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By Amanda Paa – Updated November 15, 2022
Learn how to score sourdough bread before baking with these 7 tips! Scoring your sourdough bread with a bread lame is essential to the baking process. Slashing the dough with a sharp razor after the final proof and before baking allows the dough to expand in the oven and let the gasses release. This post helpful guidance for scoring bread with ease so that the cuts are smooth rather than ragged, and you can create the beautiful loaf of sourdough that you were hoping for.
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You’ve made it through both the bulk fermentation and the final rise of your sourdough bread recipe. Now it’s time to score it, slashing the dough with a bread lame to allow it to expand while baking!
If you’ve been having issues getting clean cuts when trying to score sourdough, these tips will help you achieve the finished look you were expecting. First, I suggest starting with my beginner sourdough bread recipe and practicing on several bakes.
Much of proper scoring has to do with practice, confidence, and swift movements. And remember, a simple score can be just as a beautiful as one that is very intricate. Although it may seem that the purpose of scoring sourdough is to add an artistic look to the loaf like you see on my Rye Sourdough, there’s actually more to its importance.
The Purpose of Scoring Sourdough Bread
When making sourdough, gases are trapped instead the dough during fermentation and are what leavens the bread via your sourdough starter. But eventually, those gases need to escape.
When the dough hits the heat of the oven it will start to rise rapidly, springing up and pushing against the tight surface. Without scoring, that energy would have nowhere to go besides bursting outwards at the seams, like a tire blowing out. It won’t rise as well either.
By scoring the dough, the gases have somewhere to escape and the bread can get a lovely rise just as we had hoped. Scoring will also give structure to how the end loaf will look.
HOW TO SCORE SOURDOUGH BREAD VIDEO:
Top 7 Tips for Scoring Sourdough Bread:
- Cold dough is MUCH easier to score.
90% of the time I do the final rise overnight in the refrigerator, which gives the loaf better flavor from the increased fermentation time, but also allows me to score the dough cold, straight from the fridge. Cold dough holds its shape better when it comes out of the banneton, and the blade guides through it much easier than warm dough. No dragging will be present, unless you’ve overproofed your dough. - Do not use a knife to score sourdough, use a bread lame. A regular knife does not move as swiftly through the dough, and drags. It’s also difficult to be precise with the cuts, as a knife blade is much longer and harder to maneuver.
- Make sure to score deep enough, from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch deep, erring on the later. This ensures the score doesn’t fuse back together when the dough expands in the oven. Pull the blade towards you while gliding the blade into the surface of the dough and continue to pull the blade through the length of the cut.
- Make confident, swift cuts with your sharp bread lame.
One of the mistakes I see sourdough beginner’s is scoring very slowly, trying to be careful and create a beautiful design. In doing so, the lame drags and they struggle to get a decent score that will allow the bread to expand in the oven. Instead, the taut surface responds best to quick, assertive cuts, so worry less about the design, and more about opening up the dough. - Dip the razor blade into water before scoring. This will help the blade glide and create smooth cuts, rather than dragging and leaving ragged marks.
- If you want an “ear” on your sourdough, score at a shallow 45 degree angle to create a lip that will open up as the bread bakes. You’ll also need proper fermentation and enough strength in shaping to achieve the elusive ear.
- Once the dough is scored, get it into the oven right away. If you let it sit, the dough will start to deflate and lose some of its strength because it has been cut open.
Visual Guide: How to Score Sourdough Bread
My Favorite Bread Lame:
Over the years I’ve tried many different bread lames, and the Monkey Wire Shop “UFO” bread lame is the best by far. You’ll see it in the above photos, a round wooden disk with razor attached. It makes scoring much easier compared to a lame with a longer handle.
Here are some of the reasons I like it:
- Ultimate fine control over scoring.
- Ambidextrous design.
- Blade is easily stored inside for safety.
- Easy to grip.
- Changing the blade is simple.
Sourdough Bread Recipes to Try:
- Homemade Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
- Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread
- Easy Seeded Sourdough Bread
