A Little About Your Loaf: Understanding Sourdough Bread Hydration

You sliced into your loaf and thought — wait, is this done? I get it. Artisan sourdough looks different from what most of us grew up with. That open, custardy crumb isn't a mistake. It comes down to one thing: sourdough bread hydration.

What Sourdough Bread Hydration Actually Means

If you've ever bought a loaf from Home & Fed Co. — or any small-batch artisan bakery — and wondered why the inside looks softer, more open, or almost "wet" compared to grocery store bread, this post is for you.

Sourdough bread hydration refers to the ratio of water to flour in the dough. It's expressed as a percentage — and it controls almost everything about how your bread looks, feels, and tastes. The crust. The crumb. The texture. The flavor. All of it traces back to hydration.

Most grocery store bread is made at 60–65% hydration. Our loaves at Home & Fed Co. are baked at 76% — sitting at the upper end of what bakers call medium-to-high hydration. That extra water is what creates the thin, crackly crust and the open, airy crumb with larger, uneven holes. It's not undercooked. It's not a mistake. It's what separates real artisan bread from the shelf-stable loaves most people are used to.

Think about the difference between a rubbery scrambled egg and a soft, silky one. Or a well-done steak versus one cooked just right. The texture feels different — because it is different. And once you understand why, you'll never go back.

Why You'll Love Artisan Sourdough Bread

The crust is everything. A thin, crackly crust that shatters when you slice it — that's the result of high hydration and high heat working together.
The crumb is custardy, not gummy. Those large, open holes aren't raw dough. They're pockets of air created during long fermentation and released during baking.
The flavor is more complex. More water means more room for fermentation, which means a deeper, more nuanced flavor — mild and tangy without being aggressively sour.
It's made with better ingredients. Every loaf from Home & Fed Co. is made with 100% organic flour — no shortcuts, no fillers.
It's real bread. The kind that's been made for centuries, before commercial bread was engineered for shelf life over flavor.

What Makes Sourdough Bread Hydration Matter

Most commercial bread is made at 60–65% hydration. It's easier to mix, easier to shape, and produces a tight, uniform crumb that slices clean and stays soft for days. That's by design — it's optimized for mass production, not flavor.

Our sourdough at Home & Fed Co. sits at 76% hydration. The dough is sticky and extensible, requires a different shaping technique, and behaves completely differently in the oven. The result is bread that's harder to make but infinitely more rewarding to eat.

Here's a quick breakdown of what hydration actually means:

Low hydration (60–70%) — Easy to handle, tight crumb, similar to traditional sandwich bread. Great for beginners.
Medium hydration (70–75%) — Soft, slightly sticky dough. More open structure, pillowy interior. Your everyday sourdough loaf.
Medium-high hydration (75–80%) — Where our loaves live. Sticky, extensible dough that requires strong gluten development. Thin crispy crust, open and custardy interior.
High hydration (80–90%+) — Very wet, very slack dough. Maximum open crumb. Requires advanced technique and strong flour.

A Little About Your Loaf — What to Expect

If you're new to artisan sourdough, here's exactly what you should expect when you get your loaf home.

The crust will be crackly and crisp when it's fresh. After the first day, it softens slightly as it absorbs moisture from the crumb — that's completely normal.

The crumb will look open and airy with larger, uneven holes. It may appear slightly moist or custardy. This is intentional. It is fully baked. Every loaf is temped to 205–210°F internal before it leaves the oven.

The flavor is mild and complex from long fermentation — not aggressively sour. It deepens after the first day.

Best enjoyed: Sliced after fully cooled (at least 1–2 hours after baking), with good butter, olive oil, or just as is. Lasts 3–4 days at room temperature or freeze for later.

Recipes for Every Last Slice of Sourdough

One of the best things about artisan sourdough bread? It's endlessly versatile. Here are some of our favorite ways to use every last bit — including the end pieces.

Avocado toast — The open crumb holds up to toppings without getting soggy
French toast — Custardy bread makes custardy French toast. It's a natural fit.
Panzanella — Tear day-old slices into a summer tomato salad
Soup dipper — Thick slices alongside a bowl of tomato or homemade chicken noodle soup
Grilled cheese — High hydration bread grills beautifully, crispy outside and chewy inside
Homemade croutons — Don't let a single slice go to waste (grab a bag of our house-made sourdough croutons at the next market)
Bread bowl — Hollow out a round loaf and fill with your favorite soup or dip

More recipes using sourdough bread coming soon at https://homeandfed.com/sourdough-bread-hydration.

How to Store and Care for Your Sourdough

Getting the most out of your loaf comes down to a few simple habits.

Room temperature storage is your best option for the first few days. Keep it in the bag it came in, away from direct sunlight and heat. A cool, dry spot on your counter works great. Avoid the fridge — refrigeration actually stales sourdough faster by pulling moisture out of the crumb.
How long does it last? Longer than you'd think. Properly stored at room temperature, your loaf will stay good for 4–6 days. Storage environment matters — humidity, airflow, and how often you open the bag all play a role. One of our loaves kept in the bag in a cool microwave (off!) was still making perfect avocado toast on day six. That said, every kitchen is different.
For longer storage, freeze it. Slice the whole loaf before freezing so you can pull out exactly what you need. Thaw at room temperature, or go straight from freezer to toaster. It comes back beautifully.
To revive the crust, pop slices in a toaster or place the whole loaf in a 350°F oven for 5–8 minutes. The crust crisps right back up.
Best sliced after fully cooled — at least 1–2 hours after baking. Cutting into a warm loaf releases steam too fast and can make the crumb feel gummy even when it's fully baked.

FAQ

It's almost certainly not undercooked — it's the hydration level. The open, custardy crumb and slightly moist appearance are hallmarks of artisan sourdough baked at 76% hydration. Every loaf from Home & Fed Co. is baked to an internal temp of 205–210°F.

Those large, uneven holes are created by the fermentation process and the steam produced during baking. More water in the dough means more steam, which means a more open crumb. It's a good sign, not a problem.

No. Refrigeration actually stales sourdough faster by accelerating starch retrogradation. Store at room temperature in a bread bag or wrapped in a cloth for up to 3–4 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze.

As the bread sits, moisture from the crumb migrates to the crust, softening it. To revive it, pop slices in a toaster or place the whole loaf in a 350°F oven for 5–8 minutes.

Nope — and that's intentional. Our sourdough is long-fermented for flavor and digestibility, but it's not aggressively sour. The flavor is mild, complex, and slightly tangy. If you're expecting that sharp, puckery San Francisco style, ours will taste different. Most people prefer it — but now you know.

That's a personal preference we totally respect. If you like a darker, crispier crust, pop the whole loaf in a 375°F oven for 8–10 minutes. It'll deepen the crust color and give you that extra toasty bite without over-drying the crumb.

Stored at room temperature in the bag, your loaf will stay good for 4–6 days. Environment and storage play a role — humidity, airflow, and how often you open the bag all factor in. For longer storage, slice and freeze. Pull out what you need and thaw at room temperature, or go straight from freezer to toaster.

Not yet — Home & Fed Co. is a licensed Texas cottage bakery, which means we bake in small batches and sell direct. You can find us at farmers markets in the Katy and Cypress area or order online at https://hfcbtx.com. Follow us at @homeandfed so you never miss a market date.

You can find Home & Fed Co. at three markets in the Katy and Cypress area:

The Dryer Farmers Market — 1st Saturdays | Katy, TX

Cypress Farmers Market — 2nd & 4th Sundays | 10519 Fry Rd, Cypress, TX | 10:30am–1:30pm

Fairfield Market — 3rd Sundays | 15103 Mason Rd, Cypress, TX | 12:30–3:30pm

We want to make it right, always. Text us at 833-323-6491 with a photo and a brief description of the issue and we'll take care of you. Your experience matters to us more than anything.