Chicken 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. The ingredient list is beautifully minimal — just flour, water, salt, and a lively starter — so there is genuinely nothing here to worry about from a poultry-free standpoint, no hidden broths, no egg washes, no surprise additions. What makes this loaf special is the process: a slow autolyse, patient stretch-and-folds, and an overnight cold proof all work together to build extraordinary flavor and an open, chewy crumb. The Dutch oven method traps steam during the first bake, giving you that blistered, bakery-quality crust without any special equipment beyond what most kitchens already have. Scoring the dough with a confident slash right before it hits the heat is one of those small moments that feels genuinely thrilling. The hardest part is waiting the full hour after baking before you slice in, but that rest is what keeps the crumb from turning gummy. Once you taste a slice with a little good butter, store-bought bread is going to feel like a very distant memory.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
- 50 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration, fed and bubbly)
- 375 g lukewarm water (about 90°f / 32°c), divided
- 450 g bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 50 g whole wheat flour
- 10 g fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter and 350 g of the lukewarm water until the starter is fully dissolved and the mixture looks milky and slightly foamy.
- 2
Add the bread flour and whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix with your hand or a stiff spatula until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30–45 minutes (autolyse).
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