Sourdough Tutorial Video
How to Make Your First Sourdough Loaf
A simple, step by step tutorial for your first Better Basics sourdough. Real flour, real fermentation, and a process that actually makes sense.
This is your Better Basics Sourdough 101. A full walkthrough of how to make your first sourdough loaf from start to finish. I cover every step in the video above, and everything is written out below so you can follow along in the kitchen.
Before you start, you need two things. An activated sourdough starter and a bag of our Better Bread Flour. I recommend at least 5 kg so you do not run out mid-bake. If you have not activated your starter yet, do that first.
Find the full reactivation tutorial linked below. Get your starter bubbly and active before you begin.
Starter Activation GuideDownload the free Sourdough 101 eBook for feeding schedules, troubleshooting tips, and everything you need to bake with confidence.
Download FreeWhat you need
This recipe is intentionally simple. One bowl, a scale, and a Dutch oven. That is it.
Better Basics Basic Sourdough
Ingredients
- 500g Better Bread Flour
- 350g lukewarm non-chlorinated water
- 100g active bubbly sourdough starter
- 10g salt
Steps
- Add 350g of lukewarm non-chlorinated water to your bowl. Add 100g of active bubbly starter, then 500g of Better Bread Flour and 10g of salt. Mix until fully incorporated. Use a dough whisk until it gets too stiff, then finish with your hands. A stand mixer works too.
- Once mixed, perform a slap and fold for 3 to 5 minutes to start building tension right away. Place in a bowl, cover, and set aside for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, perform your first set of stretch and folds. Pull one side up and fold it back down, working around the dough counterclockwise. Once you have done all sides, flip the dough over and smooth the top to create tension. Cover and rest 30 minutes. Repeat this step 3 times total.
- Check your dough temperature. Aim for 74 to 76F. Temperature affects how long your bulk fermentation will take. I have linked the bulk fermentation chart below to help you nail your timing.
- Perform a final set of coil folds to build more structure. Cover and leave the dough to bulk ferment until it has roughly doubled in size and pulls away from the sides of the bowl easily.
- Turn the dough out onto an unfloured surface. Shape it by rolling it up, removing any large bubbles as you go. Roll it up tight and place it seam-side up into your banneton basket.
- Let it rest for 10 to 20 minutes, then perform a stitch on the back. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. I do a 12 hour cold retard with our flour.
- The next morning, preheat your Dutch oven in the oven at 500F for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove your dough from the fridge and turn it out onto your baking mat. Score it, dust with flour, and spray with a little water. Lift into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake at 425F for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until deep golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and wait several hours before slicing.
A few notes from me
The slap and fold at the beginning is something I have recently added to my routine. It creates tension in the dough right from the start and makes a real difference in the final structure. Do not skip it if you can help it.
When it comes to shaping, there are a thousand ways to do it. Do not overthink it. The goal is to roll the dough up tight and get it into the banneton with some tension on the surface. Watch the video above if you want to see exactly how I do mine.
On the cold retard, because our Better Bread Flour is stone-milled with the enzymes intact, I keep my cold proof to around 12 hours. The enzymes in a whole grain flour keep working slowly in the fridge. You can go to 16 hours but I would not push past that. Watch your dough the first few times. It should hold its shape in the banneton and look slightly puffed when you take it out.
How to know your dough is ready to shape
This is the part people worry about most. Here is what you are looking for. The dough should have roughly doubled. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl easily and cleanly. It feels lighter and airier than when you started. That is your signal.
Find the full temperature and rise reference chart for Better Bread Flour below. Keep it on your counter while you bake.
View the ChartBaking day
Preheat your Dutch oven at 500F for a full 30 minutes. This is not optional. A cold Dutch oven will not give you the steam or the heat you need for a good oven spring and a crackly crust.
Score confidently. A hesitant score drags the dough instead of cutting it. One clean, decisive cut at a slight angle. Dust with flour, add a small spray of water, and get it into the Dutch oven fast.
Bake covered at 425F for 30 minutes, then uncover for 15 to 20 more until it is deeply golden. Then the hardest part. Leave it alone on the cooling rack for several hours before you cut into it. The crumb is still setting as it cools. Cutting too early gives you a gummy interior no matter how well you proofed.
Real flour. Real fermentation. Real food, the way it was always meant to be made.
Ready to go deeper? Download the free Sourdough 101 eBook or start with the flour.
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