Sourdough Bread
By: McCormick Kitchens
Made With:
Ready to dive into the world of homemade sourdough? Here's a straightforward yet comprehensive sourdough starter and sourdough bread recipe that covers it all. From the essential ingredients to step-by-step instructions on how to make and feed sourdough starter and how to make sourdough bread, this guide will take you through every part of the process. Learn exactly how to create a thriving sourdough starter and bake the perfect loaf of sourdough bread. Let's get started on your sourdough baking journey!
Ready to dive into the world of homemade sourdough? Here's a straightforward yet comprehensive sourdough starter and sourdough bread recipe that covers it all. From the essential ingredients to step-by-step instructions on how to make and feed sourdough starter and how to make sourdough bread, this guide will take you through every part of the process. Learn exactly how to create a thriving sourdough starter and bake the perfect loaf of sourdough bread. Let's get started on your sourdough baking journey!
Key products
Instructions
- Choose a transparent glass or plastic vessel, at least 4 cups in volume, to hold your starter.
- Mix flour and water in your starter vessel to make a thick, pasty batter. Cover loosely with cheesecloth or a layer of paper towel and secure with a rubber band, so the mixture can breathe. Let stand at warm room temperature about 24 hours. The mixture should become bubbly and increase in volume. As long as the starter has started to bubble up and increase in volume, let stand 24 hours longer.
- After 48 hours, discard half of the starter. Add 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water to the remaining starter, stirring to mix well. Repeat this process every 24 hours, discarding half of the starter and adding an additional 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water to the remaining starter, for 4 days. Your starter should take about 7 days. After feeding on day 7, your starter should double in size and be very bubbly.
Tip: To test if the starter is ready, drop a spoonful into a cup of water, if it floats it's ready. If the starter is not ready, discard most of the mixture, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the container. Add 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup water. Let stand for a few hours and it should rise and bubble. Try the float test again. Repeat as needed. - Store starter, covered with a lid, in refrigerator. Feed once a week, until ready to use.
- Make sure to feed sourdough starter at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours before you plan to start making bread, so that the starter is active and bubbly.
- To begin making the bread, combine all ingredients for the Levain in bowl of stand mixer. Let stand at room temperature, covered, 4 to 6 hours or until doubled in size.
- For the Sourdough Bread, mix flour, water and sea salt in separate large bowl. Let stand 1 hour to hydrate.
- Mix Levain mixture and dough mixture together. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold dough, pulling edges up and folding into center of dough 4 times. Cover and let rest 30 minutes longer. Repeat stretching and folding, followed by 30 minutes of rest 2 more times.
- Cover bowl with damp towel or plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, 12 to 14 hours, or until risen to 1 1/2 times the original volume.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Shape into a smooth ball. Place on large sheet of parchment paper and let stand until Dutch oven has preheated.
- Place large Dutch oven on center rack of oven. Heat oven to 475°F. Allow Dutch oven to preheat about 1 hour.
- Carefully remove Dutch oven from oven. Use parchment paper to lift dough and place into Dutch oven. Score top of dough with a sharp knife. Cover with lid.
- Bake 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer. Remove Dutch oven from oven. Let stand 10 minutes. Then carefully turn out bread. Cool completely before slicing.
Tips:
• Add 1 teaspoon of McCormick's Rosemary Leaves in Step 7 to give your bread a punch of additional flavor.
• Make a compound butter with McCormick Rosemary Leaves, Oregano, Garlic Powder, and Black Pepper to serve with your homemade sourdough bread.
• Slice up the sourdough by cutting it in half and then putting the flat side down and cut it on the short side. This keeps you from crushing the bread and makes perfect slices to make sandwiches with or enjoy with some butter and flaky salt.
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