Crispy Sourdough Toast
Good sourdough has a personality that standard sandwich bread lacks. Treating it with a bit of patience in the pan rewards you with an audible crunch and a depth of flavor that keeps it distinct even after being toasted.
Mind the crumb density
Sourdough has large, irregular air pockets; slicing it too thin will cause it to fall apart, while too thick makes it difficult to toast through.
- Cast-iron skillet
- Serrated bread knife
- Wide metal spatula
What goes in.
- 2 slicessourdough bread, 3/4-inch thick
- 1 tbspclarified butter or ghee
- 1 pinchflaky sea salt
Maintaining constant contact
Press the bread firmly into the pan with a spatula to ensure the uneven bottom surface makes total contact with the metal, preventing burnt edges and raw spots.
The method.
Slice and prep
Use a serrated knife to cut the loaf into uniform slices. If the crust is exceptionally hard, trim the very edges if they seem prone to charring before the center cooks.
Heat the fat
Set your cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee and wait until it shimmers and thins out across the bottom of the pan.
Sear the first side
Place the bread into the fat. Let it sit undisturbed for 3 minutes. The crust should transition from pale to a deep, mahogany brown.
Flip and finish
Flip the bread. If the pan looks dry, add another small smear of ghee. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the second side matches the first.
Salt and rest
Remove from the heat immediately and sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the surface fat is still hot. Let it rest on a wire rack for 60 seconds before serving.
Other turns to take.
Garlic Infused
Drop a smashed clove of garlic into the ghee as it heats, then remove it once the bread goes in the pan.
Herb Crust
Add a small sprig of fresh thyme to the fat during the final minute of cooking to scent the crust.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use a wire rack for cooling so the steam can escape from the bottom, preventing the toast from turning soft.
If the sourdough is a few days old, it actually toasts more evenly than fresh, soft bread.
Use clarified butter rather than standard butter; the milk solids in standard butter will burn before the bread reaches the desired crispness.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a toaster instead of a pan?
A toaster uses dry heat, which creates a different texture. A skillet-fried slice uses fat to conduct heat, resulting in a glass-like, shattered crust that is impossible to replicate in a vertical toaster.
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