Baking Bread in a Dutch Oven!

dutch oven bread

Here is yet another way to get a fabulous crust on your bread without using any steam in the oven. An unsophisticated disposable lasagna pan is an option but here’s another idea. Baking bread in a Dutch oven is a very old idea. All the iron-pot methods are based on the old European technique of baking inside a closed clay pot. Most people don’t have one of those, but enameled cast-iron pots are readily available—and they trap all of the internal moisture in the dough and that creates the steam you need to get a crisp and shiny crust. It really is fantastic and it works perfectly with our stored doughs from the book.

As you can imagine, the only drawback to baking bread in a dutch oven is that you are limited to a bread that is the shape of your Dutch oven. Luckily, Le Creuset has several shapes to choose from and I’m determined to try them all! The company even sells a special knob that can withstand the 500°F baking temperature of this method. All of these items (including the metal replacement knob) are available in Minneapolis-St. Paul at Cooks of Crocus Hill or nationally through Amazon (which offers a 7 1/4 quart pot, a 6 3/4 quart oval,  a two-quart, and others.

dutchoven

Using a metal replacement knob is really essential to baking with this method, the hard plastic knobs will smoke at 500°F.  Otherwise you’re limited to the maximum temperature recommended by Le Creuset (usually 450 degrees), and the crust won’t get as crisp.

dutchoven

Preheat the pot with the lid on to 500°F for about 20 minutes.  I used a 7 1/4 quart pot to bake a 1 1/2 pound loaf of bread.

dutch oven bread

Shape your boule from any of the non-enriched doughs from the book and allow to rest on a piece of parchment paper as suggested in the recipe. What’s used here is the master recipe–let it rise for about 90 minutes. It’s easiest to get the dough into the very hot pot if you can drop it in right on the paper.

dutch oven bread

Slash the dough 1/4″ deep.

dutch oven bread

VERY carefully lift the dough and drop it, with paper and all into the preheated pot.  This can be awkward the first time you do it. Take the pot out of the oven and rest it on a cooling rack so that it’s at a comfortable height to get the dough in without fear of touching the hot pot! It is very easy, but just be careful! Replace the lid and slip it back into the oven.

dutch oven bread

After 15 minutes of baking remove the lid. The dough only needs to bake in the steam for that amount of time. now it is time to get a lovely caramel color to the bread. Turn the heat down to 450°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf.

dutch oven bread

Once the loaf is nicely browned, carefully remove it from the pot with a spatula.

dutch oven bread

Peel off the parchment and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

dutch oven bread

Once the bread is totally cool, cut and you can see how fantastic the crumb is!

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563 thoughts to “Baking Bread in a Dutch Oven!”

  1. That should work… any oven-safe cover that prevents most of the moisture from leaking out (but obviously, doesn’t create a true seal).

  2. OH I’m excited about your book and methods of making bread! I am
    allergic to wheat and wondered how I might adapt your recipes to
    spelt grain that I grind to flour myself?

    Thank you for what you’ve done for the “world” of bread makers!

  3. Loaf pan question. I have started using my 9″x5″ (l lb.) loaf pan for my pumpernickel, boule, and rye breads to make sandwich sized loaves. I originally used 1 lb. of dough in this pan, but recently started using 2 lbs. of dough in the same pan.

    The loaves are coming out too dense (especially the rye and boule). Is this because the l lb. pan is too small for 2 lbs. of dough?

    Should I buy and try a larger 1.5 lb. loaf pan, would that make a difference with the crumb and still give me sandwich sized slices?

    Any formula for judging the additional baking time for the larger loaves- I have been checking the loaves for 200 degrees, but that is a pain, opening the door, taking them out and checking the temp.

  4. Rochelle: Great to hear, thanks.

    Lin: Spelt is related to wheat– it’s not gluten-free (see the University of Chicago’s website at http://www.celiacdisease.net/gluten-free-diet). But that said, we have a fair amount of spelt in our second book, out in October. You can try spelt as a swap for our 100% WW recipe on page 76 of the current book, but I’d be concerned about over-density with 100% spelt. Assuming you are NOT allergic to gluten, you can try the tips at:

    Whole Grains+VWG: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142

    Dense Crumb on AB5.com: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=141

    Another option is to use spelt as a substitute for whole wheat or rye in any of our existing recipes.

    Nina: This is a large pan; a 9×5 is generally for much bigger than 1 pound (though the manufacturers frequently mislabel them as “1-pound”). Our loaf pan breads work better in a smaller pan— easier to get done to the center.

    So get the smaller pan, if anything– 9x4x3 is what we call for in the book.

    But if you stick with the big loaf–go for a longer rest period (1.5 hours), and a longer bake– more like 45 minutes rather than 30.

  5. Thanks Jeff. For the l.5 or 2 lb. loaves, I’ve been resting for about an hour and then baking 45 minutes or so. How much dough, weight-wise would you suggest using in the 9×5 pan?

    When I use it for a one pound loaf, the crumb is good but the slices are small, so that is probably because it is too big.

    I’ll look for a smaller pan, 9x4x3 for my one pound loaves. Thanks

  6. It sounds like you aren’t liking the result when that big pan is fully loaded (1.5 to 2 lbs), but you also don’t like it when it’s skimpy (1 lb). But only the 1 lb is baking up nicely.

    You could try 1.5 lbs with a 1 hour bake, maybe turning down the temp 25 degrees if it’s getting over-brown on the outside. I believe this is a small loaf pan, more like a pound: https://tinyurl.com/c826ua

  7. As someone who did several batches of Bittman’s No Knead, I’m happy to read that it works with your bread technique. I got your book but haven’t yet tried it. I can confirm that the bakelite knob will indeed explode (it resisted a few bakings, and I simply assumed it was a black metal of some sort) and then one day, PAF!

    Until I got a replacement knob, I used nuts and bolts from my tool box. Not pretty but it worked. And I got to use all three of my dutch ovens so I got oval, round and pumpkin shaped breads LOL
    The improvised knobs: https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2382/2166689975_2cbe3e5b93.jpg

  8. After using Mark Bittman’s recipe for no-knead bread for about a year, I have switched to your method and have produced marvellous breads that several European visitors called the best bread they had eaten in the US. I use my clay cloche, preheat it in the oven and then put my loaf in on parchment paper. It works beautifully. I have also baked loaves in covered Pyrex dishes and they have come out fine…Great book.

  9. Thanks Jeff !
    I took a chance and actually did bake some of my “Lahey” type dough in a cold covered pot starting in a cold oventurned to 450. It was delicious-we couldn’t tell the difference. I baked 40 min.covered;then uncovered, spritzed and baked 18 min.at 450 . I will try it with your dough and report back !

  10. Snow: Cool, thanks for sending!

    Dorli: I’m soon going to post about my clay cloche experiments. Thanks so much!

    Rochelle: Definitely, let us know, it’s amazing what you can get away with.

  11. For everyone having trouble with exploding knobs- Le Crueset stainless replacement knobs fit perfectly on many other pots-including Lodge enamelled pots which are wonderful and really cheap on Amazon.
    In my last post I neglected to say that I used room temp dough-I am refrigerating some dough now and will try baking half in a cold pot in a cold oven after breakfast, and half the traditional hot pot/ preheated oven way. Either it will be inedible or it will be an even simpler way to do it as it rises on parchment right in the pan it will bake in!

  12. I made the Italian peasant bread and it was good but still the crumb seems too dense for my taste.
    I am going to let the bread dough rest even longer than 90 minutes to make sure it’s at room temp before baking to see how that works.

    If it doesn’t, I may try the Leahy method (letting the dough rise overnight)and then refrigerate it. Unless anyone has tried these methods and found them wanting..In which case please share that info with me.

    In all cases, though, the recipe makes great tasting bread.

  13. Thanks Jeff. I will buy the smaller and larger pans from Amazon, per your link.

    My problem with the 9×5 pan with two lbs. of dough, is that they are very dense.

    Does that mean that the dough doesn’t have enough room to expand sideways and so the center is too compact?

    There are very few holes in the crumb, so the finished bread looks and tastes ‘too solid’.

  14. I know that the boule flavor improves after a few days in the refrigerator. Does this happen with any of the other breads – ie: pumpernickel and rye.

  15. Yes, Nina, I found the bread’s flavor and texture improves with longer standing in the refrigerator–this was true of all the breads I tried–the boule. rye and brioche..The peasant bread was baked after only one day in the refrigerator..It is looking bubblier already and probably will taste better the next batch.

  16. Wow! Beautiful Pictures and a great site. Thanks! I need to “talk” my wife into a dutch oven.

  17. WOW !
    I actually baked an edible 1 lb. peasant bread on parchment in a 3qt. covered enamel pot in a cold oven which I turned to 450 after placing the pot in the lower 1/3 of the oven. I baked it 25 min. covered , then uncovered it and spitzed it with water. It then baked for an additional 21 min.
    it was a small loaf-I usually bake 1 1/2 pounders, but it domed nicely and had a thin and fairly crispy crust. It was tender with a nice crumb-not at all dense, but without the fantastic structure of your beautiful loaves, Jeff and Zoe. Because it goes into a cold oven in a cold pot, this would be a nice and safe way to introduce kids to baking bread. . .
    But it does need some refinement. . .I bet if I reheat it tomorrow the crust will be better …

    I then used 1 1/2 pounds of the same dough to bake a loaf by your refrigerator rise method (n the same covered pot) using your instructions for baking in the covered pot . It looks yummy. . .it’s cooling now, so I’ll let you know how they compare.
    Thanks so much for all your help and advice and for the opportunity to share with other breadaholics !

  18. Well, I just had my carbs for the week taste testing and comparing the 2 breads made with your European peasant dough! The refrigerator risen bread baked in the covered enamel pot was certainly a little chewier than the cold start loaf, and had a slightly crisper crust, but if I closed my eyes and ate them one after another I wouldn’t be able to discern a major difference. They were both delicious. !
    So, it seems worth the effort to explore perfecting the cold start bread as another option. Especially in hot summer weather or when baking with kids.

  19. Hi Nina, Clarice and Flour Girl,

    thank you for sharing all of your experience with us. I love that you are playing with the dough to make your perfect loaf!

    Great advise for others to try!

    Zoë

  20. Hi Nina,

    About the loaf pans. the dough probably needs more resting time before baking to improve the crumb. the loaf pan breads do tend to be a bit denser.

    Thanks, Zoë

  21. Voila! I took the last batch of deli rye from the fridge and let is rest overnight on parchment paper in the microwave (to protect from drafts) and then baked it in a preheated pot. I got the wonderful taste of your recipe and a crumb that is much more open and that i prefer.
    Next, I’ll try letting my boule dough rest out of the fridge overnight before baking to see if that works, too.

  22. Yesterday afternoon I left out a batch of Italian peasant bread for about 5 hours before baking–again, the crumb was fantastic.

    My husband tasted the deli rye and this bread and said it was the best bread in D.C. and we have some really excellent bakeries.

    Zoe,there is so much variation in flours, water,cooking methods, kitchen and oven temps etc..that I think everyone should experiment with the basic recipes until they figure out how to get the breads to their taste.
    In mine, baking in a dutch oven, and letting the breads sit out for a much longer rest before baking does it. (Only the brioche for some reason does not need that and works perfectly simply following the book’s recipe.)
    I also prefer a sour dough taste and find that to my palate the breads improve with time in the refrigerator.

  23. I am eager to try your overnight rise, Clarice! I too have been letting the formed loaves rest for a much longer time. . .How big are the loaves you are baking ?
    If anyone is using a Cuisinart enamel pot (often available at T.J Max and Marshall’s for a good price) I spoke to the company, and they said that it is ok. to preheat the empty pot but NOT to put cold dough straight from the fridge into the hot pot as the temp difference mught damage the enamel. so, this is another reason to have the risen loaf at room temp.

  24. Flour girl, With the Jeff and Zoe recipes I am making about 1 lb loaves (by eye).

    Generally, cooking them in a pre heated dutch oven (450 deg), takes 30 minutes with the lid on and about 15 minutes with the lid off. (Same as the Sullivan St bakery recipe)

    My dough seems quite cold when it gets out of the fridge and aven is cool and somewhat ineleastic to the touch after only 90 minutes in the kitchen.

    The recipes are quite tasty and you might find them more flavorful than what is locally avaiable following the 2 hour pre fridge rise and 90 minute pre bake rest, but to my taste, the longer the rise, the better the no knead bread.

  25. Tried it with the dutch oven and pizza stone on top sprinkled with sesame seeds, nice nutty flavor.

    Awesome, everyone liked it.

  26. I have been following this post with great interest and have found it VERY helpful. I never baked any bread until I bought your book, and now my family is in AWE 🙂 one thing I did was to place the ready dough on the stone, and invert my porcelain cast iron pot over it. solves the problem of getting the dough into the pot, and makes it easy to score, and remove from over. I do not have full strength in my hands so this was my work-around, and it is easy!

  27. Hello,

    We bumped into your blog and we really liked it – great recipes YUM!!! YUM!!!.

    We would be delighted if you could add your blog to Petitchef so that our users can, as us,
    enjoy your recipes.

    Petitchef is a french based Cooking recipes Portal.

    Best regards,

    Vincent

  28. Hi Zoe and Jeff. I’m enjoying my breads using your recipe but I don’t have time to wait 40 min – 1.5h + 30 min cooking time cos I would like to eat the bread for breakfast.

    Can I leave the dough to proof overnight (8 – 9h) at room temperature?

    Or what do you suggest assuming I don’t have 1+h to prepare breakfast?

  29. Thank you for the tips Clarice-they are much appreciated !
    I just mixed a batch of your N.Y. deli rye, Jeff and Zoe.
    (It brings back memories of my parents buying our bread at the Clearview bakery or at the Cakebox bakery on Bell Blvd.in Bayside N’Y. back in the 50’s) If I want to bake it in a covered enamel pot, should I use the cornstarch glaze immediately before baking, or should I paint it on after I remove the cover for the final browning of the loaf ?
    what if I wanted to bake an old -fashioned “corn rye” bread ? Would you substitute a little cornmeal or corn flour for a bit of the white flour? Then, would it need an addition of vital wheat gluten ?
    Many, many thanks for writing such a superb book and for being so generous in giving us all your xpert advice !

  30. PJ: It will overproof at RT overnight, but try the refrigerator proof: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=141, and scroll down about a third of the way for the instructions. The other option is to make a pita, which doesn’t require any resting time, check it out in the book.

    FG: YOU COME FROM BAYSIDE? I’m from Little Neck, and my wife’s from Bayside. It’s a small bread world!

    I’d try the cornstarch at the beginning, and then re-paint for the open phase of baking. The “corn” bread you’re thinking of doesn’t actually have corn… it’s just a very high rye, with a lot of natural sour. You can approximate it with our method by kicking up the rye and the water in the Deli Rye recipe, and adding vital wheat gluten. See https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142

  31. jeff, Honest, the rye did not overproof overnight at RT–I don’t know why but it didn’t. In fact, it was incredible.

    Now, it is possible that I had not proofed it sufficiently before refrigerating it–that 2 hours was not enough, but it did work.
    (Bread is mysterious–so many variables.Maybe my rye flour–I used KF rye mixtures.)

  32. Jeff and Zoe, have you tried partially baking the bread and finishing it up in the morning?
    Would it be possible to do the covered bake for say 1/2 hour..remove the bread overnight and then bake it for the last 10-15 minutes uncovered in the morning?

  33. It really is a small world,I grew up in Bay Terrace-went to Bayside High and Queens College…
    Thanks for the advice on the glaze for the rye bread ! I will try it Sunday.
    Tonight I am trying an overnight rise with my last pound of Italian peasant bread. . .
    My kitchen in Ct. is so cold that it’s almost like a refrigerator -certainly no more than 55 degrees at night.Maybe Clarice’s kitchen is cold too, and that’s why her overnight rise works so well?

  34. Flour Girl, I think it may have worked so well because perhaps my first rise was insufficient. I left the latest batch do a longer first rise and it seemed lighter, higher and bubblier than the first batch–If so I will do the overnight rise in the fridge.

    It could well be that my kitchen was too cold, but I believe I did that last rise in the microwave to avoid drafts.

    The only dough recipe I made that really rose in 2 hours before refrigerating was the brioche dough.
    I don’t mind experimenting–it isn’t as though the flour and salt and yeast is so expensive or that the less than perfect loaves aren’t still good.

  35. Hi Clarice,

    Yes, this will work just fine. I would parbake the loaf, let it cool completely and then wrap the bread so that it doesn’t dry out. Usually I wouldn’t wrap the bread in order to preserve the crust. But, since you will be recrisping it anyway I think it would be better to wrap.

    Let us know how it goes!

    Thanks, Zoë

  36. Clarice-Thanks for the idea about proofing at room temp overnight ! I just baked a little Italian peasant bread that had rested in a covered pot 12 1/2 hrs. at 55degrees, and it wasn’t overproofed at all. In fact , it rose better than the refrgerator rise loaf did. And it WAS originally well proofed before I put it in the fridge fo rest for a few days ! I topped it with a mixture of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic , and dried onion-a homemade version of KA ” everything” topping-and it does smell inviting. (I also used a bit of this mixture inside the dough when I gently rolled it to shape it .)
    Sorry Clarice , I did actually did beat you to it
    ;-). Parbaking in that way you have even more flexibility on timing, and as an extra perk-the crust gets even crisper.
    Thanks Zoe and Jeff for constantly refining your recipes, and for all the great advice. Now I have to experiment with your pizza dough and your suggestions on trying the recipes using less yeast!

  37. Flour girl,
    Last night I baked an Italian peasant bread that I’d left out for about 10 hours (forgot to note exact time). It came out a bit flatter in shape but very delicious..and less tight crumbed than it did with a shorter rise.
    The KA everything topping is what I use on the deli rye–it is delicious.

  38. A poster at another site suggested this container for baking:

    “Finally, you don’t need a proper dutch oven. I baked a wonderful loaf yesterday in a flower pot (10 1/2 unglazed terra cotta bulb pan with saucer). The pot was pre-baked after getting a Crisco coating to make it somewhat non-stick. Put it in a cold oven and heat to 250, then 350, then 450 for 20 minutes each, and then let it cool. (Don’t wash with soapy water, just rinse). I put a round a foil in the bottom to cover the hole. I preheated it to 450 from a cold oven, plopped in the dough, and covered the pot with the saucer. 20 minutes later I removed the saucer and finished baking it. I think I got better results this way than even in a dutch oven. And it was lot cheaper!”

  39. Clarisse –
    Thank you so much for the creative flowerpot idea. . .I had heard about it, but I never read all the details-it sounds like it would be fun to try.
    Have you actually done it yet ?

    It’s a good thing we’re not on ” Atkins” with all this bread !
    Is it cost effective to use the premixed ” Everything ” topping ? It does sound very convenient to have on hand. . . I’m waiting for a free shipping offer then I’ll splurge on some of their goodies.
    Happy baking !

  40. I don’t know if it’s cost effective –just that it’s good. They are also offering small pots to bake small decorated cakes in and I notice that Martha Stewart uses the real things for the same purpose–Really, Eastern Europeans have long made Easter pashkas in them so why not cupcakes and bread? They are essentially the same material as clay rumertopfs and cloches though of course you must be careful to clean them well before using them to bake in.

  41. Flour girl, another good KAF product is their olive bread additive..I substitute about 1/4 cup of flour in the Lehay recipe with it and it make a great olive bread..I haven’t used it with the 5 minute loaves yet..

  42. Hi Clarisse!
    I now have 3 varieties of breads that I’ve sliced into, and one new one resting in the fridge. Thanks so much for all the suggestions ! I look forward to trying some of the KA goodies.
    I was about to tell YOU about the pashka-which I;ve always wanted to try. . . I adore all varieties of cheesecake. . .Martha Stewart does have some lovely ideas…I used to see her at ” Hayday” in Westport Ct.
    where we both went for coffee years ago before her little “problem “. Let me know how the flowerpots work if you do try them . . .
    Jeff and Zoe-
    I am so disappointed in my rye bread 🙁 It tastes wonderful, but no matter what
    I tried ( I even rolled a teatowel on either side of the parchment to prevent it from spreading like an amoeba, it just wanted to grow horizontally! I should write a bread book and call it ” “Sideways.” The crumb was good, but certainly not as open as yours, so it probably wasn’t a question of too much water. Maybe I handled it too much when shaping? I did a letter fold and then rolled it gently into a cylinder about 8×3 . I used KA bread flour and 2tsp of vital wheat gluten with the 1 cup of rye in your master deli rye recipe. Any tricks for coralling a loaf into the desired shape ? When I use my little 2 3/4 round le Creuset for up to 1 1/2 pound of dough
    there’s no problem – because the dough is forced to grow upwards. ..but I wanted to do a more traditional oval shape.
    What should I try next time ?
    Many thanks for your help !

  43. . . .
    Jeff and Zoe-
    The website keeps giving me a ” duplicate message ” detected warning. . .
    I am so disappointed in my rye bread 🙁 It tastes wonderful, but no matter what
    I tried ( I even rolled a teatowel on either side of the parchment to prevent it from spreading like an amoeba, it just wanted to grow horizontally! I should write a bread book and call it ” “Sideways.” The crumb was good, but certainly not as open as yours, so it probably wasn’t a question of too much water. Maybe I handled it too much when shaping? I did a letter fold and then rolled it gently into a cylinder about 8×3 . I used KA bread flour and 2tsp of vital wheat gluten with the 1 cup of rye in your master deli rye recipe. Any tricks for coralling a loaf into the desired shape ? When I use my little 2 3/4 round le Creuset for up to 1 1/2 pound of dough
    there’s no problem – because the dough is forced to grow upwards. ..but I wanted to do a more traditional oval shape.
    What should I try next time ?
    Many thanks for your help !

  44. Clarisse- I am looking forward to trying some of those KA goodies-
    Do let me know how the flowerpot turns out. Martha Stewart certainly has lots of creative ideas. . .She used to live in Westport and we sometimes had coffee in the same “Hayday “coffee bar years ago.
    I was just going to tell YOU about pashka. I think it;s the only cheesecake I’ve not tried yet. . .After bread and chocolate, cheesecake is definitely one of my all time favorites.

  45. FG: Just try drying out the rye dough a little– decrease the water by a quarter cup at a time and see what you think.

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