SourTube: Crispy Sourdough Discard Crackers (feat. Chef Lynn Wheeler)

📺 SourTube pick: This is a curated video — we didn't make it, we just love it and think you will too. All credit belongs to the creator below. Watch it, learn from it, then go show them some love.

Today's pick: These Sourdough Crackers Make Store-Bought Look Pathetic

Creator: Chef Lynn Wheeler of Getting Saucy with Chef Lynn
Watch on YouTube: These Sourdough Crackers Make Store-Bought Look Pathetic
More from Chef Lynn: cheflynnwheeler.com — personal chef, catering, and recipes with personality

If the embed doesn't load, watch it directly on YouTube here.

Why we picked this one

Let's be honest about the discard jar situation. You've got it. I know you've got it. It sits in the fridge, growing a layer of hooch, judging you silently every time you open the door. Feeding day rolls around and you scrape out half the jar thinking, "there has GOT to be a better way than the compost bin."

Chef Lynn has the better way, and it's crackers. Not fussy rolled-dough crackers that need a pasta machine and a prayer — these are spread-and-bake crackers. You whisk discard with melted fat, spread it thin on a baking sheet, and walk away. That's the whole production line.

But here's the detail I wish someone had told me sooner: she makes TWO versions in the same video, and the second one is beef tallow with smoked jalapeño ranch. That single decision takes this from "use up your discard" duty to actual snack territory — the kind of thing you pull out when friends come over and everyone asks where you bought them. The answer is "my oven," and you get to say it casually.

Lynn is a self-taught professional chef with restaurant years behind her, and you can feel it in the teaching. No waffling, no 12-minute life story before the recipe — just a clear method, a par-bake-and-score trick for even crispness, and a taste test where she genuinely enjoys her own cooking. Refreshing.

What you'll learn in 8 minutes

• The par-bake score trick: bake 10 minutes, pull the sheet out, score with a pizza cutter, then finish baking. This one move is the difference between rustic shards and actual crackers that snap.
• Two fat options, two flavor profiles: butter + everything bagel seasoning for the classic, or beef tallow + ranch seasoning for the bold one. Same method, completely different snacks.
• How to rescue uneven baking: edges crisp faster than centers — Lynn shows you how to handle the edge pieces versus the middle so the whole tray lands at crispy.

Our two cents to go with it

Two things worth knowing before you press play:

1. Thin is everything. Thinner than you think. If your cracker sheet looks thick enough to survive, it's too thick. You want translucent-thin edges. The discard batter keeps spreading a little as it warms, so aim slightly under what looks right and the oven will do the rest.

2. Your parchment paper is non-negotiable. A bare baking sheet and this batter are a sticky nightmare together. Parchment or a silicone mat, no exceptions — and if your mat has seen better days, give it a quick wash so yesterday's garlic flavor doesn't move in.

And if watching this has you staring at your own sad discard jar thinking "I could do that" — you absolutely can, but you need a starter worth discarding from first. Ours arrives dehydrated, wakes up in a few days with simple instructions, and starts earning its keep in recipes exactly like this one. Grab your Squirrelly Girl Starter here 🐿️

Loved this video? Go tell Chef Lynn — like and subscribe on YouTube so she keeps making them.

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