
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 refreshingly short — bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, salt, and a lively starter — which means there is simply no room for refined vegetable oils, seed oils, or any of the additives that sneak into commercial bread. For anyone trying to avoid industrially processed fats, store-bought sourdough can be a minefield of hidden canola or soybean oil used to condition the dough or grease the pans, so baking your own is genuinely the cleanest path forward. The whole wheat flour adds a subtle nuttiness and depth to the crumb while the long cold proof overnight develops complex, tangy flavor without any shortcuts. A series of stretch-and-folds builds the gluten structure naturally, giving you that open, chewy crumb and blistered crust that looks like it came straight from a serious bakery. Baking covered in a preheated Dutch oven traps steam and drives an impressive oven spring, then the lid comes off to let the crust caramelize to a deep, hollow-sounding finish. Let it cool fully before you slice — the wait is genuinely the hardest part.
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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).
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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