The Perfect Homemade Sourdough Bread for Beginners

Directions

1. Once sourdough starter is ready to go you will add 1/3 cup to bowl with water and whisk until blended. Add in sea salt and bread flour and mix together with your hands. Flour bread mixture will be scruffy, that's okay. If all flour hasn't blended in you will need a bit more water, but don't over water just enough so your flour is all incorporated. Place a clean towel over the top and let sit for one hour.

2. After one hour stretch and fold. To stretch and fold you will pick up on one side of the dough pull up and fold into center. Continue around the sides until they have all been picked up and folded into middle. It will normally be around 4-5 times. Cover again and let sit for 30 min. Repeat once more.

3. After all stretch and folds have finished you will scoop out the dough onto a lightly floured countertop. Using a bench scraper fold under to form a large ball of dough. Make sure to have everything floured so that you prevent sticking to your surfaces.

4. Once ball is formed you will pick up with your bench scraper and flip over into floured proofing basket. Pinching sides of dough on bottom pull together so the part of the dough showing is creased together. Cover with towel and let sit for 7 - 10 hours.

5. When you are ready to bake flip your proofing basket with sourdough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Now you can score your dough and let sit for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven and stockpot.

6. While your bread is sitting grab your best 360 stockpot, I use the 8 Quart Stockpot with Cover, place in oven and turn on to 450 degrees. Once temperature is reached lower your bread into stockpot holding the sides of the parchment paper. Cover and let bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove cover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Baking is all done. Now remove bread and set on cooling rack or cutting board for at least 30 minutes for a resting period before cutting. Your sourdough bread will continue to cook while sitting so cutting too early will cut the full bake time down.

8. 8. ENJOY!!