few times to deflate the dough.
- Shape the dough by rolling the dough up into a log shape.
- Place in the loaf pan and cover with a bowl cover or piece of parchment paper and let rise until the dough is over the top of the pan by 1-2 inches.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the loaf for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 200 degrees F.
- Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to avoid a gummy crumb.
