Fish 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 dough comes together with just five ingredients — starter, water, bread flour, whole wheat flour, and sea salt — so there is nothing hidden, nothing to second-guess, and absolutely no concern about marine-derived additives that sometimes sneak into commercial breads. The whole wheat flour adds a gentle nuttiness and depth that keeps the crumb from tasting flat, while the long overnight cold proof develops that signature tang you just cannot rush. Stretch-and-folds build the gluten structure gradually, so even if you are newer to sourdough, the process is forgiving and genuinely hands-on in the best way. Scoring the loaf before it goes in gives the oven spring somewhere to go, producing that dramatic ear and blistered crust that makes a homemade loaf look like it came from a serious bakery. Letting it cool the full hour before slicing is the hardest part, but the open, chewy crumb you reveal is absolutely worth the wait.
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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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