Beginner Dutch Oven Sourdough
"Once you have a sourdough starter, you'll be able to wow your dinner guests with ease, with this amazing sourdough bread recipe!"
To prepare a sourdough starter (recommended 2 weeks prior):
Mix 1 part flour to 1 part water in a glass bowl or jar. Cover loosly and leave overnight in a warm room. In 12 hours, discard half of the mixture then add new equal amounts of flour and water. Do this for 1-2 times per day for a week or two. The mixture should be bubbly and nearly double 3-4 hours after “feeding” it new flour/water. You can test to see if it’s ready by pinching off a bit and seeing if it floats in water.
Beginner Sourdough Bread in a Dutch Oven
A Simple Sourdough for beginners
Ingredients
- 3/4 c Active Sourdough Starter
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 4 c All-purpose or bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 c warm water
Instructions
- Add honey to starter and stir.
- Mix flour and salt together, then add to starter/honey mix.
- Add warm water and mix in standing mixer on low with dough hook for 5 min or knead by hand for 10 min.
- Spray a medium or large bowl with cooking spray and place ball of dough in bowl, cover with plastic or damp, clean cloth.
- Place in a warm spot (or proofing oven - see notes) for 3 hours to rise.
- In bowl, take corners of dough to center, rotating to get all sides. Repeat several times and replace plastic on bowl.
- Place in warm spot for 2-3 hours to rise.
- After 2-3 hours, set bowl of dough on counter.
- Place an empty dutch oven with lid on in your oven, and set temperature to 450 degrees.
- Lightly flour your dough and repeat the folding process from before. Repeat 3-4 times.
- Dough should be smooth enough to form a ball; if too loose, add flour and continue to fold.
- When oven reaches 450, remove carefully from oven, removing lid.
- Place dough in ball on parchment paper, place in dutch oven.
- Brush top of dough with beaten egg, brushing the entire top surface of the dough.
- Cut the top surface with a sharp knife. Cover with lid and place in oven.
- Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.
- Remove lid of dutch oven carefully.
- Keeping lid off, bake dough for another 20 minutes, or until nice and golden brown.
- Bread should be golden brown and sound hollow when knocking on it.
- Remove and cool.
Notes
To create a proofing oven: place a pan of boiled water on the floor of your oven, and place the bowl of dough in the oven, set to proof setting (or 100 degrees), or just close the door on "off". All these are good options to create a warm and moist environment, favorable to rising or "proofing" your dough.
Nutrition
Calories: 171kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 5gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 196mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hi,
Where would I find/buy the active sourdough starter?
Hi Gail,
I can give you some or you can make it with flour and water. It’s pretty easy to do. You mix 1 part flour to 1 part water in a glass bowl or jar. Cover and leave overnight in a warm room. In 12 hours discard half of the mixture then add new equal amounts of flour and water. Do this for 1-2 times per day for a week or two. You can test to see if it’s ready by pinching off a bit and seeing if it floats in water. It’s a commitment! If you want to borrow some of mine to get it started, let me know!