Recipes & Guides
Step-by-step sourdough recipes, starter guides, and the baking science behind every loaf.
Stop Throwing Away Your Discard: 5 Sourdough Discard Recipes You Will Actually Make
That jar of discard in your fridge is not waste — it is flavor. Here are five simple, tested recipes that turn leftover starter into meals your family will request again.
Team Sourdough Joe · October 6, 2026
Every Way to Steam Your Oven for Sourdough (Ranked by How Well They Work)
Steam is what separates a pale, thick-crusted disappointment from a crackling, mahogany-colored loaf with real oven spring. Here is every method I have tried, honestly ranked.
Team Sourdough Joe · September 29, 2026
The 30-Minute Rest That Transformed My Sourdough: Understanding Autolyse
Before you add starter, before you add salt, just let the flour and water sit. This simple rest period builds gluten, improves extensibility, and gives you better bread with less effort.
Team Sourdough Joe · September 20, 2026
What Your Sourdough Crumb Is Trying to Tell You
That cross-section of your loaf is a progress report. Dense, gummy, tunneling, or uneven — each crumb pattern points to a specific fix. Here is how to decode yours.
Team Sourdough Joe · September 15, 2026
Scoring Sourdough: Why Your Cuts Disappear and How to Get a Real Ear
You draw a beautiful score line across your loaf, and twenty minutes later the oven has erased it completely. Here is what is actually going wrong — and the small adjustments that produce dramatic ears every time.
Team Sourdough Joe · September 13, 2026
How to Shape a Tight Sourdough Boule (and Stop Flat Loaves)
Shaping is the difference between a tall, proud loaf and a flat frisbee. Here is the hands-on technique, step by step.
Team Sourdough Joe · September 4, 2026
What Is a Levain and Why Do Some Recipes Want You to Build One?
You've got a healthy starter, so why do some recipes ask you to build a separate levain? Here's the difference, why it matters for flavor and timing, and how to build one that peaks at exactly the right moment.
Team Sourdough Joe · August 2, 2026
Feeding Your Sourdough Starter: When, How Much, and Which Flour
A healthy starter is a well-fed starter. Learn the exact feeding ratios, timing, and flour choices that keep your sourdough culture happy and ready to bake.
Team Sourdough Joe · November 3, 2025