Beginner's Guide to Sourdough
Welcome to the wonderful world of sourdough! This guide will take you from complete beginner to confident baker, covering everything you need to know about this ancient art.
[Image: Beautiful rustic sourdough loaf with scoring]
What Makes Sourdough Special?
Sourdough is bread made with wild yeast and bacteria instead of commercial yeast. This natural fermentation process creates bread with:
- Complex flavors - tangy, nutty, and deeply satisfying
- Better digestibility - the long fermentation breaks down proteins and starches
- Longer shelf life - natural acids act as preservatives
- Nutritional benefits - increased mineral absorption and B vitamins
The Essential Ingredients
Traditional sourdough has just four ingredients:
Sourdough Basics
- Flour - Bread flour or all-purpose work great for beginners
- Water - Filtered water is best (chlorine can harm wild yeast)
- Salt - Controls fermentation and adds flavor
- Starter - Your culture of wild yeast and bacteria
[Image: Four ingredients laid out - flour, water, salt, starter]
Understanding the Process
Sourdough baking follows a predictable rhythm. Here's the basic timeline:
Day 1: Mix & Bulk Ferment
- Mix your ingredients
- Perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes (4 rounds)
- Let dough bulk ferment for 4-6 hours at room temperature
Day 1 Evening: Pre-shape & Final Shape
- Pre-shape your dough and let rest 20-30 minutes
- Final shape and place in banneton or bowl
- Refrigerate overnight (8-48 hours)
Day 2: Score & Bake
- Preheat Dutch oven to 450°F (230°C)
- Score your dough
- Bake covered 20 minutes, uncovered 20-25 minutes
Your First Recipe
Ready to try? Here's a beginner-friendly recipe:
Simple Sourdough Loaf
Ingredients:
- 100g active starter
- 375g water
- 500g bread flour
- 10g salt
Baker's Percentages:
- Flour: 100%
- Water: 75% (hydration)
- Starter: 20%
- Salt: 2%
Essential Equipment
You don't need much to get started, but these tools will make your journey easier:
Recommended Equipment
Essential:
- Digital kitchen scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Dutch oven or cast iron pot
- Bench scraper
Nice to Have:
- Banneton (proofing basket)
- Bread lame (scoring tool)
- Kitchen thermometer
- Spray bottle
Affiliate links for equipment recommendations coming soon
[Image: Essential sourdough equipment laid out]
Common Beginner Mistakes
Learn from others' experiences and avoid these common pitfalls:
- Inactive starter - Make sure your starter doubles in size before using
- Over-proofing - Dough should feel slightly firm, not jiggly
- Insufficient gluten development - Don't skip the stretch and folds
- Poor shaping - Take time to create surface tension
- Scoring too shallow - Confident, deep cuts work better
Reading the Signs
Sourdough teaches you to read your dough. Look for these signs of readness:
- Bulk fermentation done - Dough increased 50-70% in size, feels light and airy
- Final proof done - Gentle poke test leaves slow-filling indent
- Properly baked - Internal temperature reaches 205-210°F (96-99°C)
[Image: Side-by-side comparison of under-proofed vs properly proofed dough]
Your Sourdough Journey
Remember, sourdough is as much art as science. Every starter, environment, and baker is different. Start with this guide, but don't be afraid to experiment and find what works for you.
The most important thing? Keep baking. Each loaf teaches you something new, and the journey is just as rewarding as the destination.
Next Steps
- Start your own sourdough starter (see our starter guide)
- Practice the basic recipe until you're comfortable
- Learn about baker's math to scale recipes
- Join the sourdough community and share your progress