Bake the Perfect Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide

flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour is more nutritious, while all-purpose flour is often cheaper.

Feed your sourdough starter by combining 50 grams of sourdough starter, 50 grams of flour, and 50 grams of lukewarm water in a jar.

Cover the jar with a loose-fitting lid and let it rise at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours.

In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour, rye flour (optional), and salt.

Add lukewarm water (not more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit) and 100 grams of active starter to the dry ingredients.

Stir until the dough comes together, then mix thoroughly with your hands.

Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for 4 hours, performing stretch and folds every hour.

After the final stretch and fold, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a loaf.

Let the shaped loaf bench rest for 20 minutes, then transfer it into a generously floured banneton bread basket.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours for cold fermentation.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a dutch oven or cast iron combo cooker inside for 30 minutes.

Score the bread and carefully transfer it into the preheated pot, cover, and reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake for 20 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until desired color is achieved.

Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Dietary

Allergens