Easy Dutch Oven Bread (and sweater vest dreams)
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Today’s bread is a really simple one requiring very little work. Most of the time is spent ignoring it while it does its thing and you go about your business. This is a crusty bread on the outside with that wonderful hard crust and a chewy bread on the inside, which I love!
BUT FIRST I wanna tell you a little story…
I am a very motivated person. I get these ideas and I get EXCITED and I run with them. The bad thing is, I generally get a few miles down the road before I get ANOTHER idea and then I get excited about IT and then I want to abandon first idea, because it was cool but I’ve already done it at that point, and go run with idea #2 because it is new and exciting. Welcome to adult ADD, never a dull moment here 
So I have had to learn self control and acquire the ability to stand back and examine an idea for feasibility. Still, even though the majority of my ideas get filed away these days due to lack of time and energy, others I still allow myself to enjoy for a bit even though it is too impractical to put into practice.
This morning, as I pulled my tenth loaf of bread out of the oven in two days, I thought of how nice and simple life would be if I baked bread for a living out of my home. Think about it. Get up in the morning, knead the risen dough and shape into loaves, place it in pans and allow it to rise while I worked up the dough for the following day’s bread. Hours later pull golden loaves out of the oven and turn them out to cool while I washed my loaf pans (my husband will be particularly excited to see this dream includes me washing dishes).
Then, once the loaves are cooled I would package them and head out of the house to deliver to all of the people just sitting at home waiting on me to bring them fresh baked bread.
Of course, there would have to be a movie soundtrack playing in the background, an upbeat little piano number, and I’d have to be one of those people who never wears makeup but always looks good (I’m pulling out the serious fiction for myself here). My initial thoughts were that I’d hop on a bicycle to deliver them but in my head I can’t help but picture this as some sort of an eighties movie and I’m in a mini van wearing mom jeans and a sweater vest over an oxford shirt. I dream big.
Then the reality comes into play that I do not have the heart of a business person and anytime I’ve tried to sell anything for profit I have always (consistently) lost money because I’d rather give things to people than sell them….so at this point I need to rewrite the movie so I’m married to a wealthy man and we live in a huge mansion, which means my eighties mini van goes poof and delivering bread in a ~tries to think of a fancy expensive car brand and fails~ Well, a fancy expensive car just doesn’t go along with the happy piano soundtrack and at this point I’m picturing myself looking like more of a Crystal Carington – because I can’t imagine this invisible rich man having the good sense to appreciate a woman in mom jeans and a sweater vest – and then I can’t imagine Crystal Carington baking bread.
Popped that dream bubble real quick.
So in lieu of me riding a bicycle and devoting my life to bad eighties fashion and flour acquisition, I’m just gonna share this bread recipe with you and let you make it on your own.
I’ve seen recipes for bread like this all over the internet and several months back I made it for the first time, loved it, made it two or three more times, loved it again, then forgot about it. How often do you do that with a recipe? I never considered posting it because it had been on someone else’s food blog and I know firsthand how much it costs to run a blog so the last thing I want to do is post someone else’s recipe and take away the traffic that helps them pay the light bill. So I never intended to share this delicious bread with you because other folks had shared it elsewhere….then I got my issue of Grit magazine and saw the bread again in there. Then I opened my eyes and realized this bread is kind of everywhere and we all do little things differently when we make it. For example, I’m even lazier and ignore half of the instructions but it turns out just fine!
So I decided to make it showing the way and the recipe that works for me and telling you how to do it in my own words with love to the original post where I got the first recipe I tried from, and to Grit magazine who reminded me to make it again. Google search pulls up over 80,000 other versions of this recipe currently so here we go with 80,001
I have a few breads I’d like to eventually show you because I really believe that everyone needs to know how to make at least one bread from scratch. It is an essential skill that literally helped mankind survive for thousands of years and you never know when we’ll need it again – PLUS, it just tastes so stinking good!
When I was expecting my Katy Rose, I got this hankering for these hard crusty dinner rolls with chewy innards that were sold at Atlanta Bread company. I used to ask my husband to stop by a few times a week just to get me two or three dinner rolls to munch on during the day. Well, this bread reminds me of that, only it’s better.
I’ll probably bring you some other versions of it eventually as well.
Not literally bring, because I don’t currently have a biccyle or a sweater vest, but figuratively bring…because I do have this website
You’ll need: Hot water, yeast, bread flour, and salt.
NOTE ABOUT BRANDS : I prefer Red Star yeast when I can find it. It is easy to find in the packets here but I like to buy a jar because I use so much that I prefer less fuss, so I had to get Fleishmann’s last time I shopped. I have had better luck with Red Star yeast so if you see that, I’d suggest making it your first choice.
As for this bread flour, I usually use whatever I pick up first that is cheapest but there wasn’t a lot of selection where I ended up so grab some bread flour but don’t worry about getting this gold Medal. It works fine but one is just as good as the other.
You do need bread flour. All Purpose will work in some way but I’ve never made this bread with all purpose flour so you’re flying solo if you choose to go on that mission
I do love my Kosher salt but plain table salt will work just as well.
You’re also going to need a cast iron dutch oven, such as my Lodge Dutch oven here.
I got this for Mother’s Day a few years back and it is well used.
Also, it is dirty in this photo because I needed to do dishes in a bad way but the sink was too full of dirty dishes to be able to do them at the particular moment that I needed a photograph.
Life is just crazy like that
An enamel coated cast iron dutch oven is important here and the Lodge ones are very affordable. A lot of folks want Le Crueset but my Le Wallet can afford Lodge. Not to mention it understands my Alabama accent because it’s all made in Tennessee.
Place all of your dry ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl. This means your flour, salt, and yeast.
Let me show you something about the yeast…
When I say a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, this is what I mean.
Just kinda use a 1/4 teaspoon to scoop it out and then add whatever decides to come with it
Now stir all of those dry ingredients together.
Stir all of your dry ingredients together really well.
Pour in your water.
Now remember that in yeast bread, if your water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If your water is too cold, it will take ten forevers for your yeast to come alive. The trick is “baby bath water”. Anyone who has ever given a baby a bath knows just how that feels. Hot, but not too hot, more of warm water on the hot end of the scale
Stir that up until it is a glob.
You can use a mixing bowl for this but I have these handy little bread buckets I use that have a sealing plastic lid and plenty of room for the bread to rise. However, this particular bread isn’t going to rise very much so a large bowl will be just fine.
I have some breads that overflow an eight quart container!
Spray cooking spray in a bowl (or bread bucket) and cover to seal.
Set aside and let it rise for 12-18 hours.
The ideal thing is to let it rise overnight. This nice slow rise builds a wonderful texture for your bread but mostly it helps the bread’s flavor to develop.
This is what your bread will look like the following morning.
All bubbly and spongey and OH MY GOODNESS IT’S ALIVE-Y. ~smiles~
Dust a surface with flour.
Okay when I say dust, I mean coat
This is what your bread will look like from the top before you dump it out.
Now dump it out like yesterday’s troubles!
!SPLAT!
Sprinkle some more flour over the top of it.
Now lay a piece of cling or saran wrap over it…
Cover with a dish towel.
Let rise again for about 2 hours.
When you’re done letting your bread rise, preheat your oven to 475.
Please note: 475 degrees is hot.
Place your cast iron dutch oven into the stove with the lid on for 30 minutes.
Please make sure the knob on the top of your dutch oven is heatproof. I purchased a new knob for mine because the original one was not. If your knob is not heatproof it will come out of the oven looking like a deflated balloon that fell on top of your lid. Trust that I speak from experience here…
This is my dough all ready to go.
And as you can tell I did make my bread in the morning so we have a lovely plant shadow from the rising sun.
Remove your hot hot pot VERY Carefully
Please note again: 475 degrees is hot. I’m sooo not kidding here.
Pick up your bread dough with both hands and kinda sorta shape it into a ball as you dump it into the pot, without touching the pot.
I know I sound like a broken record here but in case anyone missed it and just so we don’t have any McDonald’s “How dare you serve me hot coffee” moments – this pot is going to be hotter than Hades after it’s been cranked up a few thousand years and gotten past the mild stuff.
Put your lid back on the pot and return to the oven.
Bake at 475 for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven.
This is what you have. Isn’t that gorgeous?
I could happily live on this bread the rest of my life.
Well, I might need some pintos…and maybe a little fried chicken from time to time….and perhaps a little apple pie…or banana pudding…and some tea of course.
But I’d be most content, I’m sure!
Think you might want to make this later? Save it to your recipe box!
Ingredients
- 3 cups Bread Flour
- 1 +1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Heaping 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast - (not fast acting or bread machine yeast)
- 2 cups warm water
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, and yeast. Stir together until well mixed. Add water and stir until a sticky dough forms and there are no dry patches. Cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and place in a warm place to rise 12-18 hours.
- Turn risen bread out onto a floured surface and dust with more flour. Cover with cling wrap and then a dish towel and allow to rise for another two hours.
- Thirty minutes before bread is finished rising, preheat oven to 475 and place cast iron dutch oven, lid and all, into oven to preheat for thirty minutes.
- Remove dutch oven and carefully set on a heat resistant surface. Set lid aside on another heat resistant surface. Using both hands, pick up dough and shape into a ball before dropping it into the pot.
- Place lid back on pot and return to 475 degree oven for 30 minutes.
- After thirty minutes remove lid and continue baking bread for another 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely.
Print This Recipe
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
I received a lot of questions on this post and many of them seem to be the same ones so I thought I’d address them here to be able to help everyone. Thanks for asking !
What size dutch oven do you use?
Pictured here is my Six Quart Lodge enamel coated Dutch oven in Spice Red and my L Series dutch oven in Apple Green. You can click on either photo or name to get more information. I got my red one from Wal Mart and my green one last Christmas when I found an incredible deal on Amazon. Both of these can be ordered from Amazon and they usually have free shipping options. All you need is one and you’ll be good to go!
Common sizes are 3 quart, 4 quart, 6 quart, and 7.5 quart. Any of those sizes would work just fine.
What else can you use a dutch oven for?
Oh goodness, it is my FAVORITE pot to cook in on the stove top. I LOVE to make stews, chilis, soups, beans, spaghetti sauce, anything that you’d use a pot for you can use this pot for. If you’re making a soup or stew, brown your beef in the dutch oven, then drain it and toss everything else in for one pot cleanup. The reason why I love it so much is because of the heat retention and distribution qualities of cast iron. Regular pots just cook from the bottom but the cast iron distributes and retains the heat all around the pot so it actually cooks from all sides, which makes it quicker and more efficient.
THEN, once you’re done cooking, just put the lid on and turn off the heat and it will stay piping hot for at least an hour (much longer than that but I’ve never timed it or anything). Regular pots lose heat so fast and you end up having to heat things up if you cook a little earlier in the afternoon. Whenever I cook a little earlier, I try to use my dutch oven. I can get it done before the kids get out of school, put the lid on and go pick them up, then come home to a hot supper when my husband gets off work, even though the pot has sat on the stovetop with no heat turned on the entire time.
And yes, I have always used cast iron on my glass stove top. As long as the bottom of your cast iron pot is flat, it works perfectly!
Where did you get the oven proof knob for your dutch oven?
My dutch oven came with a regular knob that was just fine for temperatures on the stovetop but not for the high temperatures I subject it to in my oven when baking bread. I picked up a stainless steel replacement knob at the Lodge factory outlet store near me but you can order one online by clicking that little box over there. As someone pointed out in the comments, you can also pick up a stainless steel knob at a home supply store and use it as well.
I Don’t Have An Enamel Coated Dutch Oven? What Else Can I Use?
A regular cast iron dutch oven, like is commonly used in camping and such, should work just fine although I’ve only used my enamel coated ones in making this so I’m not telling you that for certain.
Many folks have talked about using a heavy dutch oven with a glass lid. While I know some of the old heavier ones will work, I would steer clear of putting a glass lid in the oven at these temperatures. Tempered glass is not made as well as it used to be and I’ve had one too many new fangled glass “oven proof” dishes explode upon taking them out of the oven to be willing to risk it.
If you have a thick and heavy dutch oven with a lid not made out of glass and an oven proof knob, it should work just fine.
Hint: If you don’t have an enamel coated dutch oven, Christmas is coming so put it at the top of your wish list! My husband and kids bought me mine. I took them to visit it several times and made sure they each knew exactly what I wanted to increase my odds, it worked! lol
Where Did You Get Your Bread Buckets and What Are They?
I bought my bread buckets at Sam’s Club for around twelve dollars back when I got them. They still have them every time I go in the restaurant supply section. Costco sells them as well and many places online but be careful because some folks are awfully proud of theirs! I’ve seen them priced as high as $30, which is ridiculous
I’d expect to pay anywhere between $12-$20 for a set of three. The ones at Sam’s are labeled with their house brand but in the bottom corner it says they are made by Rubbermaid – those are the ones I have. They came in a set of three with yellow lids that seal. They are technically “food storage buckets” but they work beautifully for bread, giving it plenty of room to rise and allowing you to see through the sides to see how far it has risen. The lids seal airtight as well, which saves me from having to grab saran wrap and dish towels every time I make bread.
These also have markings every inch or so on the outside of the bucket, making it easy to tell if your bread has doubled in size because many recipes call for letting it double.
Can I use All Purpose Flour?
As I mentioned in this post, I’ve never made it this way so I can’t speak from personal experience. However, someone chimed in that they have made it with all purpose and it turned out just fine, yay!
Do Dutch ovens actually understand Dutch?
You know I have a friend who speaks Dutch and I can’t understand a blessed word she says once she gets to going real good on it. She taught me how to say “apple” once but that was about as far as I got. For all I know, dutch ovens may very well speak Dutch because I only speak Alabamian and mine has spent the entirety of it’s life staring at me blankly from the stovetop. No one really asked this question but sometimes I gotta see if y’all are paying attention.
What is SAF yeast?
A few people mentioned preferring SAF yeast in the comments and a lot of folks had questions as to what that is. SAF is a brand of yeast, owned by the same company that makes Red Star Yeast, which I suggested. I have found that certain brands have better reliability for me, meaning they are active and fresh. This may very well depend on where you live and what the turnover is at your grocery store. Check the dates whenever you buy yeast and if you find a certain kind seems to always work better where you are, stick with that.
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
– Ernest Hemingway
Submitted by Jenny (thanks, Jenny!)
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Posted by Christy Jordan
on Sep 11 2012. Filed under Breads.
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This may be a bread that I can make! Never been good with ones you had to knead. I bought a pot like this out of the Lodge “Seconds” Room last year very cheap and have really enjoyed it. Thanks Christy!
Diane, I have faith in you! You will be a championship bread baker in no time at all! and hey, that seconds room if my favorite place! lol
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy,
Out of curiosity, what size is your dutch oven? A 6 or 7.5 qt.? Thanks!
Hey Gina! I put in a special Q&A that covers this at the bottom of the post. Y’all had some great questions!! Thank you!
Homemade bread is my guilty pleasure & Dutch oven bread is one of my favorites. Looks delicious Christy!
Thank you so much Mary! Hope you’re having a fabulous week!
Can’t wait to try this!!!
Oh Sandy, I can’t wait either! Please let me know how you like it!
Dear homemade bread,
How I have missed thee in mine belly. Thou must come calling soonst. Soonst?
Bro. Bill, mayhap thou meanest “right smartly.” hee-hee…..
Mama Jane, don’t we just loveth our Brother Bill so?
What size pot do you use? I have 5-6 qt sized ones. Are they too big?
Not at all Karen, the size of the pot doesn’t really matter.
Haven’t made homemade bread in 7-10 years. Cannot wait to try this. Bought yeast Saturday but no bread flour. Oh well, tomorrow is another day….
I hope you enjoy it Sheila!!
I make this bread–We love it too! Try it with some of your favorite soups. Love the crusty outside! I make it in a No. 8, 10 1/2 inch cast iron regular Dutch oven. I don’t have an enameled one, and it works fine. You can sprinkle a little cornmeal over the lump of dough before you dump it in the pot.
Thank you so much for letting us know Jean!! Several people have asked if it would work in a regular one, now we know thanks to you!
What do yall use your dutch ovens for other than this yummy looking bread? Thanks
I know with mine, I have made soups, chili’s and pot roast. I haven’t had it very long but I love it!
Renee,I have a cast iron dutch oven from Lodge ,which I have had and used since 1956 and it is like new.I cook green beans in mine.It makes the taste wonderful.Also I have cooked pot roast in it a lot,but anything just about that you might put in an oven can be cooked on top of your stove in the dutch oven with the lid on ofcourse.
Soups, stews, beans. Goodness, I use mine for all kinds of things. Really anything you would use a pot for.
I just pinned a recipe similar to this on Pinterest! Now I KNOW I have to try it! (and go out and buy a dutch oven!)
I hope you enjoy it Jennifer!
My Mom makes a similar bread in her cast iron dutch oven too! It’s the best bread ever!! I just got myself a beautiful red cast iron dutch oven just for baking this bread with the super easy recipe.
This bread will be fantastic for those fall days that are coming up fast!!
You are going to love your dutch oven Mary!!!
While this bread sounds absolutely devine, I’m scared to death that I will burn myself for sure…So if I promise to knit you a sweater-vest (I was thinking in a pretty shade of blue), could you drop off a loaf of this the next time you happen to be in my neck of the woods? In the meantime, I’ll work on selecting the movie soundtrack for ya! ~snickers~ Wait a minute… ~looking as pitiful as possible!~
Yumm-o! Thank you, Christie, for making sure us single gals know how to do a lil’ this and that in the kitchen! Make my own loaf of bread? Wow! My future-where ever-he-is-in-this-world husband will be impressed!
)
He is going to be impressed for certain Bella!! And he is also going to be the luckiest man in the world to have you!!
Christy
What is the difference in Kosher salt and Sea salt ?? Is one better than the other ??
Thanks
Both are delicious salts and not processed very much. I’d use them interchangeably
Ok Christy I have a lodge cast iron dutch oven (bean pot) but it’s not enamel on the inside….so do you think it’s gonna work? By the way thanks for a wonderful recipe that isn’t a marathon list!
I think it will work just fine Lulu. Let me know if you try it please.
I have those type of dreams too Christy, except mine is owning a bed and breakfast and cooking breakfast for people. I am pretty good with breakfast except for biscuits I still need to work on those.
I can’t wait to try this recipe I can just image eatting a big old pot of your v8 juice soup with some crusty white bread.
Can I come for breakfast when you open Raquel?? Ohh, I might have to come for dinner as well if you are making bread and soup!
Of course….I would be delight to have you and your family. One day I will have one and it will be sown in St Augustine Florida in the downtown district so you can walk and shop after I filled you bellies up
This looks fun! I’m interested in your bread containers. Can you tell us more about them? I, also, would like to know what size your dutch oven is.
I answer all these in an addition I added to the bottom of the post Nickie.
Christy… I’ve looked everywhere for a metal replacement knob for the top of my Dutch Oven… mine came with the plastic type too and it’s already blistered from putting it in a really hot oven. Thanks, Glen
@Glen – look below at my post for getting a knob from Home Depot
Also, Amazon sells steel replacement knobs for LeCreuset for around $13.
Christy. I made this bread from my Pinterest pin last week. It was delish, but way to big a loaf for two folks. So, I am going to use your recipe for the smaller loaf tomorrow. Planning to make whole wheat by substituting half of the flour with whole wheat flour and adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of molasses. I’ll let you know how it turns out…
I can’t wait to hear Sedalia!
Who makes the bread bucket and where did you buy it?
I want to know too! It is so cute!!
I got mine at Sam’s Arlene, they are made by Rubbermaid. I added a Q & A section to the bottom of the post that will tell you all about them.
I make this fail-proof bread often. My family loves it. I just leave it to rise in the bowl that I mix it in. I use half whole wheat and it turns out lovely. I also love my dutch oven. I call it “the precious.”
~giggles~ I love the name you chose!! I think I have to name mine now.
Isn’t this a wonderful bread recipe. Now have some fun with it. I add all kinds of stuff. Fresh basil, rosemary, thyme sun dried tomatoes, cheeses, etc. All purpose flour works fine as does rapid rise yeast. It really is my go- to bread. Makes great bread crumbs, add to your stuffing, croutons, the list goes on.
Thanks for sharing Beverly!! I think I am going to have to add some herbs in my next batch!
That looks delish! I wish I had a dutch oven just so that I could make this!
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Yum!! I would be interested in all the inqueries also. Christy, this looks delish! Must make it soon with my gluten-free flours as I am allergic to wheat and my Hubbs eats low glycemic due to high blood pressure induced by high glycemic foods, ingredients and juices and sugars. We substitute in your recipes with like foods we can have and they always come out wonderful as I’m sure lots of your different needs fans do too. Thanks for all your super great recipes and writings! We your loyal followers love you!!
Thank you so much Betty, I am always so glad to hear that substitutions work well! I added a Question and Answer section to the bottom of the post to help answer a lot of the questions people are having.
Oh, Miss Christy, that do look good. I hate to say though, that Lodge Dutch oven is made in China. I know, I was heartbroken and mad as a wet hen when the sales clerk finally owned up. It only says that on the box.
Durn it…no ‘fancy’ enameled dutch oven in my house. Hmmm..do have a friend with one tho.
She took the plastic knob off hers also and replaced with a steel one from Home Depot – it looks like this one – http://www.lowes.com/pd_229088-77652-S105-69-DBK_0__?productId=1235799&cm_mmc=SCE_shopzilla-_-Shopzilla-_-Shopzilla-_-Gatehouse%202.75-in%20Matte%20Black%20Oval%20Cabinet%20Knob
Old blacksmith trick about it taking longer to heat up when it’s not solid. Would help on the stove, but in oven, of course would still be super hot! (had to add that disclaimer just like Christy did..heehee) Be sure to get a steel knob, not brass because brass heats up fast. Any knob would do – just take the knob and screw off your dutch oven to do compares at HD.
yes Christy it would really help to know if a reg. cast iron pan will work, and what particular size is necessary for this size bread. thanks, it does sound wonderful and I want to try it.
I answered a lot of these questions in a Q & A section I added at the bottom of the post. Lots of people had the same type questions and I figured that would be easier for everyone, the size of the pan doesn’t really matter so yes, it would work is the short answer. For the long one, check the post.
Christy- Is there a recipe for bread than can be started in a Crock Pot and finished in the oven?
Hi Christy! I’ve been making this bread for a couple of years now and love, love it! I always use AP-flour and it comes out perfect. Also, you were talking about yeast and I thought I’d share my fave. I use the SAF Instant Yeast. I buy the pound package, put it in an air tight container and store in the freezer. I’ve been using it for about 5 years and it’s never failed me. The nice thing about it is you don’t need to worry about warm and/or cool water temps. Thanks for all the great stories..oh and recipes too!
~Peggy
Thank you for sharing Peggy!!! I am so glad you enjoy the recipes and the stories!!
Wow, the timing of this post is ironic. I just baked up a loaf of this bread
this morning.
It wasn’t your recipe, but it was identical except the recipe I used called for
1/2 t. of yeast instead of a heaping 1/4 t.
I do have a question, though.
I was a little disappointed because it didn’t have a “yeasty” flavor. It seemed
rather bland, however, the look and texture were marvelous!
Is this the usual flavor?
That is the typical flavor of this bread Pamela. It is more of an artisan type bread.
Hi Christy love your blog and I need to ask a question about self-rising flour. I am not a fan of baking soda or baking power they have sort of a tawng that just deflates my enthusiaum about eating anything made with it. What I want to know is if I can substitute self-rising flour for plain flour in cakes and things that use plain flour and baking soda or baking powder?? I have been wondering this for years I won’t even taste a biscuit made from baking soda or powder and get teased quite a bit by my family but I just cannot stand that awful taste. Any help with this would really be appreciated.
Brenda Jones
Whew, that is a hard one Brenda. As a general rule the answer is yes, you can substitute. There are going to be a few recipes that won’t turn out as well, but overall you should be fine with substituting.
Christy what is SAF yeast i never heard of it here in VA also two more ?s one is what is a bread bucket and where do you buy them? also my lodge pot says it cant be heated empty in the booklet that came with it and it as white like material inside of it and the lid looks metal like the pot top but not sure bout this how do i tell if it is or isnt heat proof the lid knob? new cook so need big help
I answered all of your questions in a Q & A section I added to the post. So many folks have a lot of the same questions so I though maybe I should do it that way. If your knob is metal, it is heat proof. They made some that had a rubber style knob and those are not heat proof.
mkkiki~ SAF is instant yeast. I buy it from http://www.kingarthurflour.com in a bulk 1 pound package. I just store it in the freezer and use it straight from the freezer. There’s no need to let it come to room temp. It doesn’t have to be proofed in warm water like other yeasts. I love it and have been using it for about 5 years now. I know it is available in stores in larger towns. King Arthur Flour’s website is a great source for recipes and they have a great online store for all baking needs. You can even call them and they have bakers who will answer your questions. They also answer questions via email…usually within an hour or so. I just love them!
Yummy, looks like I need to get myself a dutch oven, can’t wait to try this.
I’ve printed the recipe out & plan to make it in the next few days…I love to smell fresh bread baking…ahhhhhh. It makes the whole house smell so good!
I agree Peggy, fresh bread does make the house smell divine!! I hope you enjoy the bread!!
i have a very heavy stainless steel pot with a heavy tempered glass lid, could i use that, i don’t have a cast iron pot.
I added some questions and answers to the bottom of the post Lotte, but no, I wouldn’t use a glass lid, I explained why in the Q and A part.
thank you, i am sorry, i did not see that yesterday, take care and peace
LOVE your story, sister! Sounds like the kind that run through my head…. us ADD women have got to keep reaching out into the great blue yonder… after-all, we keep life interesting~crazy~ fun for our hubbies, families, and friends. Now, I better go do those dishes..after I mix up that bread dough.
I hope you enjoy the bread Cheryl!! When you are done can you come do my dishes??
Hi Cristy,
Can you tell us what size your Dutch oven is? This bread looks delisious, and I can’t wait to try it! Thank you!!
I answered this question and several others that folks have had at the bottom of the post. I hope that helps Sheena!
I am so glad to see you use the term: “so stinking good!” I and my sisters and brothers (there are 7of us total) used that as we were growing up and we still use it! My kids are kind of sick of it, because they don’t understand…
But I digress. I really wanted to tell you that I love this bread. And I have put the recipe away for who knows how long and am hoping to resurrect it too. Many more loaves of bread to you!
What if you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven…can anything else be used?
Bread bucket? What brand or where can it be found? Also, I was in a Lodge outlet recently and they had several sizes enameled cast iron dutch ovens – what size do you use?
I added in a question and answer section at the bottom of the post that will answer these questions for you Cyndy.
I am not a bread baker but this fits the bill of not a lot of work..just time. I have a Le Creuset dutch oven. I got it at a garage sale for $3. LOL
Oh WOW! That was the deal of the century!!
I make something similar but I just dump my dough after the first rising into the greased Lodge ware and let it rise the second time in that and then heat up the oven and throw it in. It works just fine.
Thanks Christy- i recently found a Lodge 6 quart on sale at Amazon.com for 1/2 price and got it since i see them in so many cooking shows- well the Le expensive ones anyway- i laughed when you said about le wallet me too- and its been sitting in its box so i thank you for the ideas for use and also the cautions i,e, i didnt realize it cooked from all sides! will have to be very careful with it. ps for all the new buyers they have the replacement knobs on Amazon too- but if you buy now you should be good – i.e. mine has a oven safe one on it– i checked.
The Aldi Food Store sells pieces of the coated cast iron really cheap (including the Dutch Oven) around Christmas time…
Christy… Just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. I love homemade bread – but cannot do the kneading because of issues with my joints (I have lupus and fibro). So excited to try this! Thanks again!
I read an online review about the Lodge cast iron dutch oven, there were a few people posting that using tomatoes in them caused a reaction, since I use tomatoes in all my soups and stews, I decided against one, then I see your post about making soups and stews, now I’m confused….
That refers to the cast iron Dutch oven that does not have an enamel coating, not the one Christy used in her recipe.
I have read and reread this post several times looking for amounts of flour, salt, and water..and all I see is the heaping 1/4 tsp of yeast…. how much of everything else?
Hey Renee, if you will scroll down to the bottom of the post here is a really big recipe card that has the entire recipe along with print options, save to your recipe box options, and more. I always put the recipe at the bottom of each of my posts so you’ll know where to look. Hope this helps!
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy, I just took my loaf out of the oven 5 minutes ago. It’s GORGEOUS! I use my dutch oven for almost everything except ‘naner pudding! My favorite character in literature (Augustus McCall-Lonesome Dove) kept a starter dough and baked his biscuits in a dutch oven outside over a fire every day while he was reading scripture and before all the other cowboys woke up. I think of that quite often when I am using my dutch oven. This is the first time I have ever baked bread in it, ‘tho, but if this bread is a delicious as it looks and smells, I bet I bake in it all the time from now on!
I’m crazy, it is Augustus McRae! (Not McCall)….duh