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San Francisco–Style Sourdough Bread Recipe at Home

San Francisco–Style Sourdough Bread

A naturally leavened, crusty hearth loaf with a chewy crumb and pronounced sour flavor. An overnight refrigerated proof gives the bread its deepest traditional sourdough character.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings: 1 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 100 g Active sourdough starter, 100% hydration
  • 350 g Water, lukewarm or room temperature
  • 500 g Bread flour
  • 10 g Fine sea salt
Optional Flour Blend
  • 50 g Whole-wheat flour
  • 450 g Bread flour when using whole-wheat flour

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Feed the sourdough starter and use it when vigorous, bubbly, and nearly doubled in volume.
  2. Combine the flour and water, cover, and rest for 30–60 minutes for the autolyse.
  3. Add the active starter and salt, then mix by hand until no dry flour remains and the dough is cohesive.
  4. Bulk-ferment at approximately 24–26°C / 75–79°F for 4–6 hours, completing 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds at 30-minute intervals during the first 2 hours.
  5. Continue fermenting until the dough has risen by roughly 50–75%, looks aerated, and jiggles when the bowl is moved.
  6. Pre-shape the dough into a round, rest for 15–30 minutes, then shape tightly into a boule or bâtard and place seam-side up in a floured banneton.
  7. Proof for 1–2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate for 8–16 hours for deeper flavor and easier scoring.
  8. Preheat a Dutch oven to 245°C / 475°F for at least 30–45 minutes. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover, reduce the oven to 230°C / 450°F, and bake another 20–25 minutes.
  9. Cool the loaf completely, preferably for 1–2 hours, before slicing.

Notes

Judge fermentation by the dough rather than the clock because temperature, flour, starter strength, and hydration affect timing. For a more pronounced sour flavor, use the overnight refrigerated proof. The finished loaf should reach an internal temperature of approximately 96–99°C / 205–210°F.