I’d like to start my sourdough journey! What are your best tips for getting started? I’m an experienced baker - but a total newbie to sourdough.

Question

JV · Answer

No-Knead Bread Recipe: If you are bread-curious, this Jim Lahey No-Knead recipe is by far the most instructive, helpful and impressive to begin with. Attaching scans of the way he teaches a simple fold for the moments when you are folding in this recipe. But overall, this recipe is…1/2(?) the effort of a kneaded sourdough loaf, and so satisfying to experiment with. You’ll need a scale, and a Dutch oven. I tend to start this recipe at 8pm the evening before (you should try tonight!?!), so that I’m baking by midafternoon the next day, and serving warm bread for friends’ supper. They’ll be impressed, you’ll be proud!

emily · Answer

play it cool: sourdough is more flexible than you think but it can smell your fear. i tried to start during covid, got so overwhelmed about the measurements/timing/temperatures, and quickly gave up. i tried again 6y later with an “oh well” attitude and all of my loaves have succeeded. don’t be a perfectionist, your technique and intuition will improve over time and it probably won’t even be bad to begin with.

Tori Kornick · Answer

Buy (or borrow) the sourdough starter!: Don’t try to conquer the world by making your own from scratch. Worth it to buy one that’s resilient. Or better yet, ask a neighbor, friend or bakery for some of theirs. Sourdough bakers have surplus discard so would be happy to give you some.

I bought a starter from this Etsy shop and it’s been thriving!