Sour Dough Bread

SOUR DOUGH BREAD

Day 1 @ 7 pm-

Making large batch starter. 

Take approx 1 cup active starter (meaning light and bubbly) and add to large mixing bowl with 4 cups of water. Mix well. 

Gradually stir in 4 cups unbleached bread flour until mixed well. Store in bowl large enough that it is at most 3/4 full with this mixture. Cover loosely and wait 24 hours. 

Day 2 @ 7 pm-

Making and autolysing the dough. 

Take four cups of the large batch starter you prepared the night before and place in large mixing bowl. Place remaining starter in large mason jar in fridge. 

Mix 4 cups unbleached bread flour with 4 tsp salt and gradually add (about 1 cup at a time) flour mixture to started, mixing down with a wooden spoon. Use hands during final stages of mixing down. 

When thoroughly mixed, set dough ball seam side up in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for thirty minutes. 

After 30 minutes, fold dough over into itself 8 times to release air and let sit covered in plastic another 30 minutes. Follow this process 3 times total. Takes 90 mins of rest time in all. Leave seam side up each time. 

After final folding session, place plastic directly on dough ball (seam side up) to keep air out. Place in refrigerator overnight for 6-8 hours. It should double in size. 

Day 3 @ 8:00 am ish-

Final rise before baking. 

Remove the dough from the fridge and punch it down as much as possible. Shape it into round bread shape. 

Coat dutch oven generously in butter. Place dough in baking vessel SEAM SIDE DOWN. Coat lightly with flour so dough doesn’t stick to plastic. Cover dutch oven with plastic wrap. Let rise 3-7 hours at room temperature. Should double in size. 

Day 3 by 3:00 pm-

Baking

Preheat oven to 450. Place cookie sheet with water on bottom rack to create steam. 

Gash the bread in 2 or 3 spots to allow steam to escape. This prevents big voids forming under the crust. 

Bake at 450 on middle rack for 30 mins. Remove cookie sheet and drop temp to 350. Cook for another 30-40 minutes until internal temp of bread reaches 200 degrees. 

Turn out into cooling rack. Wait 30 minutes to slice. 

Keeping sour dough start alive forever

Feed the sour dough start to keep alive. When there is 1/4”-3/8” hooch on top of refrigerated start it is time to feed. 

Steps to feed:

1. Pour off as much hooch as possible without pouring off actual starter. 
2. Stir remaining starter thoroughly, getting all the settled stuff on bottom. 
3. Mix 1 cup water and 1 cup flour in mixing bowl. 
4. Mix in in cup of your starter into the flour water mixture. 
5. Discard remaining starter or use in a recipe. 
6. Put the new starter in large mason jar, lightly cover and place in refrigerator until you use it to bake or feed again.