The best sourdough dutch oven bread! Learn how to make a simple homemade sourdough bread recipe in your very own kitchen. This is an easy version of sourdough bread. It does not require complicated measurements or instructions. This recipe is perfect for people (like me) who like a simple, hearty loaf that doesn’t require tons of effort. It results in a delicious, golden brown sourdough loaf that is simply amazing! Enjoy!
Sourdough
Sourdough refers both to bread and to the starter used to make it.
If sourdough intimidates you, you aren’t alone! Sourdough can be intimidating, but it shouldn’t be.
Growing up, I always tried to use regular instant yeast and never had success. My bread would often turn out flat. When I started using sourdough starter, I was shocked at how well everything turned out! It was so encouraging and honestly, so much fun!
I ended up falling in love with the process and went on to create my own recipes.
What is Sourdough?
Sourdough is one of the oldest forms of grain fermentation and was used to bake bread long before commercial yeast came into the picture.
When flour is mixed with liquid, the friendly bacteria (lactobacilli) and wild yeast in both the flour and your surrounding environment start working together. Within their flour-and-water slurry (now called starter), these tiny living creatures generate byproducts that cause bread to rise and give it a complex, rich flavor.
So much history and culture surround sourdough. Pioneers and cowboys alike survived on sourdough bread. Recipes and the history of their particular starter have been passed down for generations.
Benefits of Sourdough
Sourdough bread is pretty amazing for lots of different reasons! Here are just a few!
- contains probiotics for gut health
- the fermentation process breaks down the gluten to help with digestion
- it has a healthy bacteria that can release antioxidants to help fight disease
- it contains a variety of vitamins and also nutrients
- it’s less likely to spike blood sugar levels
The magic (okay, technically science) of sourdough is in the wild yeast that is created with just some flour, and water. POOF the wild active yeast appears over the course of a few days if you choose to make your own.
Making your own starter is simple. It takes a little bit of time and patience but it is well worth the effort you put into it. You can see how to make it here.
If you know someone who has a sourdough starter, they can also share their starter with you! It’s easy to do and once you get one, you can feed it, use it, and share yours too.
How to Feed Your Starter
Once you’ve successfully created your own sourdough starter, you’ll want to keep it healthy with regular feedings. If you bake a lot of sourdough treats you may choose to keep your starter on the counter, at room temperature. While this means feeding it twice a day, it also means your starter’s always ready to go when you are.
If you’re a more casual sourdough baker stash your starter in the refrigerator, where you’ll need to feed it, anywhere, from just once a week to once a month.
If you neglect to feed your starter- it’s okay! You can always bring it back to life by repeating the feeding process a few days in a row.
To feed your starter simply add the following measurements to your starter and leave it out on the counter in a glass container covered with plastic wrap or a loose-fitting lid for a few hours.
- 100 grams starter
- 1 cup (113g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup (113g) water, lukewarm
What You’ll Need to Make Sourdough Dutch Oven Bread
- Starter
- Flour
- Water
- Salt
- Food scale
- Glass clear container (large mason jars or bowls work great!)
- Proofing basket or bowl
- Scoring tool or knife
- Cast iron dutch oven pot or your crockpot insert can also work too! Not the whole crockpot but the heavy bottom black inner pot can go in the oven covered in tin foil for the same effect.
- Parchment paper
- Big plastic bags or plastic wrap
If you give these recipes a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or snap a photo and tag it with @TheAlexDaynes on Instagram! I love to see what you’ve been cooking. It always makes my day!
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Sourdough Dutch Oven Bread
A basic, beginner Sourdough Dutch Oven Bread recipe! Tried and true, and delicious every time.
Ingredients
- 125 grams active bubbly starter (about ½ cup)
- 390 grams warm water (about 1 ¾ cups)
- 500 grams flour (about 4 cups)
- 12 grams salt (½ Tablespoon)
Instructions
- To a stand mixer or in a large bowl, combine water and active fed starter. Mix.
- Add flour and mix together to form a sticky, shaggy dough. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Add the salt to the dough and toss and squeeze the dough a few times to combine. Cover it again and let rest for two hours. During this time, every 20 minutes, do a stretch and fold the dough. This is done by simply stretching it out and tucking the dough back into itself.
- Cover the bowl and allow it bulk rise for 5-12 hours until doubled in size and very pillowy and soft.
- Flatten the dough ball and then fold it in thirds over itself. Gently shape the dough into a ball once more and place it into a well-floured proofing basket or a bowl with parchment paper. Let it rest for 1-2 hours.*
- Preheat oven with Dutch oven inside at 450 for at least 30 minutes.
- Score the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade and transfer the parchment-lined dough to the Dutch oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered and 10-15 minutes uncovered.
- Let it rest for one hour before slicing. Serve or store wrapped in plastic wrap to keep it from going stale. Enjoy!
Notes
*You can also refrigerate your dough at this point until you are ready to bake it. When you are ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature for 2-3 hours before baking it.
