Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe Without A Dutch Oven
Curious on how to bake a sourdough bread without a dutch oven? The solution is simple! With the extreme rise in popularity, you have probably wondered why the dutch oven is the go-to to bake a beautiful crusty bread recipe, however there are other alternative ways to achieve that professional artisan sourdough bread.
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What is Sourdough?
Sourdough is the process of mixing equal parts water and flour for several days until the wild natural yeast are captured and your mixture becomes a living thing. If you are new to sourdough and are in need of one, check out my post on How to Make A Sourdough Starter From Scratch. You can also check local facebook groups, or facebook marketplace to purchase an active sourdough starter to get your loaf started today!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Why a Dutch Oven
The reason why baker’s prefer the dutch oven methods of baking homemade sourdough bread is because it acts like a professional oven. The heavy lid of the dutch oven helps to hold the heat consistently at high temperatures giving you that desired crispy crust. It also creates a humid environment, giving that fresh sourdough bread a good oven spring and an airy crumb for that perfect loaf! Using a dutch oven can also lead to less of a clean up in the end. Most bakers I know have a dutch oven geared solely to their loaves, so they only have to clean it occasionally since most use a piece of parchment paper between the loaf and the dish.
Reasons Not to Use a Dutch Oven
- Maybe this is your first loaf of sourdough bread that you are about to make and you aren’t quite interested in making the investment in a dutch oven just yet.
- You are wanting to make a french loaf or sourdough bowl that will simply not fit in a dutch oven!
- I personally love to bulk bake and fitting multiple dutch ovens in my oven is not an option!
- Dutch ovens can be ridiculously heavy! I have a cast iron dutch oven that I use occasionally to bake my loaves and it is a workout putting it in, removing the the heavy lid mid way through the baking process, and then pulling out the dutch oven when the bread is finished baking.
Tips to Help With Oven Spring Without a Dutch Oven
Since you are not going to be using a dutch oven you want to make sure that your methods are good to help achieve the perfect baking environment for a beautiful spring.
1. Make sure to preheat your oven. I usually only advise to preheat the oven for about 30 minutes, but since we are not doing this with a dutch oven, it is important to heat the oven well at a high temperature so that when you do go to open the oven, minimal heat will leave, and the the oven temperature will be able to bounce back to it’s high heat quickly.
2. Try to work as quickly as possible when opening the oven door. That way the oven does not lose too much heat.
3. Using a baking stone or a pizza stone to cook your bread is ideal as this helps the oven maintain its high temperature when opening and closing it. Although, I have had great results testing this recipe with just a cookie sheet or a sheet pan, and a loaf pan. I also suggest using a piece of parchment paper between the loaf and the cookie sheet or stone when baking this recipe.
4. After the second fermentation, create good surface tension with your dough during the shaping process. This will also help with that oven spring.
6. Feed your sourdough starter 4 to 6 hours before starting your bread dough.
7. For best results do not skip the folding steps. This will help the gluten develop and form those beautiful air pockets!
How to Create Steam in Your Oven
1. To help mimic that perfect steamy environment, I use a baking tray on the the bottom of the rack that I place into the oven prior to preheating it. About 10 minutes before the oven has been preheated, I pour hot water into the the baking tray.
2. You could also use a cast iron pan if you do not have a baking tray. This is a great way to create that perfect steamy environment for the perfect sourdough. Cast iron is durable and will not crack with high heat, like glass would such as pyrex.
3. I’ve seen bakers throw in a couple of ice cubes prior to baking to help get extra steam. This does give good results, however, I worry that this will bring the temperature of the oven down too much and have found that for better results just adding warm water works very well! If you do choose this method, then keep in mind that sudden temperature changes such as: adding cold water to a hot oven, can crack glass! I am speaking on behalf of your glass oven door!
4. You can spray the bread with a spray bottle every 3 minutes for a total of 3 times after placing it into the oven. Just make sure that you do not take a long time in doing this so you do not let out much heat.
5. Just before baking your bread, you can brush water or use a spray bottle to spray water on the top of your dough to help add moisture and create some steam.
**Be careful opening your oven! Open it and give it a second to let the steam come out before you grab your bread so you do not get a steam burn!**
What You Will Need for the Best Sourdough Bread Recipe
A large mixing bowl, glass bowl, or a ceramic bowl
A banneton basket or proofing basket (I used a DIY banneton basket found here)
Danish dough whisk (the one I use and love is found here) or a wooden spoon
A tea towel
Kitchen scale
Pizza stone or cookie sheet (Either will work!)
Baking sheet or cast iron skillet
Piece of Parchment paper
Bowl scraper, bench scraper, or bench knife
Razor blade
Cooling rack
Ingredients
450 grams of all purpose flour (3 1/2 cups)
100 grams of active starter (1/2 cup)
15 grams of salt (2 teaspoons)
300 grams of water (1 1/4 cup)
Step-by-step Instructions for: Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe Without A Dutch Oven
1. Feed your sourdough starter the night before you are making your bread or at least 4-6 hours before using it to make sure it is active.
2. Using a food scale and a large bowl, weigh out your flour, active sourdough starter, salt, and water (at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit).
3. Thoroughly incorporate all ingredients using a danish dough whisk or a wooden spoon.
4. Place a damp towel or a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl, and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
5. After the first 30 minutes is up, remove towel. With dough in bowl and in front of you, grab the north side of the dough. Stretch the dough up and bring it across to the bottom of the dough. Then, grab the east side of the dough stretching it up and folding it over to the opposite side. Grab the south side of the dough and stretch it up folding it over to the opposite end. Then finally, grabbing the east side of the dough and stretching and folding it over to the opposite end. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 more minutes.
6. Repeat step 5 two more times.
7. After your final stretch and folding of the dough, cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rise at room temperature until it doubles in size. This can take about 4 to 6 hours, depending on the temperature of your house. When it is done, you will notice bubbles all over the surface of your dough.
8. Once your dough has doubled in size, place it on a clean work surface that is lightly dusted with flour. With wet hands, start to shape the dough by bringing in the two sides and overlapping them and then stretching out the other sides and overlapping them. Then, roll dough into a ball on the countertop and slowly bringing it back to you to create surface tension on the top. You will notice that by doing this the top will start to smooth out.
9. Once the dough is shaped, place it into a floured banneton or bowl. Place plastic wrap on top of it and place it into your refrigerator for the final fermentation process. This should take about 12 to 15 hours.
Scoring Your Sourdough
The easiest way to score your dough like a professional baker is when it is straight from the fridge! This will help you move your blade or knife easily through the dough. Otherwise, a soft dough will pull and tear. If you decide not to place the dough in the fridge overnight then place it in there for a couple of hours before baking so the finished product will come out beautiful!
I like getting inspiration from google pictures on scoring techniques, and there are some really great videos on youtube that can bring out the artist in you too! For this bread I did an ear score. I placed the razor blade on the cold dough, slightly off center from the top. I held the blade at a 45 degree angle facing inward and dragged the blade down about a 1/2 half inch deep, until I reached the opposite end. I think the key to a beautiful ear is cold dough and holding the blade at an angle.
Baking the Sourdough Bread Without a Dutch Oven
Place baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven.
Place the pizza stone on the middle rack. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees for 1 hour.
About 10 minutes before the preheat time is up, carefully fill the baking sheet half way up with water and close your oven.
Place the sourdough on a piece of parchment paper and score.
Once the oven is preheated, carefully open the oven, careful to not get burned by the steam.
Place the dough with the parchment paper under it on the pizza stone or cookie sheet.
Close the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Once the 20 minutes is up, carefully open the oven and remove the baking sheet with water.
Close the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow the sourdough bread to cool to room temperature before serving.
Serve with delicious homemade butter from my How To Make Easy Homemade Butter From Raw Milk and serve!
More Sourdough Recipes
The Best Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Sourdough Bread Recipe
Peanut Butter with Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe
Best Sourdough Bread Recipe with Almond and Raisins
Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe Without A Dutch Oven
Easy Italian Sourdough Flatbread Discard Recipe
Easy Same Day Sourdough Bread (Beginner’s Recipe)
Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe Without A Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 450 grams of all purpose flour 3 1/2 cups
- 100 grams of active starter 1/2 cup
- 15 grams of salt 2 teaspoons
- 300 grams of water 1 1/4 cup
Instructions
- 1. Feed your sourdough starter the night before you are making your bread or at least 4-6 hours before using it to make sure it is active.
- 2. Using a food scale and a large bowl, weigh out your flour, active sourdough starter, salt, and water (at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit).
- 3. Thoroughly incorporate all ingredients using a danish dough whisk or a wooden spoon.
- 4. Place a damp towel or a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl, and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
- 5. After the first 30 minutes is up, remove towel. With dough in bowl and in front of you, grab the north side of the dough. Stretch the dough up and bring it across to the bottom of the dough. Then, grab the east side of the dough stretching it up and folding it over to the opposite side. Grab the south side of the dough and stretch it up folding it over to the opposite end. Then finally, grabbing the east side of the dough and stretching and folding it over to the opposite end. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 more minutes.
- 6. Repeat step 5 two more times.
- 7. After your final stretch and folding of the dough, cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rise at room temperature until it doubles in size. This can take about 4 to 6 hours, depending on the temperature of your house. When it is done, you will notice bubbles all over the surface of your dough.
- 8. Once your dough has doubled in size, place it on a clean work surface that is lightly dusted with flour. With wet hands, start to shape the dough by bringing in the two sides and overlapping them and then stretching out the other sides and ever lapping them. Then, roll dough into a ball on the countertop and slowly bringing it back to you to create surface tension on the top. You will notice that by doing this the top will start to smooth out.
- 9. Once the dough is shaped, place it into a floured banneton or bowl. Place plastic wrap on top of it and place it into your refrigerator for the final fermentation process. This should take about 12 to 15 hours.
- The easiest way to score your dough like a professional baker is when it is straight from the fridge! This will help you move your blade or knife easily through the dough. Otherwise, a soft dough will pull and tear. If you decide not to place the dough in the fridge overnight then place it in there for a couple of hours before baking so the finished product will come out beautiful!
- I like getting inspiration from google pictures on scoring techniques, and there are some really great videos on youtube that can bring out the artist in you too! For this bread I did an ear score. I placed the razor blade on the cold dough, slightly off center from the top. I held the blade at a 45 degree angle facing inward and dragged the blade down about a 1/2 half inch deep, until I reached the opposite end. I think the key to a beautiful ear is a cold dough and holding the blade at an angle.
Baking the Sourdough Bread without a Dutch Oven
- Place baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven.
- Place the pizza stone on the middle rack. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees for 1 hour.
- About 10 minutes before the preheat time is up, carefully fill the baking sheet half way up with water and close your oven.
- Place the sourdough on a piece of parchment paper and score.
- Once the oven is preheated, carefully open the oven, careful to not get burned by the steam.
- Place the dough with the parchment paper under it on the pizza stone or cookie sheet.
- Close the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Once the 20 minutes is up, carefully open the oven and remove the baking sheet with water.
- Close the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow the sourdough bread to cool to room temperature before serving.
- Serve with delicious homemade butter from my How To Make Easy Homemade Butter From Raw Milk and serve!
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