Putting the loaf into a cold oven really works!! I have been using your simple easy way to make sourdough bread for six months. Always perfect loaves. Think of all the electricity I’ve saved by NOT preheating the oven and Dutch oven to 500 degrees!!

Wow, I could almost smell that bread when it came out of the oven. Thanks Dan and Julia.

Let me share a joke. I came to the U.S. from Hong Kong about 30 years ago. My friend left a loaf of sourdough bread on the table. I thought it was stale bread because the surface was so hard. I threw it in the trash can. All the bread in Hong Kong are soft and fluffy and we even cut off the edges when we make sandwiches. Needless to say, I was buying sourdough for her for the next couple of years.

I made my first start when I lived in ALaska (1988) I had a friend who had his Grandfather’s starter ,started back in the Yukon Gold Rush who let me add some of his to mine. I’ve kept it alive ever since . So I like to say my starter is over 100 years old. I’ve shared it with friends from Coast to Coast and even overseas when I lived there for a few years. Besides the Great Flavor, it is SUPER forgiving of mistakes. You can forget an ingredient and then remember you forgot and go ahead and add it and it still comes out perfect. Try that with regular breads. Keep it in the fridge all week and take it out on the weekend to feed it and make something. It’s REALLY easy once you get used to it and it’s not a lot of work. Just seems like it at first. Great videos !!

I converted all the measurements to grams which I like much better. I was very concerned about the amount of water, based on other posts. I followed this recipe to the letter except for a few steps. I did the stretch and fold for 3 times every 30 minutes. Then, I let my dough rest for 12 hours. I am amazed at how great this was. Other posters had complained about the dough being too wet and difficult to shape. I didn't find that to be the case at all. This is my new fave sourdough recipe.

I will never take a loaf of sourdough bread for granted again! What a ton of work! Thank you for the tutorial.

Just FYI if you click through to their recipe they have an update that changes quite a lot. biggest being HOT dutch oven: BEFORE YOU BEGIN UPDATE - July 10, 2020: This recipe has been updated to address issues some readers were having with it. Here is what we've changed: We now call for bread flour in place of all-purpose flour; a lower hydration amount (62 percent instead of 74 percent); proofing in a colander “banneton” to help the loaf keep its shape; proofing shaped dough in the refrigerator overnight; and baking in a hot Dutch oven for better spring. Thanks for your patience as we worked out these issues. So AP flour -> Bread, high hydration -> lower, using a banneton, cold fermentation, cold -> hot dutch oven.

I'm relatively new to sourdough bread baking (about 6 loaves along), and my loaves have been turning out dense and squat. Great flavor but not enough rise. Today I tried your technique and it worked like a charm! The loaf came out 4" tall, the crust is crackly, and the crumb is nice and open. Although I have the big ATK cookbook, which contains this recipe, it sure helped a lot to see the technique. I watched it 4 or 5 times to get every detail. I am so grateful for this! My oven isn't quite big enough to arrange the pan of water and my Dutch oven vertically, so I put them in side by side. It worked fine.

I was successful all the way to the oven proofing part and it did not puff up as much and when I tried scoring it, it did not split apart. I must've overworked the small kneading part before putting it in the oven to rise hence I lost the rise. I ended up making two pizzas out of it and wow. It was incredibly delicious! I am attempting today to make the loaf and I will not overknead to lose all the bubbles. 🤞🤞

Thank you. My neighbor gave me 2 oz of starter, I’ve been feeding it for about a week. I then followed the rest of your process, and it’s amazing. Thank you.

The bulk fermentation in the bowl worked beautifully. I formed it and put it into the pot, placed it into the cold oven and it sadly went downhill from there. I set my timer for 1 hour 40 minutes (instructions state 2-3 hours) Thought it better to go for less time and I could always add more. I didn't think it was ready so I added another 1/2 hour. I'm thinking that was too long because the loaf had split/separated on it's own and somewhat deflated 😥 I baked it anyway and it still tastes pretty delicious but instead of a nice tall loaf I have a rather short, squat loaf. Next time I will keep a better eye on the oven rise. Honestly I was pretty darn happy that I made a good starter my 1st time out!

Props to those with the patience to do this! Fascinating, but I’ll continue to pick mine up at the market...

I've never made sour dough because of the time commitment. But I think Dan has changed my mind. I'm definitely going to make this and find interested neighbors that want some starter

Sourdough and a hearty stew are my favorite thing on a cold spring or fall evening.

Dan is so cute, I love when he makes something! This bread looked SO good!!!

Thanks Dan and Julie... love the technique and the finished product. Nothing better than a good loaf of Sourdough Bread.

Good to know a different, yet much clearer instructions on making the sourdough starter and the sourdough bread (no knead method). Thank you!

Thank God for DAN!

Make this all the time. Thanks so much!!!

Very nice! Thanks for explaining this so well. 🌺

I love the way Dan explains things

The best recipe ever. Thank you America Test Kitchen.

I’ve been baking sourdough bread since 2020 and always preheating @500F for one hour. I wish I had watched this sooner! Thank you Dan❤

I have never baked sourdough bread, but this recipe worked out perfectly! It took a long time for the starter to develop because it was chilly last week, and the bread dough was so runny that I could barely knead it, but it rose beautifully in the Dutch oven. And the flavor was incredible! The only thing that was not clear to me in this recipe was that you only keep 2 ounces of the starter *each day* you feed it and discard the rest. There are a lot of recipes for the discard on KZfaq and also on the King Arthur website.

I just got gifted some sourdough starter - now I know what to do! Thank you! I have never had one of your recipe's fail.

The reason why some people have issues with this formula is there is far to much starter for the fermentation time. If you allow an 18 hour fermentation the yeast and Lactobacillus bacteria in the starter breakdown the gluten and starches in the dough. I recommend cutting the starter in half to about 40 grams and fermenting at a room temp of about 68 to 70 degrees. The higher the ambient temp during the initial fermentation the faster the growth of the yeast and bacteria. Also after the first 4 to 5 hours, do 4 stretch and folds of the dough to strengthen the gluten strands thereby strengthening the dough structure. then leave the dough alone until the 12 to 18 hours (depending on ambient temperature) is complete. Your Dutch Oven should (for the size of this recipe) relatively narrow to support the dough. Too wide and the dough goes flat and there is no "oven spring". Unfortunately ATK never tell you about the science of the process. The do everything in a controlled environment and use the perfect size cookware but fail to pass all the particulars on to the end baker who might not have the resources to try it over and over until they figure it out. I hope this helps.

ATK probably one of the best shows of any sort on the TV. Thanx for this. I always enjoy the episodes. 👍👍

Great video and love sourdough bread.

Thank you so much for this video, it cleared up some comfusion.

Made today, followed directions to the letter. Dough felt great going into the proof. Result was an inedible frisbee. I think the reason is that my oven takes longer than normal to heart up; after 50 minutes it was still at 420. Internal temp of the bread was right on, but I got zero lift during the baking.

I should have watched this video at the start of the pandemic, by this time my starter would be ready, lol Thanks for the great info 🙂

As we #1; Don't like a sour tasting bread but like the other benefits of SD, and #2; we don't like wasting flour maintaining a SD Starter, we use Wild Yeast Water for about 50% of the total water. While I have had successes and failures with the Cold Dutch oven method, using the WYW worked perfectly and made for a non-sour SD bread. Using your method post bulk fermentation worked perfectly with WYW substituted for a sourdough starter. Thanks! This was much easier than the Tartine or other typical SD methods yet yielded a very nice loaf of bread.

Planning on making sourdough bread for my Thanksgiving sandwiches. In a Utah sandwich shop they made them with turkey, cranberry sauce, mayo, stuffing and lettuce. 😋

Trying this tomorrow. Starter ready.

Dan is the BEST ... I love his segments “What’s Eating Dan”. He’s the reason I watch ATK.

Dan's th Man! Better recipe than most by far.....

Such an involved process, it’s a thing of beauty though. Bread 🥖 looks delicious.

I just started making a sourdough bread. It took a while for the started, but the read is so good. This is a good video.

I made my first and only sourdough starter in mid 1960's after tasting San Francisco Sourdough bread. Not sure where I got the recipe as there wasn't online websites/computers. My guess either I had library book or purchased a book at a book store, imagine that. My starter lasted 5 years only because I think everyone got tired of being gifted my beautiful bread. I experimented after a few years adding caraway seeds etc but then it all stopped. We only had cameras to take pictures but no one I knew, including me thought it a big deal to take a picture, after all if you've ever seen a loaf of San Francisco bread, that's what it looked like. This recipe, which I had to jot down because to open the link you have to subscribe to America's test kitchen. I stopped midway as I realized my version (wherever it is) was extremely simple to made and feed. So I'm off to find that old version. I do Love America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country but definitely not this recipe. Happy 2024

Carefully measured and diligently followed the recipe. Ended up with a glob of glue that is messier than some roofing tar I've tangled with. Whoever below used the word taffy to describe it was spot on. Threw it in the garbage. And I agree many others - just use metric measurements for crying out loud. It's so much more precise than 1/3 or 2/3 of oz. measurements.

It's funky because there's a territorial battle between the yeast and other microorganisms. Eventually, the yeast will win because of the acidity they create.

That is a long process of making bread, but the final loaf does look great and must taste great too.

anyone else have this video stop at 9:55...every other video loads fully for me.

it works amazing!!! I DID MADE THE SOURDOUGH BREAD I AM SOO HAPPY

Awesome 😎

Dan theMan appreciate this easy method

As a person with a 15 year old spelt starter living in her home I did enjoy this. Nice beginner recipe everybody should be able to bake.

Thanks for posting this! I’ve been having some trouble with sourdough and this video has been really helpful.

Why cover the dough with plastic when putting the hot water in the oven? Doesn’t the plastic wrap defeat the purpose?

I made the Cold Oven Pound Cake from Cook’s Country yesterday to take to work. It was wonderful…except the dead center was a little gummy. No problem, I’ve had that with most of my pound cakes over the years. So thanks for teaching me that it’s because I’m too impatient to let it cool for 2 hours to finish the cook job. Lesson learned! Can’t guarantee I’ll wait, though 😉

We all owe a debt of gratitude to the 1st humans who figured out what the heck to do w/wheat & then followed that feat up by discovering that simple flour & water turns into the most magnificent food! I could just sit down w/a fresh loaf, stick of butter & go to town. I don’t, cuz my childhood metabolism is long gone. But a girl can still dream...

Please fix the recipe link in the description; it is not the correct recipe. The recipe you link to is a commercial yeast bread: totally different methods and steps. Thank you!

Every time they say "need" I chuckle

I really like the method of starting out with a cool Dutch Oven to allow for more oven spring. You could add some ice cubes between the parchment paper and the dutch Oven to add more steam inside the Dutch Oven. I would like to see the measurements in grams instead of ounces since I use a digital scale for measurements and it would allow more accuracy instead of fractions of ounces. Nice video, really enjoyed it. The sourdough bread I have been making, makes really great French Toast on the third day when it has gotten to its end of life as bread. Do you have a recipe for enriched sourdough bread. I have added two Tsp. of honey, two Tsp. of Coconut oil, and used milk instead of water. Allowed the dough to proof in the refrigerator over night and then shaped the dough for baking the next day.

Not bad. I’ll try the cold start .

Could you tell me what size pot you’re using?

There is no need to make a starter using so much flour and water. A teaspoon is enough, and that way you don't waste so much flour every time you feed it. You can use a small amount of starter to produce a leaven overnight, which you then use in your recipe.

once the starter is going its a 10 minutes before work and 10 minutes after work, bake it on Sunday afternoon type of bread. and sour dough pancakes can not be beat.

Dan is my favorite. Would drink a beer with him.

great that this is start-from-a-cold-oven method... don't see that often

That is a crazy amount of work. And time.

Sourdough is wonderful 😌

Great video. Can you use any size Dutch oven?

Just came back to Florida from San Francisco. I wanted to bring that Boudin sourdough home with me!

Thanks for the video! I'm having trouble with my wild yeast culture. If I can't get it going with the method I was using, I'm going to try y'all's next.

7:53 If you don't want it to dry out, why do you cover with plastic, instead of letting it get the humidity from the water below?

I'd also like measurements in grams as it's more precise. I will be trying this recipe.

The bread looks great & I want to start making it. So surprised that I have to pay to get the starter recipe.

Can Dan do a follow up on what to do if you have under/overproofed dough? I followed this recipe but it didn’t go exactly as Dan described. I now have a goopy mess that won’t stop spreading like a goo monster. HELP! Do I throw it out and start over? Is there a way to save it?

You start in a cold oven until 450... so it’s 30 min from when you turn on the oven or from when it reaches 450?

Does anyone know if you can make this dough using 1/2 rye flour and 1/2 spelt flour?

Now that's bread! :-)

My second time with this recipe and both times the dough, after the first rise, is so wet and stick that it's unworkable (and doesn't look like Dan's after that first rise). The first loaf spread out to fill the bottom of the dutch oven (so was tasty, but kind of flat). I'm halfway through on this second round and adding flour until I can get to a more workable dough.

Everything was going well until after i put the dough into the oven for the rising. When i checked on it after about 2 hrs, it had risen almost to the top of the pan and there was a 2” opened crack. Maybe i didnt have to make the big slit, but i did anyway. Could the starter be overactive? I have only made a few loaves of sour dough, But so far i really like your recipe and technique. When i went to remov the lid, the slit i made seemed to have disappeared, so imade another small slit. Did I need to do that? Or was it finished releasing the gas? Just checked and it actually looks pretty good. Oh i didnt check the temp. Its been out about 7-8 minutes. And the current temp is 195. Guess will have to find out if it was baked long enough tomorrow.

I love sourdough bread and always buy it from the store, would like to make mu own starter, is there a quick way to do this?

I like to watch your shows and every time I see the lady she reminds me of Kathy Bates.

Fun video, but I think I’ll just buy it at the bakery 😂

ive never had a starter thats solid like that. looks like you dont hydrate it enough

I'm impressed. Are there any other bread recipes that I can do in a Dutch oven?

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Dan 😍😍😍😍

do you count the 30 minutes in the oven from the minute you put it in the cold oven or does the time start once it reaches the correct temperature?

Request to Dan: could you plz provide a quick recipe for sour dough bread using dried yeast granules which are the only form easily available here in New Delhi? Can't wait as long as the above method recommends with an ambient summer temp of 40 + deg C!

Would love to know which normal balloon whisk is the best

Are there adjustments for high altitude?

Hi how do u make your starter thick. My starter is runny sometimes

When he adds that salt to the flour in a bowl that is barely big enough to hold it all, then tries to whisk it together 😂

when you are initially making the starter, the first 14 or so days, is the starter left on the counter or is it refrigerated?

One question I am not sure about . . . how long after you feed it can you use your starter in a recipe? For example after if I fed it two days ago and I want to make sourdough bread, do I need to feed it again or can I use that starter without feeding it?

Very intimidating for newbies :(

I would suggest ordering a sour dough starter from King Arthur to save time.

So this is authentic because no yeast is used, just the starter that serves as yeast?

Just tried your technique - I have been having dense loaves - mine today was even flatter than usual - after the 12 hour rise the dough had risen wonderfully but was very sticky - still sticking after the oven rise - what did I do wrong?

Son! Literally drooling 😋😋😋😋😋😍😍😍😍

3 oz Starter 12 2/3 oz Water (warm) 18 1/3 oz Flour 1 3/4 Tp Salt 1. Bulk Fermentation 12-18 hours (at room temperature) 2. Shape 3. Let rise for 2-3 hours (warm place) 4. score 5. bake

Damn this cold oven technique looks way easier/safer than the Tartine method in the preheated combo cast iron pan. Are there any huge differences in the end product?

Yesss lawd 👨🏾‍🍳😍👅 love some bread too bad I’m doing keto

I missed the popped collar.

I made this recipe using strictly weight measurements and my dough came out VERY wet after the first rise. I had to repeatedly dust the board, my hands, and the scraper with flour just to get it workable. I spent maybe 20 minutes getting it into a ball I could actually form and transfer to the paper. Any advice? I don't live in a particular humid area (California).

If you go to the actual printed recipe, ATK has changed the entire recipe!!

Cook's Country now suggests adding 1/8 tsp of instant yeast per cup of flour to speed rising.