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The Ultimate Sourdough Bread

This bread has a thick chewy crust and strong sourdough flavour. Though it does take a long time to make, it's very easy, and oh so worth it! It really is the best bread I've ever had.
Prep Time20 hours
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time20 hours 45 minutes
Author: Carissa Serink

Ingredients

  • 3 cups lukewarm water
  • 1.5 cup sourdough starter
  • ¼ teaspoon . yeast
  • 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
  • 5 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoon . salt

Instructions

  • Pour 2 cups lukewarm water into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add sourdough starter and whisk vigorously to combine.
  • Add the yeast, whole wheat flour and 1.5 cups of the bread flour and stir until smooth.
  • Add the remaining cup of water and salt. Mix completely.
  • Add the remaining bread flour and stir until combined. The dough will be wet and sticky.
  • Cover bowl with plastic or a lid (if mixed in a stand mixer, transfer to large bowl). Let rise for 12-15 hours.
  • After dough has risen, turn the dough, either with a wooden spoon or your hand. Lift up one side of the dough and fold it into the center. Repeat on the opposite side, then rotate the bowl and fold in the perpendicular sides for a total of 8-10 folds.
  • Transfer dough onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Clean bowl or get a new large bowl.
  • Transfer dough, on the parchment paper into the bowl and let rise again for 2-4 hours.
  • When there is 30 minutes left in the rise time, place a dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 450°F for 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough on the parchment paper to the hot dutch oven. Do this very gently as you don't want the dough to deflate, and carefully to avoid burns on the hot pot.Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove lid. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from dutch oven, peel off the parchment and cool on a wire rack.

Notes

This makes either 1 very large loaf (using a 8-12 quart dutch oven) or 2 smaller loaves.
Choose a large dutch oven with a lid, or two smaller ones.
If you don't have a lid for your dutch oven, you can get a similar effect by spritzing a few sprays of water (from a food safe spray bottle) into the oven just before you close the door.