Celery Free Classic Sourdough Bread

There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a crackling, mahogany-crusted loaf from a screaming-hot Dutch oven, and this sourdough delivers exactly that kind of moment. The ingredient list is beautifully minimal — just starter, water, bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt — so there is genuinely nothing here to worry about for anyone avoiding celery or celery derivatives. That simplicity is part of what makes the bread so good: every step, from the autolyse rest to the overnight cold proof, is focused entirely on coaxing maximum flavor and structure out of those five ingredients. The stretch-and-fold technique builds a strong, open crumb without any kneading, and the long fermentation gives the loaf that signature tang sourdough lovers crave. Baking it covered in a Dutch oven traps steam in the early stages, which is what creates that blistered, shattering crust you just cannot get from a standard loaf pan. Patience is the only real skill required — the dough does most of the work on its own timeline. Once you slice into that cool, set crumb, you will understand why people become completely obsessed with baking their own bread.

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