TWO reasons your sourdough doesn't SPRING like this 👆 

Alright guys. I literally just followed all the steps to the t, and I made INCREDIBLE LOAVES. OMG. So good. I’ve been struggling for over a month trying to find the perfect recipe (as I’m using brown whole wheat) and finally! We have gorgeous bread!! 🙏🏼✨🍞

Dunno if you'll read this Mike, but for anyone else - I noticed the extra dark bottom to your loaves which is something I struggled with at home with dutch-oven baking and solved about 2 years ago simply by placing a pizza-pan baking sheet on the next rack down beneath the rack your bread it on to deflect the direct bottom heat of the oven elements. Made *HUGE* difference in even cooking. Happy bakes!

Just for the beginners out there looking to up their game. 80% hydration is gonna give you a bad time. There is no problem starting at 65 or even 60 to get a feel for the proces. Also, learn how much water your flour can absorb, because not every flour is suitable for higher hydration.

Very well explained. By the way: if you line the basket with real linen cloth, the dough will not stick like it does with cotton. I am German and this is traditionally done here. The reason are the microscopic fibers that are "furry" on cotton but the fiber of linen is smooth.

Hey, there is another trick (cheaper than bying an extra container): you can also take a small sample of the dough and put into a shotglass with a rubberband to check the status of the bulkferment :)

I've been baking for over 20 years (far fewer for sourdough) and I found all of this info SUPER helpful! Thank you!

I really appreciate you showing what your loaf looked like at the first 20’ mark in the oven and also that you left in the error of leaving the combo lid ajar. It helps to give a better representation of what might go awry and that it happens to everyone. 😸 also love the Pyrex bowl.

I’ve followed these steps exactly, and the quality and flavor of the breads I’ve make are absolutely out of this world! Thank you for such a great explanation of the science and steps to perfection!

Learned a lot from your videos - I started my bread baking journey about 2 years ago and I’m about to embark on my sourdough journey. I actually appreciate that you had an error on this video with the second loaf. Shows that this is a learning process so thank you for showing the vulnerability, makes your videos that much more relatable.

Use rice flour for dusting the bannetons ! You need a lot less and it won't stick at all ! Or any flour that does not contain gluten.. but Rice Flour is one of the best to use.

This is one of my favorite teaching sourdough videos. You covered so many things. I've been baking sourdough bread for 6 months now and I'm obsessed with it. I recently purchased a grain mill and now use fresh grains, wow its a whole new level and so delicious, plus so much more nutritious. Thank you for this teaching ❤

I like brown rice flour to dust my bannetons. It sticks and burns less. Also, Food Geek and others say to ferment dough until it's 25% bigger, then shape and refrigerate overnight. Anytime I ferment until double, I get less oven spring because it's overproved.. I usually do an 80% hydration dough too.

This is the only video I’m going to refer to from now on!!!!! I have tried so many other recipes, following exact schedules provided. Nothing had came out with a fluffy bread I have been looking for. This video changed my bread making game. I was so close to give up after 4 loaves of failed flat dense bread and ready to accept that sourdough bread is just not for me. But this changed my life!! Omg I can’t thank you enough for all the tips and clues to look for when baking sourdough bread!! Instead of following a strict schedule, look for these signs of my dough, when is it ready to be shaped or put in the fridge or to the oven!!!! I used to follow strictly on 6 foldings because everybody said so! And turned out I had an over proofing dough every single time! They slack when I scored them. And when I first looked at this two times folding recipes I had my doubt. But then I started following all these tips you gave. Today I made my perfect bread! All thanks to this!!! I This is the one people!! Thanks mike!!

Hi Mike. I love this video because it has given me some great tweaks to my method of baking sour dough. Especially using the plastic container to measure and monitor the proofing. To avoid a burned bottom crust, I sprinkle the bottom of the dutch oven with a layer of corn meal. I then place the loaf and parchment paper on top of the corn meal. I also spritz the loaf with water a few times before putting the cover on. To slice my cooled down loafs, I use an electric meat slicer. Even slices whatever width you select. Game changer!

Of all the rabbit holes I've gone down between literature and videos on sourdough bread making, this video helped the most with my understanding of the "Why?", behind so many parts of the process. This video breaks the process down to beginner level beautifully. Thank you!

Just for those without the fancy equipment- I don’t use banneton (wait how is that spelled 🤔) bowls. I have used plastic, metal, and wooden with some non cook spray many many times successfully. Also I don’t have a scraper but that looks useful if I want to put the dough on the counter to stretch and fold. I usually just stretch and fold right in the bowl! Usually with great results. But I add a little bit of a knead sometimes and I’m going to stop that and just sick with the stretch and fold and see if that increases rise. Because you’re right- half the fun is playing with technique and seeing what works best! I use a sharp knife to score. But want to try the razor blade tactic I’ve seen. And finally, I just use a heavy bottom steel pan with parchment paper. I’ve done the preheat of the pan and done without the preheat and I really don’t see any kind of significant difference. So I don’t waste the energy or time anymore. I just preheat the oven and let my bread proof in the pan while it’s preheating. and I like the idea of adding a baking sheet under breath that you’ve mentioned in other videos to prevent the bottom browning too much! I’ve put cornmeal in the bottom of the pan and I like that also! It definitely helps. Ok the end! Just wanted ppl to know you don’t need fancy pans or bowls. Tho nothing wrong with having them, too!

I've been making sourdough for a number of years and your advice is spot on for the round, artisan type loaf. But here's how I simplify and it works for me for two loaves . . .If my house is cold (Canadian winter) the bulk fermentation might be 8 or 10 hours, so I start in am. If I need to speed it up, I do the bulk rise time in the oven with the light on. I do everything (mixing, stretch and folds, coil folds, bulk proofing) in the same heavy large glass bowl and never put the dough on the counter until shaping time. Since I use the same glass bowl I get to know how full it should be when mixing and then where it should rise to for the bulk rise. I got it from a second hand shop. The glass bowl is heavy and lets you lift the dough up without coming off the counter when you are doing the coil folds and it saves clean up on the counter. After the first bulk rise and after shaping the dough, (your advice is perfect for the shaping) I put the shaped dough directly into the well greased baking loaf pans, let it sit covered with a towel for one hour then into the fridge to rise overnight. (in plastic bag) I don't use a banneton. In the morning, or anytime the next day . . Remove from fridge, Preheat the oven, slash the top of the dough, then straight into the oven in the loaf pan. You can add some steamy water poured into a metal pan below or just mist the bread with water a few times in the first half hour of baking. I bake at 450 degrees, not 500. 500 degrees will burn the bottom of the bread in my oven. Using a baking loaf pan I find the bread is easier to cut, fits in the toaster, and avoids having to handle a scorching heavy pot, no parchment, no banneton, no transfer, just an inexpensive baking loaf pan that you can buy anywhere or get at a second hand shop. The older steel ones that your grandmother would have used are wonderful (no teflon). I make two loaves and they go in the oven at the same time, which saves energy and $$ . . . electricity is expensive here and who wants to waste anyway. I use a digital thermometer to check that the loaf is between 200 and 205 degrees and then it will be perfect, (approx. .30 minutes.) I make my dough (two loaves) with about 3 cups of mixed grains (oats, flax, einkhorn, khorasan, etc) and 3 c of unbleached, ap flour. and 3 c of body temp water, plus 120 g +/- of starter. I cut the salt to 1.5 tsp. Adding a bit of barley flour helps gluten development as barley is high in gluten. You can get barley flour at Bulk Barn. The best advice is to handle the dough gently . . . sourdough is not like regular yeast bread and also give it time. Sorry this is so long but I've benefitted from this video, so hope this helps others too. We eat our bread for breakfast every morning, toasted, buttered with some honey. Yum. I freeze the second loaf or give it to a neighbour. Good luck.

What I found that really helps is making sure the shaped loaf is tight. The tighter the ‘skin’, the more oven spring I get, as well as high well defined ears.

Wow, this is a great vid! I've been looking for a pro who shows the details, like the growth of the starter, and the tension developed with each stretch & fold session. I hadn't known how my dough should feel.... well, here it is! Thank you, and now to go feed my starter to give this a try :)

Love it! I followed the procedure (recipe) and achieved the best oven spring I've ever gotten. I'm a convert not more kneading for me any more. Slap and fold and stretch and fold with proper bulk rise. Takes a while but well worth the wait.😀

Just fantastic!!! And of course also the second one was perfect 👌

You got to appreciate the amazing artwork you create when you explain the chemistry behind things.

Thank you for breaking this down so well. I've never been good with so many variables, and your explanation and step by step process has helped immensely!

this is the best sourdough video by far, I've been struggling with my loaves for almost 6 years, and never really understood the process, cheers for the best teacher, so glad I found you, thank you

This was so well put for newbie bread makers like me!! Thanks a ton! Can’t wait to elevate my sourdough breadmaking

I just made this recipe...and it turned out to be my best two loafs! They turned out to be exactly what I was trying to recreate...something you would find from an artistry New York or San Fran. bakery. Thank you for your great instructions and great personality.

I'm so so grateful for this. You're the first person I've seen say to use the starter at its PEAK. I'm in the middle of trying this as I type and it's working!!!

Really helpful! Thankyou for taking the time to explain all the basics and information that we don't have as home cooks. Such a fantastic resource! 👍

20:21 Oh man, that's what I was waiting for. I have never baked a sourdough, but watching baking videos has helped me improve my pizza dough. In between, I sometimes throw my extra doughs that I don't need in the oven afterwards to make break (only a handful of times). So I'm getting really interested to learn about baking bread now. This was just turned out to be so beautiful. I can never get it like that with 45% hydration (of course, my place is so darn humid and hot, that I think the hydration is higher than that).

I have to say a big “thank you” for this wonderful informative video. You have laid and explained things so well. Watched so many videos since March 2020 and read books. We have mastered sourdough sandwich bread but these loaves come out so so. We cannot wait to follow your video and way of calculating hydration. Thanks so very much!

I really like that you showed us your fuck up rather than just secretly putting a different dough in the oven and telling as it turned out great. It really makes my fuck ups seem a little less terrible to know that even the pros do it sometimes

Hi Mike, pleases me to no end to know there are people like you in the world. Love your work

Thank you Mike! I've been struggling with my sourdough recently and am planning to bake a few loaves for Easter this weekend. This video couldn't have come at a better time, you're a legend!

Finally, someone breaks down the information into the right steps and makes it understandable to the average person. Thanks! Here's a tip. When you zero out a scale, you're setting the "Tare weight." It's pronounced "Tear," the same as tearing something apart. We all learn every day. I'm thankful for the baking tips, we all have different things to contribute. :)

My very first starter is almost 48 hours old, so I'm super new and taking in information from as many sources as possible. This is by far one of my favorite sourdough videos, and it addressed questions as they popped into my head. Thank you for explaining the moist crumb. I haven't seen this addressed anywhere else yet, and until now left me a bit confused because sourdough is different from standard baking.

Thank you, Thank you,Thank you!!! I followed this video and your video about the 15 most common mistakes-I believe that is what the title was, anyhow, my bread came out soooo much better then it has been. I have been struggling because my first five times or so of making sourdough bread came out so well and then all of a sudden none were working very well until I found your RU-vid channel! My first batch using the 80% hydration turned out beautiful 💙 I wrote down several notes to follow and also downloaded your two videos. Thank you for filming your techniques so that people like me can become better bakers💙💙💙 Definitely subscribing to your channel!

I really appreciated the overhead shots and illustrations. Sourdough U graduate as well haha! Great info. Will add sesame seeds to my bake this weekend.

I love that there is so much more to bread than simply combining ingredients and cooking. I now have interest in learning more about bread haha

I've probably watched 20 different sourdough bread videos and yours is heads over heels the very best. My loaves have come out tasty and I've enjoyed the process, but I look forward to doing it your way. Thank you!

After watching countless "how to..." sourdough videos this one did the trick. Your instruction is absolutely on point and as a result I have FINALLY baked an edible loaf of sourdough. I couldn't figure out where I was going wrong, but you called it. I was cutting my ferment time short, resulting in a dense loaf. I have no doubt that my sourdough loaves will improve moving forward thanks to your generous instruction.

great video! fantastic recap. tiny criticism.. the point of the autolyse is not to keep the yeast away from the dough but rather to keep the salt away for a time so the flour can hydrate. salt draws water much faster than the flour. kind regards!!! nice one

Finally a great tutorial that actually works. I’ve had so many failures over the years. This technique is great. Thank you.

A great video thank you. There are SO many methods on here, all varying to some degree, but everything helps. I love the information you've put on here particularly about ratios and folding the dough. Such a wet dough is a bit scary compared to normal bread, but it's very clear that it's absolutely ok!

I've been baking bread on and off again at home for several years. I'm just getting back into it and have looked at several videos online to brush up. Your video is by far the most comprehensive and helpful I have seen. My starter is 10-years old and ready to go into action! Thanks Mike!

Instead of the Durch Oven, I used a large stainless bowl over a baking stone. Allows larger loaves. Seals the steam in great.

I almost gave up on sourdough as I've always been a better cook than a baker but now having watched your videos I will give it a go again and hope my dough is no longer dense. Thank you for great content!

U r a wonderful teacher. Thank you for sharing and teaching the step by step process, the WHY things r done in a certain order, showing what mistakes look like Ex not properly covering the Dutch oven. It happens even with experienced individuals. U r concise and to the point. This is very intimidating but I’m going to give it a try.

I eliminated the folding of the dough every 30 minutes because I'm just too busy to do that, but instead after mixing the dough I developed it in my mixer using the dough hook and then let it bulk rise for 6 hours before shaping and baking. Came out great with two beautiful loaves.

Nice explanation, in fact the shape of the microbes is opposite: lactobacillus is a rod, yeast is a bulb 🦠 Happy bread to all!

I’ve been trying to make my sourdough starter for almost 3 weeks, and finally I got it, and after I tried to make my bread with it, the taste was too sour , until I tried your way and thank you from all my heart for you video , it was very helpful for me.

I think I need to get a new Dutch oven like you have I like what you doing! I've been having such a miserable time with sourdough baking and I've had my own Bakery years ago in New Brunswick Canada, but watching your video again today has given me new hope that I need to get a new Dutch oven like you have!

Once your starter is mature enough, it doesn't need to be fed everyday. I keep mine in the refrigerator and only feed it the day before I want to make bread.

I bake my sour dough in a clay pot. It is much lighter to work with. I bake it at 450 starting in a cold oven 55 minutes covered. 10 minutes uncovered. No preheating saves energy. I feed my starter the night before, mix in the am., stretch and fold 4 times. Rise at room temperature 8 hours, place in my rising pan and cover with a shower cap and place in the fridge overnight, then bake it 8 to 12 hours later directly from the fridge. Works great every time. I found a great recipe that adds quinoa, oats, sunflower seeds. I use a rye based starter and it has a touch of maple syrup. Wonderful taste.

This video condenses down into 25 minutes what it has taken me months to learn how to do. Each step seems simple but actually represents a Fail Point so one needs to master each step. Well Done! Thank You, Thank You,…

I just made this!!! and yes I bought the Dutch oven, and it makes such a great difference, I've seen bakers use it and is worth every penny my loaves come out looking amazing. I used my 3 yr. sourdough starter. i used a wetter dough though,

I'm having a hard time getting good oven spring in my sourdough and am excited to follow your advice, but I'm also an online Geology and Paleontology professor and I'm totally stealing your "animation" method for making my own videos. Love it!

I failed to get a puffed boule because I overworked the dough and you showed me the error of my ways. However, I also learned something. Overworking caused extreme extensibility (as opposed to elasticity), so now I’m going to apply that to making Chinese noodles (going to have to rewatch Chinese Cooking Demystified’s video on it). When I get a really shiny, distensible dough I’m pretty sure I’m going to be able to fold and stretch it to get 128 noodles (slightly different recipe). So, failure can lead to success!

I started learning to bake sourdough follow you and you are correct. This is addicting... I've been baking since the pandemic started and didn't buy a break for almost 2 years

Your videos are just so extremely helpful! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and even your mess ups! Twice on a row now I baked my best breads ever, following your guidance and advice! ❤

Thanks for these and all your tips. I have been making sourdough products for over 20 years and the way I do it now is completely different than the way I did it then. Its even a bit different than how I did it six months ago. It is good to listen to others such as yourself and experiment and evolve. Such a joyous hobby. Thanks again. Very well done video!

You are truly an inspiration. I have so many things going on in my lab (kitchen) right now and no matter what I end up with YOUR way of doing it. I have ACV started, Kombucha, and now sour dough starter. Eeeeeekk I have my dates written on a calendar as to when things are ready or the next step. Just ordered my bottles for my kombucha. EXCITED!!!

One of the best and thorough videos on making and baking sourdough. The adventure begins tomorrow with my new starter. Thank you so much!

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.

I just followed these steps and finally got the oven spring I was looking for. I changed it to a 70% hydration. I found the 80% to be too wet and a little hard to manipulate. Plus i didnt see much of a spring at 80%. Prooved a little longer at 70% but man the Spring was the best I've ever gotten. Thanks a lot dude.

fabulous vid - just when i am feeling despondent about my sourdough starter. it would have been great to see the inside of the not so good loaf though

This is one of the best explanations I have seen. Thank you!!

Thank you for this incredible video! I've been making sourdough bread for a few years with so so results..this has helped me take my sourdough bread to the next level! Thanks again😊

I really want to see you make Dosa! It's an amazing fermented dish that combines the best parts of sourdough, flatbread, and crepes. It can be served sweet or savory, and acts as an amazing blank canvas for other flavors.

This might just be the most watchable sourdough bread video on the internet. I was about to give up after watching half a dozen videos of joyless sourdough bros giving you excel tutorials while chasing the ovenspring dragon. It was all 70% more work for a 2% improvement. This is a bread I can actually see myself fitting into a real life day on Earth.

your dough looks so much smoother than mine

I am the king of baking brick. I had real success. This recipe and these directions work. Thanks a million. ❤

O yes this bread looks awesome “where dreams are made” love it ❤️😀👌 thanks for sharing steps

rice flour for the banatons, so the gluten on the dough doesn't connect and glue down to the wet dough and end up wet and sticky anyways

It worked! I have sourdough recipes, various starters for a year now. First time with this one. Delicious. I don't have a basket for rising so used a bread loaf pan with a floured cloth. I used AP flour with a bit of wheat at his percentage.

Thank you for breaking this down and keeping it simple! I really needed this 🤗

I literally just pulled up RU-vid to watch a video while I knead my sourdough 😳 this is perfect! I've been working on my bread with rather inconsistent results.

The microorganisms in the diagram were like the germs trying to squeeze through the door when Mr.Burns has his check up hahaha

one of nicest videos online, there are few good ones out there, but yours is presented so well and simple to navigate each stage, thank you

Thank you for the Pdf it's super helpful.

Nice spring! But the bottoms look a little burnt/carmelized if you brown them in the pan. You can keep the bottom of your loaf from burning by crumpling and wetting the parchment paper before putting it in the pan.

I accidentally planned this video post on national sourdough day (not kidding🤷‍♂️).

Thank you for the super helpful video! I just made 2 of my best loaves. Been practicing a year now and still at it!

Great information, I'm a beginner and this video helps. Repeat and again. Just passes midnight and I put my dough in the fridge and now I can happily go to sleep. 🙂

I went and bought the container you used for the bulk rise. It’s a game changer for this newb!! I wasn’t letting it rise enough by a long shot! This is the best loaf I’ve baked so far in the 2 months I’ve been learning to bake sourdough. Thank you for this video!!

I followed the recipe step by step including a healthy starter, mind you my slap and fold technique is not as polished, my bread turned out fantastic and fluffy it’s so rewarding I can’t stop smiling at my creation. Thank you so much for sharing you’ve given me a gift

Such a great video! I liked the way you explained on the Bakers Percentages. Thank you.

Thank you for showing you goof up. I am watching this video trying to figure out what I did wrong, you gave me hope again.

15:40 Would you want to put it seam up? So all the tension is in the bottom, which then turns out to be the top after proofing? I'm just learning but wanted to make sure

Protip: after you cut the loaf in half put one of the halves face down and then slice your slices down. It's much easier to cut that way.

This is what I have been looking for. You nailed it. Crispy on the outside and soft, not doughy on the inside. How about Keto sourdough, have you tried that? Do you have a Keto sourdough starter recipe?

I've been worried about the bread coming out of the oven and when I cut into it after cooling off on top of the rack, that it was moist.I thought there was something wrong with that and you mentioned that you like it moist in the inside, so I feel much better.Thank You.

He’s like “woooah, I messed up!” and all I keep thinking is I wish my loaves came out like that 😂

I’ve followed your techniques and learned a few of my own. One thing I didn’t like was the fact that the the bread got way too dark, down right black, on the bottom. So I bought a silicone, ovenproof trivet and after the first bake, I remove the lid, lift the bread by the parchment paper, put the trivet underneath for the final bake and the bottom is golden brown and crunchy but not burnt. Love it! I’ve used other oven proof trivets also

SUPER HELPFUL, tried the ice in the dutch oven, and also the trays on the bottom shelf to prevent bottom burn and it worked like a charm!!!!

A great addition to your other sourdough videos. I look forward to trying these changes. Thanks.

Can you tell where you bought the container? Thank you for the video.

So I've followed this recipe to the letter and made 6 loaves of bread total. And while they are tasty, not one single loaf had the Spring like his first one here. ALL of mine looked like that second one where the lid was askew. Talked with a baker friend and she suggested I put 5 or 6 ice cubes in the dutch oven in between the pot wall and the parchment, not in direct contact with the bread. BOING!! Perfect oven spring and a beautiful, crusty ear. This is my go to method from now on. Only thing I've changed and it's made all the difference.

Wow, incredible!! Thanks so much from Germany....this was a real good lesson in sourdough bread baking! Very good explanation of all the steps!! ❤

Made my first real loaf of sourdough and it looked beautiful on the outside, had good flavor, but no bubbles inside. I will invest in the liter bucket and those proofing baskets! Thanks for the info

Hi Mike, thanks so much for all the input. Really helpful and lots of fun. I was wondering if you have any experience with glutenfree sourdough starter and bread. It would be amazing if you could share for all of us with intolerance to gluten.