About 4 hours before making the sourdough pretzel loaf, build a levain or feed your sourdough starter at a 1:1:1 ratio. Cover and let it rest at 77–80°F until bubbly and doubled in size.

Shred the cheese and set aside to bring to room temperature.

In a 2-quart straight-sided container or a medium clear bowl, mix water, active starter, brown sugar, and salt. Add the flour and stir until fully incorporated and the dough becomes shaggy. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes in a warm spot.

Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds with a 30-minute rest in between each set. During the second set, incorporate the cheese if adding it.

Let the dough rest on the counter in a warm spot to finish bulk fermentation until it is jiggly, domed on top, bubbly on the sides, and risen 50%.

Lightly flour an 8–10-inch proofing basket with all-purpose flour or rice flour. Place the dough seam-side up in the floured proofing basket and cover.

Let the dough rest on the counter for 1–2 hours at 75°F or place it in the fridge overnight for 8-12 hours until ready to bake.

Preheat the dutch oven in the oven at 450℉.

Add 7 cups of water to a 3-4 quart saucier pan with ⅓ cup baking soda. Bring to a boil.

Flip the bread onto a silicone bread sling and carefully lower the dough into the boiling water. Boil for 1-2 minutes.

Using the straps of the bread sling, carefully lift the dough out of the boiling water. Score an “X” on the top of the dough about ¼ inch deep.

Sprinkle the top with pretzel salt, then carefully transfer the dough to the Dutch oven. Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 12–15 minutes.

Remove the bread from the dutch oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack before slicing. Brush the crust with melted butter and sprinkle with more pretzel salt if needed.