MSG Free Sourdough Country Loaf
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a crackling, mahogany-crusted loaf out of a screaming-hot Dutch oven, and this sourdough country loaf delivers exactly that kind of moment. The ingredient list is beautifully short — bread flour, whole wheat flour, sea salt, water, and a lively starter — which means every element is completely transparent and naturally free of any added flavor enhancers or hidden additives. That simplicity is actually what makes this bread so appealing for anyone trying to avoid processed ingredients, because there is genuinely nothing in here that shouldn't be. The whole wheat flour adds a subtle nuttiness and depth that plays beautifully against the tang of a long cold proof, and the open crumb you get from those stretch-and-fold sets is the kind of texture that makes a plain slice with good butter feel like a treat. The overnight refrigerator proof does a lot of the heavy lifting, developing complex flavor slowly without any shortcuts. Once that crust blisters and blooms in the oven, you'll understand why people get obsessed with baking their own bread — and why store-bought starts to feel like a compromise.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
- 50 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration, fed and at peak)
- 375 g bread flour
- 75 g whole wheat flour
- 325 g lukewarm water (about 80°f / 27°c), divided
- 10 g fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter with 300 g of the lukewarm water and stir until the starter is fully dissolved and the mixture looks milky. Add the bread flour and whole wheat flour 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).
- 2
Dissolve the salt in the remaining 25 g of lukewarm water. Pour the salt water over the dough and work it in by squeezing the dough through your fingers and folding until the liquid is fully absorbed and the dough feels cohesive, about 2–3 minutes. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
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