Harpoon Miche
2047kcal
Ingredients
Rye Sourdough Starter (Night Before)
- 10 g Ripe sourdough starter culture
- 50 g Water
- 60 g Whole rye flour
White Sourdough Starter (Night Before)
- 10 g Ripe sourdough starter culture
- 50 g Water
- 50 g Bread flour
The Main Dough (Next Morning)
- 110 g Prepared rye sourdough starter all of it
- 100 g Prepared white sourdough starter all of it
- 360 g Bread flour
- 20 g Whole rye flour
- 25 g Whole wheat whole grain flour
- 10 g Salt
- 155 g Water
- 150 g Dark beer Boiled for 1-2 minutes to evaporate alcohol, then cooled completely
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl (or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven (with a tightly fitting lid)
- Proofing Basket (Banneton, or a bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel)
- Sharp Bread Lame or razor blade
- Small Saucepan (for boiling the beer)
Method
Dual Overnight Levain Builds
- 10:00 PM (Night Before): Set up two separate glass jars for your starters. In the first jar, combine 10g of culture, 50g of water, and 60g of whole rye flour to create your Rye Starter. In the second jar, combine 10g of culture, 50g of water, and 50g of bread flour to create your White Starter.
- Stir both jars thoroughly with separate clean utensils until no dry pockets remain, cover loosely, and let them ferment at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8 to 10 hours overnight until both reach their peak volume.
Autolyse and Bulk Fermentation
- 8:00 AM (Day 2): In a large mixing bowl (or your stand mixer bowl), combine the 155g of water, 150g of cooled dark beer, 360g of bread flour, 20g of whole rye flour, and 25g of whole wheat whole grain flour. Mix cleanly by hand just until a shaggy mass forms. Cover and let it rest undisturbed for 1 hour for the autolyse phase.
- 9:00 AM: Add all 110g of your mature rye starter, all 100g of your white starter, and the 10g of salt directly into the autolyzed dough. Knead vigorously by hand or in your mixer on medium-low speed until the starters are completely dissolved into the dough and a cohesive ball builds. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- 9:15 AM: Wet your hands with water and perform a firm round of stretch-and-folds directly in the bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- 9:45 AM: Perform your 1st round of coil folds to build structure. Cover and let rise.
- 10:15 AM: Perform your 2nd round of coil folds. Cover and allow the dough to ferment completely undisturbed for 1 hour.
- 11:45 AM: Check the dough; it should look noticeably puffy, light, and have increased significantly in volume by roughly 40% to 50%. (If it does not feel aerated enough, perform one extra fold and extend the rise for 30 more minutes).
Round Shaping and Staged Dutch Oven Baking
- Generously sprinkle your countertop with whole wheat flour. Gently tip the fermented dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface.
- Gather all the outer edges of the dough and pull them firmly into the absolute center to build tight surface tension, then flip the dough mass completely over so it sits seam-side down. Shape into a tight, uniform round boule.
- Transfer the shaped loaf seam-side up into a proofing basket lined with a floured towel. Cover loosely and allow it to proof at room temperature for approximately 1 hour.
- While the loaf undergoes its final proof, place your cast iron Dutch oven with its lid on inside the oven and preheat completely to 475°F (245°C).
- Carefully invert the proofed boule out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use a sharp bread lame or razor blade to score a large, clean pattern across the top surface.
- Use the parchment corners to lift and lower the dough safely into the piping hot Dutch oven. Secure the lid tightly to trap the expanding steam and bake at 475°F (245°C) for exactly 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid carefully, lower the oven temperature down to 425°F (220°C), and continue baking uncovered for an additional 20 to 25 minutes until the crust turns a rich, deep mahogany brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories2047kcalCarbohydrates404gProtein71gFat9gSaturated Fat1gPolyunsaturated Fat4gMonounsaturated Fat1gCholesterol15mgSodium734mgPotassium986mgFiber23gSugar2gVitamin A24IUVitamin C0.3mgCalcium119mgIron7mg
Notes
- Why Boiling the Dark Beer is Essential: Never pour raw dark beer straight from the bottle or can directly into your flour mix. Liquid alcohol acts as a natural yeast inhibitor that will actively degrade and stunt your sourdough culture's rising capabilities during bulk fermentation. Always bring the 150g of beer to a rolling boil in a small saucepan for 1 to 2 minutes first to burn off the alcohol content completely, then let it drop back to room temperature before mixing.
- The Purpose of the Dual Starter Build: Utilizing two distinct levains is a classical technique derived from traditional European miche baking. The rye starter introduces an intensely deep, earthy, and complex flavor base, while the white bread flour starter balances the acidity with clean structural strength and lift. This dual approach gives you the signature taste profile of rye bread without its characteristic heavy or gummy interior crumb.
- Mastering the Delicate Coil Fold: High-hydration doughs containing whole grains thrive on gentle handling during bulk fermentation. Instead of punching the dough down or doing aggressive stretch-and-folds, practice gentle coil folds during the later stages. Slip your wet hands underneath the middle of the dough mass, lift it upward slowly until it un-sticks from the bowl, and let the outer flaps curl underneath themselves to build vertical structure safely.
- Crust Character and Slicing Guidelines: Thanks to the inclusion of natural whole grains and the deep caramelization properties of the dark beer sugars, this loaf develops an incredibly robust, thick, and rustic outer crust. Resist the urge to slice into the boule while it is still warm out of the Dutch oven. Rye-influenced crumbs require a complete cool-down phase to fully set their starch matrix, preventing a gummy interior structure when cut.