• Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before making your bread. The time it takes a starter to double in size and become active and bubbly depends on factors such as temperature and the maturity of your starter. 
• Combine the flour and warm water in a mixing bowl. I find using a dough whisk works best for this. 
• Allow this mixture to rest for 30 minutes. This is called autolyse, the process of hydrating the flour. 
• After the autolyse, add in the sourdough starter by dimpling it in with wet hands. 
• Sprinkle the top of the dough with salt. 
• Use your hands to mix the dough until it comes together. This takes about 5 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow another 30 minute rest. 

Stretch And Fold

• This is a no knead recipe. So, for gluten development, perform 6 rounds of stretch and folds. 
• With the dough in a large bowl, grab the edge of the dough and firmly pull up, stretching it upwards. Place the dough into the center of the dough ball. Give the bowl a quarter turn and do this same process again. Repeat this one to two times. This is considered one round of stretch and folds. Repeat according to the directions below. 
• First 3 stretch and folds – every 15 minutes. Last 3 stretch and folds – every 30 minutes.

Bulk Ferment

• To ensure a beautiful rise and airy crumb, the dough will need to bulk ferment until doubled.
• To do this, cover the dough with a wet towel or plastic wrap to avoid a crust forming. This process may not take as long to ferment as other doughs. Keep an eye on it!

Shape

• Add a little bit of flour to a work surface. 
• Gently take your dough out of the bowl. Be extra careful with a high hydration loaf! 
• Shape it into a ball by creating surface tension. To do this, gently spin it towards you. 
• Let it sit out 15-20 minutes uncovered. This time around, you want the dough to form a crust so it won't stick to the banneton basket or tea towel during the overnight rise. 
• Turn over and shape. I do this by folding the two sides over to meet in the middle, and then the other two sides.
• Transfer to a floured banneton or bowl with a tea towel, seam side up, smooth side down. Cover with plastic and proof 12-15 hours in the refrigerator.

Score

• Before removing your bread from the fridge, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. Place the Dutch oven inside and preheat for 1 hour. 
• Right before this hour is up, remove your dough from the fridge. Dust the top with flour and score using a razor blade or scoring lame.

Bake

• Sprinkle the bottom of the Dutch oven with flour or use a piece of parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the Dutch oven. 
• Bake for 20 minutes at 500 F degrees with the lid on.
• Take the lid off, turn the oven temperature down to 475 F, and bake an additional 25 minutes or until browned. To ensure your bread is done, use a kitchen thermometer to test the temperature. Sourdough should be around 205 F degrees. 
• Carefully take your finished loaf out of the oven. After cooling for a few minutes, take your bread out of the Dutch oven and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. 
• Allow your bread to cool completely before slicing into it.