Dutch Oven Bread

a hand holding a slice of bread above a dutch oven.

This Dutch Oven Bread has a perfectly crusty texture and a soft, chewy crumb. With just 5 minutes of prep, there is no kneading and it looks like artisan loaf, but made with no effort - The easiest bread you'll ever make!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword dutch oven bread, no knead bread

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 50

Resting time 3

Total Time 3 55

Servings Slices

Calories 116kcal

Author Maria Doss

Equipment

Ingredients

3 ¼ cups all purpose flour addional flour for dusting
2 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cups luke warm water (you might need an addional

Instructions

Dough

Mix flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
Pro tip: Like more chew? Use bread flour instead! With 12 to 14 percent protein, bread flour is designed to produce a lot of gluten, resulting in a chewy bread.
Add water, then use a wooden spoon to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and shaggy.
Tip: Yeast gets activated with water that is heated to 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Any hotter than 135 degrees will kill the yeast and cooler water will not help activate the yeast.

Rise

Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and then wrap tightly with a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm area for about 2 hours or doubled in volume.
Pro tip: Refrigerate 12 to 18 hours for better flavor, before proceeding on to the next step.

Shape dough

Sprinkle work surface with some flour. Using a greased rubber spatula, scrape dough out of bowl onto the floured surface. Sprinkle top with ½ tablespoon flour.
Using the rubber spatula, fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don’t be too meticulous here. Rougher edges results in a rustic loaf!
Pro tip: Turn the dough and not punch! To create a coarser crumb, fold the dough over onto itself. It reactivates the yeast without pressing out as much air, when compared to punching down the dough, as in most bread recipes.
Slide a large piece of parchment paper ( I like to spary of coating of cooking spray on the parchment paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough onto the middle of the paper.
Hold the four corners of the paper and place it in a large bowl or pot (along with the parchment) and wrap the bowl or pot with kitchen towel. Let rise for 15 minutes.

Baking

After 15 minutes, place an empty dutch oven with lid, on the lower third of the oven. Preheat to 450°F for 30 minutes.
Tip: Hot oven results in more rise! Cranking up the heat maximizes the initial lift in the yeasted Dutch oven bread, resulting in a higher rise.
When 30 minutes is elapsed, remove the piping hot dutch oven from oven, and place it on a rack and open the lid. Transfer the dough, along with the paper into the pot. Place the lid back on and bake for 30 minutes covered.
Tip: Be careful when working with the hot pot!
Pro tip: Score the dough for a more artisanal look! Using a sharp serrated knife or single-edge razor blade, make a 6-inch long, ½-inch deep slash along the top of the dough, before placing it in the Dutch oven.
Uncover and then continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes or the top looks deep brown crispy.
Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Video

Notes

Longer rise – Rise dough per recipe, then leave in bowl and refrigerate up to 2 days. Shape into round and place on paper per recipe, then leave for 30 to 60 minutes to take the chill out of it, then bake per recipe. Cold dough won’t rise as well.

Use bread flour - Bread flour will give a chewy, fluffy texture like bakery Artisan bread because it has higher protein.

Yeast - Use yeast labeled “instant”, “rapid rise” or “active dry yeast”.

Water temperature – Ideal temperature is 110 to 115 degrees. A simple trick to check, is to drop a few drops of water on your inside wrist. No hot or cold sensations? You're good to go!

Pot size does not matter as long as it’s about 10 inches or larger. Pot acts as a steamer and doe snotv shape the bread.

Nutrition