Dill Pickle Sourdough Bread

Step 1

In a large bowl, mix starter, water, and brine with a fork until starter is dispersed. Add flours, mixing with a spatula first, then switching to mixing with your hand until a shaggy dough is formed, so that flour is not visible.

Step 2

Sprinkle salt on top of dough. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let sit for 40 minutes.

Step 3

Now work the salt into the dough, kneading the dough stongly with your hands for two minutes. Then perform your 1st set of stretch and folds. Let dough rest for 30 minutes, covered..

Step 4

After the 30 minute rest, sprinkle the pickles and fresh dill evenly on top of the dough, all the way to the sides of the bowl. Perform a set of stretch and folds, encasing the mix-ins into the dough.

Step 5

Perform 2 more sets of rests and stretch and fold, waiting the 30 minutes in between for each, for a total of 4 stretch and fold sequences.

Step 6

When that is finished let the dough (covered with a damp cloth) bulk ferment on your counter until just short of doubling, a rise of about 75%. If you home is around 74 degrees, this will take about 4 hours. It will take more time if it is cooler, or less time if it warmer.

Step 7

When your dough is a little short of doubling in size, has a glossy top and has a few bubbles peaking through the top, it is ready for shaping.

Step 8

Gently move the dough out of the bowl onto a floured work surface. Let the dough rest there for 10-15 minutes. Then, shape the dough. Once shaped, use a bench scraper to put the dough into a flour dusted, linen lined banneton (proofing basket), seam side of the dough facing up.

Step 9

Cover with a shower cap or damp cloth and let rise for a final time. The final rise can happen in the fridge overnight (which I prefer), or on the countertop, which will take about 1 1/2 hours. The dough can be in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours at this stage. (If you do the final rise in the fridge, score and bake straight from the fridge. This makes it easier to score and hold its shape.)

Step 10

Once your dough has gone through its final rise and has risen slightly, about 20% and is puffy on top, you’re ready to bake. You can also do this test if you did the final rise on the counter to know if it's ready. If need mores more time do, so in half hour increments.

Step 11

Preheat oven with dutch oven inside of it to 450 degrees F. Wait until oven is preheated, then place parchment over the top of your dough and flip over, so that the seam side is now on the parchment paper and you are able to score the top of the dough. Score the dough with a bread lame, making sure to go at least 1/2 inch deep in a few spots so that dough can release gases. Otherwise your bread will not rise.

Step 12

Place dough on parchment paper into dutch oven, and put cover on it. Bake for 25 minutes, covered at 450 degrees F. Then remove cover, turn oven down to 435 degrees F and bake for 20 more minutes, until bread is golden brown and crackly. Wait ONE HOUR before slicing, or the bread will be gummy because of the steam inside.