The BEST Beginner Sourdough Bread Tutorial on YouTube

Take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge.

Place starter on a digital scale.

Add 50 grams of water to the sourdough starter jar.

Mix the water and starter together to dissolve.

Get out bread flour (King Arthur flour).

Add 50 grams of bread flour to the jar.

Stir the mixture thoroughly until it has the consistency of loose pancake batter.

Cover the top of the jar loosely with a lid.

Close the lid all the way.

Mark the top of the starter with a rubber band to track rise.

“Marking the starter helps you clearly see when it has doubled in size.”

Place the jar on the kitchen counter.

Let the starter rise at room temperature overnight for 6 to 8 hours until it roughly doubles in size.

Place a large mixing bowl on top of a digital scale.

Add 300 grams of water to the mixing bowl.

Adjust water amount with a spoon if needed to reach exactly 300 grams.

Add 100 grams of active and risen sourdough starter to the water.

Take the leftover starter remaining in the jar and place it back in the fridge.

Stir the starter and water together to thoroughly dissolve the starter.

Add 450 grams of bread flour.

Remove any excess flour with a spoon if needed.

Add 10 grams of salt directly on top of the flour.

Stir the salt into the flour to incorporate it.

Mix all ingredients together with a spoon to form a shaggy dough without visible dry clumps of flour.

Cover the dough with a kitchen towel.

Let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

Uncover the mixing bowl.

Grab the corner of the dough that is furthest away (North End).

Stretch the North End of the dough up into the air.

Fold the North End back on top of the dough.

Stick the dough into itself.

Give the mixing bowl a quarter turn.

Stretch the West End of the dough up into the air.

Fold the West End back on top of the dough.

Stick the West End down into the dough.

Give the mixing bowl another quarter turn.

Stretch the South End of the dough up into the air.

Fold the South End over the top of the dough.

Give the mixing bowl one last quarter turn.

Stretch the East End of dough up into the air.

Fold the East End back on top of the dough.

Press the East End down.

Cover the mixing bowl with the kitchen towel.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Perform the second set of stretch and folds (repeat the North, West, South, East stretch and fold sequence with quarter turns between each).

Cover the dough with a kitchen towel.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes on the counter.

Give the dough its third and final set of stretch and folds (repeat the North, West, South, East stretch and fold sequence with quarter turns between each).

Move the dough into a 7-cup glass bowl that has been greased with olive oil.

Position the dough so the smooth side is facing up and the seam side is facing down.

Cover the dough with an airtight lid or plastic wrap.

Let the dough sit in the glass bowl to rise for 5 to 8 hours at room temperature (approximately 70°F).

Gently take the dough out of the glass bowl.

Place the dough on an unfloured surface of the kitchen counter.

Keep the smooth side facing up and the seam side facing down.

Cup and pull the dough with hands, moving in a circular motion against the counter to form a tight ball.

Add a little bit of flour to the top of the dough if it feels too sticky.

Continue shaping the dough into a ball.

Let the dough rest uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes (bench rest).

Prepare a 10-inch oval banneton basket by dusting the bottom and sides thoroughly with bread flour or rice flour.

Dust the top of the dough ball with a small amount of bread flour.

Flip the dough over so the floured side is against the counter and the sticky side is facing up.

Pull the corners of the dough out so it forms a square shape.

Fold the left third of the dough over the middle third.

Fold the right third of the dough over the middle third so they meet in the middle.

Take the end of dough that is furthest away and roll the dough into itself until it forms a log or oval shape.

Grab the flap on one end and fold it under the dough.

Flip the dough over to the other side.

Grab the other flap and tuck it under.

Smooth out the sides of the dough with hands so the flaps disappear underneath.

Pick up the dough and flip it over so the seam side is facing up and the smooth side is facing down.

Gently place the dough upside down into the banneton basket.

Cover the dough gently with a kitchen towel.

Let the dough proof at room temperature for 1 hour.

Move the dough to the fridge still covered by the kitchen towel.

Let the dough coldproof in the fridge overnight for about 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place a Dutch oven inside the oven on the middle rack.

Place a sheet pan or metal underneath the Dutch oven on the rack below to keep the bottom of the bread from burning.

Preheat the oven for about 30 minutes.

Take the dough out of the fridge.

Cut out a sheet of parchment paper slightly bigger than the dough.

Casually help the dough release from the sides of the banneton basket with fingertips.

Place the piece of parchment paper on top of the dough in the banneton basket.