Smoked Sourdough Bread on Pellet Grill

This Smoked Sourdough Bread is a rustic classic made better on the pellet grill. It has a crisp crust, a soft and chewy interior, and just the right amount of smoky flavor - all without burning the bottom!

This recipe is incredibly forgiving. You can adjust the timing to fit your schedule, and it's really hard to mess up. Whether you're a beginner to sourdough or an experienced baker, you'll love how flexible and foolproof this method is.

One of my readers asked if they could smoke sourdough bread on their pellet grill. I loved the idea but quickly learned it wasn't as simple as throwing the bread on the smoker. After burning a few loaves (sorry, Dutch oven!), I finally was able to get that perfect smoky flavor without a charred bottom.

And it is SO good! I love using it to make cucumber sandwiches!

Equipment

• Pellet Grill. I used my Pit Boss, but any brand works. Just make sure it has enough space for your Dutch oven.
• Dutch Oven. Use a basic cast iron one (5-7 quart) - it will get black from the smoke, so skip the fancy enameled ones.
• Parchment Paper. It makes transferring the dough easy. Don't use wax paper - it'll melt!
• Scoring Tool. While a sharp knife works, I prefer a bread lame (basically a razor blade on a handle).
• Kitchen Scale. This is non-negotiable for sourdough! Volume measurements just aren't accurate enough. I use a digital scale that measures in grams.
• Large Bowl. For mixing and rising.
• Plastic Wrap. For covering the dough while it rises. You could use a damp kitchen towel instead, but plastic wrap gives the best seal.

How to Make It

1. Step 1: The night before baking, feed your starter. You'll need active sourdough starter - either from a friend or purchased online. In a clear quart-sized jar, mix 25g mature starter (about 2 tablespoons), 75g unbleached bread flour, and 75g lukewarm water (90°F - feels warm but not hot to your wrist). Mix until smooth like pancake batter - no dry flour visible. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid set on loosely to allow air flow. Leave at room temperature (65-75°F) for 8-12 hours. Note: Your starter is ready when it's doubled in size and looks bubbly. To test, drop a small spoonful in a glass of room temperature water - it should float. If it sinks, wait another hour and test again.

2. Step 2: The next day, in a large mixing bowl, combine 100g of your bubbly starter (about ½ cup) with 300g of warm water (90°F). Add 500g bread flour and 10g sea salt (about 2 teaspoons). Mix first with a wooden spoon until roughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Switch to using your hand, mixing and squeezing the dough through your fingers until it forms a sticky ball - about 2-3 minutes. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place somewhere warm (like your oven with just the light on) for 2 hours. Note: Your hands will get messy - use a dough scraper or butter knife to clean them off. (Use the leftover sourdough starter to make another batch of bread, and store any extra starter (sourdough discard) in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Use the discard to make Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sourdough Discard Banana Bread, or Sourdough Discard Pancakes).

3. Step 3: Time for stretch and folds! Every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours (4 times total), you'll work the dough. Dust your hands with flour, then reach under one side of the dough with both hands. Gently stretch it up about 6-8 inches until you feel some resistance (like stretching a rubber band halfway), then fold it over to the center. Rotate your bowl 90 degrees and repeat on all four sides. The dough will get smoother and stronger with each fold. After your fourth and final fold, let the dough rise undisturbed until doubled in size, about 3-4 hours at room temperature. You'll see small bubbles on the surface. Note: After the folds, you can either let it rise at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 24 hours - just bring it back to room temperature before the next step.

4. Step 4: Shaping time! Dust a clean counter with about 2 tablespoons of flour. Gently turn your dough out, being careful not to deflate it. Using floured hands, pull each edge out slightly (like a square), then fold them into the center like you're wrapping a package. Flip the whole thing over so the seams are down. Cup your hands around the dough and rotate it toward you, dragging it slightly on the counter to create surface tension - you'll feel it get tighter. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton basket (with or without the liner) or a bowl lined with a well-floured kitchen towel (use about ¼ cup flour on the towel). Cover with plastic wrap for the final 1.5-hour rise.

5. Step 5: Set your pellet grill to 350°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough so that it will overhang by a few inches when placed in your Dutch oven. When the dough is ready, carefully flip it onto the center of the parchment paper. Using a sharp knife or razor blade, score the top about ½ inch deep - a simple "X" or square pattern works great, or get fancier if you like.

6. Step 6: Use the parchment paper as a sling to lower the dough into your Dutch oven. Place your room-temperature Dutch oven (4.7-quart or larger) on the side of your pellet grill, away from where the smoke comes out - that's your cooler zone. Cover with a lid and smoke the sourdough bread for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and smoke for another 15 minutes. For a darker top crust, place under your oven's broiler for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

7. Step 7: The hardest part - letting it cool! Use the parchment paper like a sling to carefully lift the hot bread out of the Dutch oven and place it on a wire rack. Now comes the test of patience: let it cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing. I know the fresh-baked bread smell is tempting, but cutting too soon will give you gummy slices. Your bread is ready when it makes a hollow sound, like knocking on a door when you tap the bottom. Enjoy!

Tips I Learned

• Test your starter. A mature, active starter is crucial. If it doesn't float in water or hasn't doubled in size, your bread won't rise properly.
• Control your temperature. Keep your dough warm (75-80°F) during rising. I use my oven with just the light on - it's the perfect proofing box.
• Score with confidence. Deep, decisive cuts (about ½ inch) allow your bread to expand properly while baking.
• Handle with care. During stretches and folds, be firm enough to develop structure but gentle enough to preserve those precious air bubbles.
• Position matters. Place your Dutch oven away from the fire pot on the cooler side of your grill. I burned several bottoms before figuring this out - the direct heat from the pellet fire is too intense.
• Use mild wood. Use mild fruit woods like apple or cherry, or mild wood pellets like pecan. Stronger woods can overpower the natural sourdough flavor. I typically use cherry - it adds a subtle sweetness without being too smoky.

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