Rustic Low Sodium Sourdough Bread
For low sodium folks, sourdough is a real treat since it still packs a ton of flavor even when you reduce the salt. And yes, like many folks out there, I used the pandemic to check off get good at baking sourdough bread off my life list, and I’m in a rhythm now that I bake a fresh loaf almost every other day.
This sourdough recipe isn’t quick (you need to start the morning before you want to bake), but most of the time is just waiting for the various rises and rests and I’ve found that it is really forgiving… even when it’s not perfect, it is really good.
While you don’t need a stand mixer (a real boon right now for me as mine is currently packed away and our temporary apartment doesn’t have one) for this recipe, there are a few inexpensive tools that you’ll want.
First, you’ll need a really big bowl (6 to 7 quart) or dough bucket and some way to cover it well, but not tightly. I use a plastic bowl covers (like these) which are reusable, keep the moisture in, but won’t build up pressure.
You’ll also want a proofing basket that is at least 8.5 inches in diameter. I use one lined with linen, although that isn’t necessarily a requirement. It’s easy to find these in kits that also contain a lame (nice to have, but you can use a serrated knife) and a dough scraper (also very nice to have).
Finally, you’ll really want cast iron Dutch oven (ideally 3-quart) with a lid. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on one, but you do want one good enough to handle the heat. If you want to go with an enamel one, I’d recommend those by Lodge which have a great balance of quality and price. Once you have one, you’ll probably find you use it for all sorts of other cooking as well. Mine is absolutely my most used pot.
You can make your own starter or start with one you purchase (or even better, inherit from a friend). Cultures For Health (www.culturesforhealth.com) has a good starter for purchase. If you want to try to make your own, be sure to check out The Perfect Loaf (www.theperfectloaf.com) for an excellent guide to sourdough starters (as well as lots of recipes you can rework to make low sodium… Maurizio’s “My Best Sourdough Recipe” is where I started for this recipe).
Ingredients
- 15 grams (about 1 tablespoon) sourdough starter, ready for feeding
- 420 grams bread flour, divided, plus more for dusting
- 50 grams rye or whole wheat flour
- 385 grams room temperature water, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon Lite salt
Preparation
In a pint jar or bowl, mix the sourdough starter, 15 grams of whole wheat or rye flour, 15 grams of bread flour with 60 grams of room temperature water. Cover and set in a warm (75-80F) spot.
Wait 2 hours, and check in on your starter mixture. It should at this point be active and bubbly and increased in volume somewhat.
At this point, it’s time to hydrate the rest of your flour (called autolyse). In a large (about 7 quart) bowl, mix 405 grams bread flour, 35 grams whole wheat or rye flour and 325 grams of room temperature water with clean wet hands until a shaggy dough is formed. Cover and set in a warm (75-80F) spot near your starter.
Wait another 2 hours, until the starter is bubbly and has doubled in volume.
If your starter does not look active enough, you can add a little bit of active dry yeast to your dough when you mix it in the next step. I would not add more than ½ teaspoon unless your starter is really failing.
Add the starter mixture to the flour mixture in the large bowl, and using clean wet hands, knead the starter into the dough by grabbing one side of the dough, stretching up a little and folding the dough over itself. Turn the bowl 180 degrees, and repeat. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, and then 180 degrees and repeat. Continue to do this folding about 10 times, rewetting your hands if the dough stick on them too much.
Sprinkle the top of the dough with about ½ of the salt and a tiny splash of water. Use the same folding technique 4 times to knead in the salt. Then repeat with the remaining salt and another tiny splash of water.
Cover and set in a warm (75-80F) spot for 30 minutes.
Repeat the same folding technique 8 times, cover and return to the warm spot. Repeat this fold and rest process ever 15 to 30 minutes for a total of 4 times. Then, cover and return to the warm spot for about 4 hours. At this point, the dough should be slightly domed and you may see some bubbles on the tops and edges.
Sprinkle the top of the dough still in the bowl with flour, and then transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. The dough may be sticky, so sprinkle on more flour as needed. Use your hands to gently pull the dough towards you to create some tension and shape into a ball. Let rest, uncovered for 15 minutes.
Prepare your proofing basket by generously flouring it with flour (I use white rice flour, but you can just use bread flour if you don’t have any). Be sure to dust the sides well!
After the dough has rested, starting at the side closest to you, pull the bottom two corners of the dough toward you, and fold them to the middle of the of the dough. Then, slightly stretch the sides out before folding them to meet in the center. Finally, pull the top two corners up, and fold down over the previous folds. Dust the counter a little more, and flip the dough seam side down, and use your hands to pull the dough towards you to help create some surface tension. Shaping takes practice! There are some great tutorials here if you want a bit more guidance.
Then place the dough seam side up in a proofing basket, cover, and let rest for overnight.
The next day, place a Dutch oven with a lid in the oven and preheat to 475F.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and uncover. Sprinkle the top with a bit of flour and place a sheet of parchment just larger than your proofing basket over the top (I like to trim mine into a circle, but that’s not required). Place a baking sheet with the bottom of the sheet on the parchment paper, and then flip the whole thing so that the bowl is now upside-down on the bottom side of the baking sheet with the parchment paper in between (you are effectively using the baking sheet like a pizza peel).
Carefully lift off the proofing basket. If it sticks, pull slowly trying to not rip the dough (and remember the spot so you can add more flour next time). Use a bread lame or a serrated knife to score the top of the dough (I usually just do 1 score across the top, but you can use any style you like).
Remove the pot from the oven, and carefully slide the into the pot, cover, and then return to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove the lid and reduce the temperature to 450F. Bake another 20 to 25 minutes until the bread is a deep golden brown.
Let the bread cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.