Best 3 Whole Grain Sourdough Rustic Country Loaf Recipes

SOURDOUGH COUNTRY LOAF RECIPE

Steps:

• 12 hours before you plan to mix the dough, add the ingredients to make ½ cup (100 g) of active sourdough starter to a clean jar. Stir until combined, loosely cover the jar and let the starter rise at room temperature. (The ingredients will create a total of 115 g active starter but, because some of it will stick to the sides of the jar during the transfer, we are making a little more than needed.) The sourdough starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are plenty of bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
• Autolyse (1 hour): In a mixing bowl, add 330 grams of water and 100 grams active sourdough starter, stir to combine. Add 50 grams whole wheat flour and 450 grams bread flour and use your hands to combine the ingredients until there are no dry bits and the dough looks like a shaggy mass. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest on the counter for 1 hour.
• Add salt (1 hour): Add 10 grams of salt to 30 grams of water in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the salt water to the dough and use your hands to work it in until well combined. Cover the bowl and let rest on the counter for 1 hour.
• Bulk Fermentation (3-5.5 hours): Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart. To perform a set, while the dough is still in the bowl, pick up one side with a wet hand. Pull it up and over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat this action on 4 sides of the dough until the bowl has come full circle. (See notes)Cover the dough and allow to ferment at room temperature for 1-3 more hours according to the following temperatures. 68°F (20°C) 2-3 hours70°F (21°C) 2-2.5 hours72°F (22°C) 1.5-2 hours75°F (24°C) 1-1.5 hoursThe dough is ready for shaping when it has risen about 20-30% and has bubbles around the edges of the bowl.
• Shaping: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use a bench scraper to form it into a loose ball. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Lightly flour the surface of the dough ball and use a bench scraper to turn it over. Final shape the dough by pulling the side nearest yourself up and towards the center of the dough. Repeat on all fours sides of the dough. Flip the dough over, seam-side down, and use your hands to twist the dough on the counter. Cup the dough with your hands and gently pull it towards yourself to create a tight skin on the outside. Flour the outside of the dough ball. Flour the inside of a banneton and place the dough ball into the banneton, seam-side up. Cover the bowl with a large plastic bag and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
• Second Rise (8-36 hours): Place the covered dough in fridge to cold ferment 8-36 hours.
• Score and Bake: Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven, with the dutch oven inside, to 500°F (260°C) for 30 minutes.Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and score the top with a razor. Remove the dutch oven and place on stove-top. Use the parchment paper as a sling and lift the dough up and into the dutch oven. Cover, turn oven down to 450°F (232°C) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and bake an additional 25-30 minutes or until the crust is at the desired color.
• Let the bread cool on a cooling rack for 2 hours before cutting.

SLOW, LAZY SOURDOUGH BREAD

Steps:

• Combine starter into water, stirring until starter is fully dispersed.
• Combine salt with flour in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, turn on low speed, and slowly add water / starter mixture (see video "Lazy Mixing and Kneading").
• After fully combined, set mixer to medium speed and allow it to knead dough for 3 - 5 minutes until dough is forming a relatively smooth ball around the hook.
• Transfer dough into a mixing bowl or rising bucket and let sit until dough just starts to visibly rise (~ 6 - 8 hours). At this point you may optionally want to perform one or two rounds of stretching and folding (separated by half an hour) to build some strength / tension in the dough. I usually do this, but it's not a hard requirement.
• Keep an eye on the rising dough, checking in with it at least once an hour.
• When it has risen to twice its initial volume (or whenever you feel the bulk proofing has come to a good ending point), prepare a lined proofing basket by flouring the inside and set it aside.
• Moisten a work surface with a small amount of water, moisten your hands, and turn the dough out onto the moist work surface.
• Build tension and shape the dough into your preferred shape (boule, batard, oblong) and then transfer into the proofing basket, cover and place in the refrigerator for 12 - 16 hours. The length of this cold second proof can be stretched to suit your schedule. Shoot for a minimum of 12 hours, but the maximum can be pretty long; 24, 36, maybe even 48 hours would probably be fine.
• When ready to bake, pre-heat oven and baking vessel to 450f.
• Transfer cold dough into pre-heated baking vessel* and score as you like.
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 450f.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375f, uncover and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

COUNTRY CRUST SOURDOUGH BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the Sourdough Starter, eggs, sugar, oil, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in 2 greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Brush with butter.