In this article:
About This Recipe
What is Sourdough country bread?
Sourdough Country Bread is what most people think of when they hear the word, “sourdough.” This particular bread is shaped into a boule, or round, rather than a batard, or oval loaf. The loaf is moist, with a rather open crumb, and a crispy exterior. The gluten is developed by hand through a series of intervaled folds, making this loaf a pleasure to work with.
What I love about this recipe:
The process for this bread is simple and straight-forward. There is no autolyse or fermentolyse; all the ingredients are mixed together at once, meaning you won’t forget to add anything to the dough. Working the dough by hand means that no special equipment is necessary to get it together. This recipe uses visual cues over timing, so you will know when your bread is ready for the next step. The Dutch-oven bake gives this recipe the perfect crust, and the cold ferment helps set the classic sourdough flavor and add beautiful blisters to the exterior of the loaf.
Why this recipe works
Bread flour
This is such an important component that cannot be skipped over! Flour affects the dough and end result so much. Because this dough has a hydration of over 70% (that means it has a good amount of water!) it needs a strong flour to lend the best results. The flour will help the gluten develop through folds, and will give the loaf it’s beautiful shape. My personal favorite is King Arthur Bread Flour, but any bread flour should do.
Hydration
I’ve made this loaf a little bit flexible, giving you a dough that can be made with more or less flour to liquid ratio. Altogether, the process is the same, but the end result is slightly different. Less flour lends a more moist and chewy interior, with a slightly more open crumb. It’s all up to your own personal preference which is your favorite.
Gluten Development
This dough does not include any sort of enrichments, and so the gluten is easily developed by hand. Here, I use a series of intervaled folds to gently work the gluten, creating a tall, round loaf that can hold in air bubbles beautifully.
Bulk Fermentation
This loaf is left to double in size after all folds are complete. I find this lends the best crumb and flavor of dough. Any more, and the dough will overproof, losing its ability to hold a shape and spring in the oven. Any less and massive holes are interspersed throughout the loaf.
Shaping
This dough is gently shaped in two intervals: a pre-shape and a final shape. The technique used gently works the dough, keeping the air bubbles intact as much as possible, while also tightening the skin to help with oven spring and shape.
Cold Proof
Though placing the dough in the fridge isn’t necessary, I find it creates a deeper flavor, makes the loaf easier to score, and results in beautiful blisters all along the outside of the dough. It also provides the loaf with just enough steam that adding ice or water to the Dutch-oven isn’t necessary.
Scoring
Scoring the loaf parallel with the counter results in a beautiful ear! In addition, I teach you how to do a five minute score to create an even more open seam, though this isn’t necessary. A five minute score releases steam from the Dutch-oven, which can lead to fewer blisters and small cracks as the loaf continues to expand. But, it opens up your score even wider, which can result in a beautiful loaf, even for the overproofed dough.
Baking Method
I find 450 F is the perfect temperature for allowing the loaf to expand beautifully and prevent the dough from cooking too fast. A dough cooked at too high of a temperature will result in a thick, dark crust, with possible cracks (as the loaf was not finished expanding in the oven). 450 F creates a beautiful light crust with fabulous blisters. In addition, the Dutch-oven method adds the perfect crisp to the loaf, and helps capture steam without any extra effort on the baker’s part.
Suggested Baking Timeline
8 AM (Day 1)
+Mix the dough
8:45 AM - 11 AM (Day 1)
+Stretch and fold the dough
11 AM (Day 1)
+Bulk ferment the dough
5-7 PM (Day 1)
+Shape the dough
+Transfer to refrigerator overnight
The next day
+Bake and enjoy!
Suggested Work Day Baking Timeline
7 PM (Day 1)
+Mix the dough (use slightly less starter: 50-75 g)
7:45 PM - 10 PM (Day 1)
+Stretch and fold the dough
10 PM (Day 1)
+Bulk ferment the dough at 70 F or cooler
6-7 AM (Day 2)
+Shape the dough
+Transfer to refrigerator
5-7 PM (Day 2)
+Bake and enjoy!
Sourdough Country Bread
Course: Lunch, Dinner, Snack, SideCuisine: UniversalDifficulty: Intermediate45
minutes24
hours45
minutes1
LoafSourdough Country Bread is what most people think of when they hear the word, "sourdough." This particular bread is shaped into a boule, or round, rather than a batard, or oval loaf. The loaf is moist, with a rather open crumb, and a crispy exterior. The gluten is developed by hand through a series of intervals folds, making this loaf a pleasure to work with. The process for this bread is simple and straight-forward. There is no autolyse or fermentolyse; all the ingredients are mixed together at once, meaning you won't forget to add anything to the dough. Working the dough by hand means that no special equipment is necessary to get it together. This recipe uses visual cues over timing, so you will know when your bread is ready for the next step. The Dutch-oven bake gives this recipe the perfect crust, and the cold ferment helps set the classic sourdough flavor and add beautiful blisters to the exterior of the loaf.
Ingredients
350 g filtered water (1 1/2 cups)
100 g active starter (1/2 cup) (or up to 150 g [3/4 cup] for an expedited rise)
465 g bread flour * [see notes] (3 3/4 cups) (This gives a dough hydration of approx. 77%, starter included. You can use more flour [500 g] for a stiffer dough that is easier to work with, or less flour [450 g] for a slightly looser dough. Anywhere in this range [450-500 g flour] will produce great results.)
10 g salt (1 1/2 tsp)
Directions
Mix all ingredients together to form a shaggy dough.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes before beginning the strengthening process.
Strengthen the dough: Complete six sets of folds, the first three 15 minutes apart, and the second three 30 min apart. I like to start with stretch and folds (1:12 in video) for the first three folds, then transition to coil folds (2:27 in video) for the remaining three folds. But, you can stick with stretch and folds the entire time if you prefer.
Bulk rise: Let the dough rest until it increases in size by at least 75%, or up to (but not over!) double (about 6 hours).
Pre-shape (5:16 in video): Use wet hands to remove the dough from the bowl and turn out onto a clean counter (you can flour it if you feel more comfortable, but it should not be necessary if the dough was properly strengthened and fermented). Then, using a bench scraper and your hands, tuck and tighten to form a round. Rest, uncovered, on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
Shape (5:49): Lightly flour a banneton (or a towel/cheesecloth inserted into a 1.5 qt mixing bowl) with rice flour to prevent sticking, or regular flour if you don't have this option (though, some sticking may occur as the flour is absorbed into the dough during the resting period). Scoop up the pre-shaped dough and flip it over, so the smooth side is on the counter. Fold the left and right sides of the dough into the middle, then repeat with the top of the dough. Last, take the bottom end of the dough and fold it all the way over, so that the seam you have just created is now touching the counter. Using your hands (wet, if needed), tuck and tighten the dough into a smooth ball.
Transfer to banneton: Using your bench scraper, scoop the dough off the counter and place it, seam side up, into the banneton. Pinch together any holes or open seams, or stitch if needed (7:19 in video). Cover with a plastic bag.
Transfer your dough to the refrigerator until the next day (8-16 hours).
The next day, preheat your oven to 450 F. Insert a Dutch oven onto the top rack, and a pizza stone or baking sheet on the bottom rack ** [see note]. Preheat your Dutch oven for at least one hour before baking.
Remove your dough from the fridge. Turn it out onto a silicone baking mat or a piece of parchment paper.
Score the dough: Using a razor blade or bread lame, make one score 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, making sure the razor is angled parallel with the counter for the most prominent ear. (I used one expansion score for simplicity, but you are welcome to score any design you like at this point, as long as you still have at least one, deep expansion score.)
Place your scored loaf into the preheated Dutch oven and replace the lid.
Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on.
Optionally, five minutes in, score the loaf a second time along the seam where it is expanding (9:57 in video). Make sure to keep your razor parallel with the counter. The only purpose of this is to increase expansion and assure a prominent ear on your loaf.
After 25 minutes, remove the lid of the Dutch oven and bake 20 minutes more.
The bread is finished when it temps about 200 F.
Allow the bread to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing (to allow the gluten to settle, otherwise the loaf will be slightly gummy).
Enjoy!
How to store: Store in a Ziploc bag on the counter for three to five days, or slice and store in the freezer.
To reheat: From room temperature, toast 2-3 minutes. From frozen, toast 4-5 minutes. I do this in my air fryer at 400 F.
Watch the Video
Notes
- Bread flour: THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL! I tried this recipe at many times using generic all-purpose flour. Though it does make bread, it does NOT yield fabulous results. The higher protein content in bread flour will help the gluten bind and create a strong dough. You may be able to get away with a high-quality all-purpose flour.
- Pizza Stone/Baking Sheet: This is not necessary, but the addition of an object underneath the Dutch oven helps create indirect heat, preventing the bottom of the loaf from burning. When experimenting with this recipe, I found that my bread tended to burn on the bottom, and this is one thing that kept that from happening. You could also use aluminum foil, or sprinkle cornmeal under the parchment paper/silicone bread sling.
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