Simple Sourdough - Step by Step - My method on how to get great rise and oven spring 

I’ve been making sourdough for a while and the only thing you are doing differently is the oven temp/baking time and the way you hold down the bottom of the dough when you’re stretching it. So yesterday I tried your method of stretching the dough and kept my temp/time the same. I had much more oven spring so I think your trick is the way you stretch your dough. I’ve watched a ton of sourdough videos and you’re the only one I’ve seen do that. Thank you for that new technique!

I’ve been baking sourdough now for about a year. I watch many Bakers here on RU-vid and have tried all their recipes. I’ve learned a lot and I thank them for their expertise. Nevertheless, after a while, not completely satisfied, because I’m a fairly seasoned cook (baking however, was never my strong suit) I started improvising and doing my own thing - trying different methods I thought up with proofing/fermentation times, stretch & fold vs kneading etc. So, I came across - or I should say this video popped up, I’m thinking because of the scoring which I’ve been having issues with, and I thought, heck I’ll give your recipe a try. Gotta tell you completely amazed! Haven’t had the oven spring lately that I wanted and figured I might need to accept it. I had nothing to lose so I baked two loaves. Even after a huge mistake on my part trying to use a new cast iron (AGA) baker, and having the dough nearly fall apart on me (fell flat a bit too) my loaf turned out absolutely fantastic! My daughter took a picture of it to send to a friend she was so impressed. Many thanks for your laid back approach to baking sourdough. It really caught me and it takes a lot to do that when you’re going on 70 yrs old and have watched hundreds of videos. Still, I think I found the recipe I’ll be using until I transition from this life to the next! 💚😊

I've watched several highly produced 30+ minute videos to up my sourdough game and this video beats them all. Quick, informative, easy to follow and no bullshit. Thank you!

I was battling with so many other (seemingly professional) bakers, and then I found your videos. You're a life saver, and deserve every good thing everyone is saying about you and your technique ❤

I like the salt idea in with the water-Seems to me it's a better distribution and the shorter time to the oven. Beautiful.

This might be the best SD video I’ve seen. 👏👏

I love how you say I know some people at the salt after the autolyse, but I don’t care. I don’t care either. I like adding it in with the flour. I found that a really great starter will handle whatever you throw at it. I can pretty much do any bring to my bread and it’ll still work out. Sometimes I forget how long I’ve left it out before stretch and folds but it never seems to matter. It always comes out great.

Short and sweet and to the point! Thank you.

I'm a decent home baker, but I'm missing something to get my bread as beautiful as yours. I like your confident no nonsense approach, and your results speak for themselves. I aspire to be as good as you. Well done

Thank you😢 after failing at my first five attempts with another recipe I got it right for the first time with your recipe. Thank you thank you thank you. I am so greatful!!!

Thanks! You make it look easy.

Love it.. Also love your I don't care if you don't like it 'tude! Some people get so wrapped up in "rules" that they forget the pleasure of doing what they want. Good for you. Glad I found this video. Liked, subbed, and rang the bell!

Great explanation and directions Mary Lou.

Super helpful video, thanks so much for posting. Beautiful loaf too!

Thank you so much. Very simple

Thank you. Will try this tomorrow :)

Great information, thanks!

Very helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

finally! a no nonsense get r done video. thank you!

❤ your recipe! Thank you

Outstanding!🥰

Thank you! Very helpful!!

Beautiful bread 😍 Ty for this video!

Very clear in steps video helps to enable viewer to learn easier, thank you!🙏

I would encourage you to flip the Dodge oven so you place the dough on the lid and cover with the saucepan this eliminates the use of backing paper which gives some kind of sent to the final bread and is so much easier to the manipulate. Thank you for this great tutorial.

Great content! This is better than most of the other sourdough videos out there on youtube because it is something I can relate to, being a non-professional baker - even the cat :) Specifically, I loved your natural & sincere tone. It really makes you stand out!

Thank you so much. I’m going to try it your way.

Just made this bread yesterday, and it is fabulous! I am a new sourdough bread baker… Just a couple of months now… And this is my best loaf yet! Love your approach, and that you’re not flooding us with technique or technical information! Please do more videos❤

The best sourdough recipe ...very explicit and telling you what you need to know.

Thanks for taking the time to make this great video! 🇨🇦

❤thank you!!! Best explanation ever!

Ty so very much for sharing! I am going to try this recipe tomorrow!

Great video didn’t see a problem with the Dutch oven ✌️❤️

Great video, love your approach

Great job, the bread looks amazing!

Your loaves are incredible, so circular i love them.

Great job!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Wow! I will definitely get my starter fed tonight so I can try this! Your bread is beautiful!

Thank you so much for simplifying it and giving us good visuals on what to look for!

Thank you for posting this great video! I’m just starting to bake sourdough this will be my next recipe to try!

Beautiful and I love your attitude. I like lots of salt too!

Love this sincere sharing. Simple but direct to the point with highlight on the key points to watch out. Thank you for sharing!

Ok so I am NOT new to sourdough baking. I've used many different methods and percentages of ingredients for my bread. I have never actually loved the taste or mouthfeel of my bread though... until now. I came across your video and decided I'd give it a try. OMGOSH!!! It is amazing. the 75 percent hydration is a key. But I also think the 5 S&Fs is another key factor. It has taken me 24 hours to make a loaf in the past but with your method I can have it the same evening and it is amazing. Thank you for taking the time to post this video. Your voice is adorable and soothing and your directions are very clear and precise. This is the only sourdough bread recipe that I will be using from now on.

Thank you so much! I made my first truly successful loaf today following your instructions. So excited!

Your method works well for my usual 50/ 50 wholegrain to white mix, improved shape and oven spring. Good to see you adding flour to liquids, I have found that adding it in 4 or 5 stages, mixing well in between, takes longer but cuts down on heavy stirring. Thanks for posting.

The one thing I always appreciate is when there are printable recipes especially when I like a recipe.

Thank you for this excellent video. You make it look so much easier. I’m new at making sourdough bread, and I learn more with every video I watch! Going to try yours for my next baking !!😀❤️💕

THE BEST RECIPE!!! Just baked it, came out perfect!!!

Thankyou That was the best video I have ever seen And I love your coaster - I’m one too !

Great recipe! Bread was never this big and perfect! 😍😍😍😍

Great video 🇦🇺

Yippee I knocked it out of the park with my first loaf of sourdough bread. Thank you for all the great info. It took replying your videos numerous times but we'll worth it for the end results. Thanks again.

I would like to thank you Sarah! It’s been quite a journey for me. Thank you for sharing your techniques, advice and recipe. My sourdough loaf turned out amazing.

I just love your trivet 🤗😎❤️

I really want to learn how to do this!Ty for your video!

Love this video! Super process and super cute mannerisms! :D I have the same dutch oven but find using it upside down a lot easier to get the dough into the oven. Subbed.

I thought this video was excellent! To the point , easy to follow. Well done!

I tried your recipe tonight and wow, total success. Thank you.

Wow your result is the most beautiful sourdough loaf I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing this video.

Not sure how I found your channel but I am so glad I did. I have tried several methods and recipes for sourdough but for me yours is the absolute best!!!!!

I love this video! Thank you! Because yum 😂

Had to send you a message because I have been watching your same video at least 10 times for the day “Edwar-dough” starter would finally be ready. Today was the day I took a shot at it. Whoa! Looks and tastes like an artisan! Thank you for helping us beginners 😋. Wish I could send you a pic- great rise, spring, air in the middle and crunchy crust. Wowza! ❤

First class video. I am new to this bread making and this instruction of yours was straight to the point without any blather.

Best recipe I’ve run into you so far I’m new at this but I Telya if I could send you a picture I’m really proud and I’m very thankful

Thank you 😊

Thank you ! You are the best! I learned… I still practicing but so far my bread is pretty good 😊 ❤

Hi there! New follower! Loving your sourdough tutorials ❤ that you for sharing your knowledge!

very instructive better than most il give it a go as my past sourdough try's have not been good

nice beautiful😋 Good video.

Love this!! A sourdough I don't have to wait 3 days to eat lol

Bravo! ❤️

I like this video. I've never done 5 stretch and folds before.

❤très beau pain et très bien expliqué merci 🙏🏻 le vais lessayer

I'm going to make this tomorrow, except I'll add cheddar and jalapena. Thank you for this. It was easy to follow!

Wow! I love the rise on your bread and the no-fuss manner in which you prepare it. Thank you! I'm going to add salt and starter at the outset too and see how it goes.🥰

Enjoyed your video & technique. My bread didn't rise quite as high as yours did, but will try making it again. Thank you.

Like many others I have watched hours of videos and followed yours pretty much to the letter. My loaf had more spring than any previous one. Thank you!!

Finally a no nonsense approach to baking sourdough bread!!I followed the recipe My very first loaf!! It turned out delicious and quite stunning !! Thank You for making this video!! I now am incorporating it in when I give out starter

Excellent video. I know I learned and reinforced a few key points. Not traying to be s know-it-all, but we use the same dutch oven, and I use the lid to place my dough in. Makes for easy start and removal of the bread with a hot pot. Thanks for the video.😊

Made this yesterday with cheddar, everyone loved it.

My favorite Sarah Lou quote: “l don’t care!” @1:44 in the video.

Very straight forward and well done video. The difference between the dough from the 4th to 5th S&F would seem to be a major contributor to your excellent rise. Most others only do 3 or 4 S&F. I watched the shorter version of this and unless I missed it, I did not see you put the dough in the fridge. That is a big difference.

Haha sassy. I love it!

Thank you for your sharing Sarah.... i feel like watching my teacher doing the baking in front of me... different from the instagrammable version lol.... i guess to achieve like yours must have a very strong starter, quality flour (i guess if cheap flour at least not expired), good oven and correct working temperature. I baked several sd bread but none of them got the oven spring like yours. Thank you once again.

I just love your no-nonsense attitude. People get so hung up on doing exactly as a recipe has stated. I’m definitely going to try yours. Cheers from East Coast of Canada.

Very cool! so only white bread flour....no whole grain at all right! no preshape....just right from bf -shape- into the banneton! your channel is so refreshing! I like me some salt too! yay! Thanks for doing your video....keep it up! ❤❤❤

I used your directions for my second ever SD loaf. I am so grateful for your step-by-step. I got good oven spring and the crumb looks terrific even though my dough seemed to be looser than yours. But I did follow your directions except I had to put it in the fridge overnight instead of for just a couple/few hours. I also wasn't sure my vessel's handle could handle 500 degrees so I did 475/450 and added 8 minutes to the covered/uncovered bake times. It was absolutely delicious and I felt very proud of it! Thank you so much for this!

I absolutely love the video I really like how simple you made this. I have been working on and improving my sourdough bread since March 2020. It has always tasted great but not as much rise. The past week and half I started mixing starter, flour and water together to let it sit for what some people call Ferment-louse. I add the salt with a bit of water 60 minutes later and like you I found it didn’t make a difference to the loaf. And surprisingly the loaves are rising way better instead of autolyse just flour and water then starter with salt later. So after all those many loaves I found my own way like you. The bread is worth all the learning. Again thank you for this.

72.72% hydration and rounded up it’s 73% I’m happy you added your stater percentage (1-1-1) along with the recipe. Not many incorporate the starter percentage into their recipes. Without including your hydration I calculate a 70% hydration 🙏🏽

Super kuhate.Odma sam se preplatila❤

Finally I made my best sourdough loaf like many people are saying! Like you, I do not like too sour taste. I'm new for baking and looking for the recipe which does not ask for overnight in fridge. Than you very much:-))

I have been watching videos and watching videos. Then I try and replicate. It all seemed so complicated before. Thank you for simplifying it.

Thank you for this easy recipe. I am so intimidated and have messed up my first loaf. I will give this one a try.

Super!!!!!!!

Thanks Sarah Lou! Made my first yesterday by following your instructions. Turned out perfect and I'll never buy bread again. Here in Michigan a quality local loaf is $8-9!! A crisp high five to ya!

I don't know if anyone else has asked this question: When you are bulk fermenting on your kitchen counter for 4 hours do you know what is the temperature in your kitchen. Wouldn't that variable affect how long you leave your dough resting? FYI, I love your method!

Thank you for sharing. I love how unpretentious you are in making this video.

Great video! As an experienced home baker, I enjoy watching others make bread, and you video is well done. I do almost the same method, like adding starter to my water, hold off on the salt, and don’t like the “heavy lid” as others suggested doing. I don’t think I do enough stretch and folds, only 3, because I saw your dough going in the banneton, WOW. It was bloated……lol. I can’t score well on less I sprinkle rice flour where I want to score, otherwise it drags. Regards, Rob from NJ!

I enjoy your no-nonsense manner of describing your way of making sourdough bread. How do you get your final shaped dough to be so nicely plump/proofed when you place it into your basket?

I'm a bit lazy when making bread, and just like you, I also add sourdough to the water, then salt and finally flour, because there's no point in making my life difficult, generally in my two-year career of baking my own bread, the recipe looks very similar to yours, with this difference I usually ferment in the fridge overnight. Greetings from Poland