Dutch Oven Bread Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

Serves

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
  • Vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray
  • Olive oil

Procedure

Combine the flour, water, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Depending on the size of the bowl, you may need to stop the mixer and remove the dough from the dough hook if the dough is not developing thoroughly. When the dough looks smooth, cut off a piece and stretch it. If it stretches to the point of transparency, it’s mixed enough. If not, continue mixing.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover it with a pot lid or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size and does not spring back when you push your finger into it, 2 to 4 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it to release the gas and redistribute the yeast. Shape it roughly into a ball, cover it with a towel, and let stand for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

Shape the dough into a tight ball—the tighter the better—by rolling it on the work surface between your palms.

Spray or coat the bottom and sides of a large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot (5 ½ quarts or larger) with vegetable oil. Put the dough in the center of the pot and place the lid on. Allow the dough to rise again, 30 to 60 minutes (less if it’s very hot and humid, more if it’s cold).

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil, or more if you like, gently over the surface of the dough. Score the bread with a sharp knife or razor, making an X or a hash mark; this will allow the dough to expand freely. Sprinkle the dough with salt. Cover the pot and place it in the oven.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, and continue baking until the bread is nicely browned and cooked through. It should have an internal temperature of 200°F or so when done.

Allow the bread to rest on a rack for at least 30 minutes so that the interior finishes cooking.

Note: Only our Signature phenolic knobs and stainless steel knobs are oven-safe at this temperature. Classic phenolic knobs are oven-safe to 375°F. If using a Classic oven, remove the knob when baking at temperatures higher than 375°F.

By Le Creuset

Serves

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
  • Vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray
  • Olive oil

Procedure

Combine the flour, water, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Depending on the size of the bowl, you may need to stop the mixer and remove the dough from the dough hook if the dough is not developing thoroughly. When the dough looks smooth, cut off a piece and stretch it. If it stretches to the point of transparency, it’s mixed enough. If not, continue mixing.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover it with a pot lid or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size and does not spring back when you push your finger into it, 2 to 4 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it to release the gas and redistribute the yeast. Shape it roughly into a ball, cover it with a towel, and let stand for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

Shape the dough into a tight ball—the tighter the better—by rolling it on the work surface between your palms.

Spray or coat the bottom and sides of a large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot (5 ½ quarts or larger) with vegetable oil. Put the dough in the center of the pot and place the lid on. Allow the dough to rise again, 30 to 60 minutes (less if it’s very hot and humid, more if it’s cold).

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil, or more if you like, gently over the surface of the dough. Score the bread with a sharp knife or razor, making an X or a hash mark; this will allow the dough to expand freely. Sprinkle the dough with salt. Cover the pot and place it in the oven.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, and continue baking until the bread is nicely browned and cooked through. It should have an internal temperature of 200°F or so when done.

Allow the bread to rest on a rack for at least 30 minutes so that the interior finishes cooking.

Note: Only our Signature phenolic knobs and stainless steel knobs are oven-safe at this temperature. Classic phenolic knobs are oven-safe to 375°F. If using a Classic oven, remove the knob when baking at temperatures higher than 375°F.

Dutch Oven Bread Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake bread in a Dutch oven? ›

The side-by-side comparison shows that bread baking in a Dutch oven (and preheating it first) is the key to making an artisan-looking loaf. More steam is created inside the preheated Bread and Potato Pot than when water is poured into a pan in the bottom of the oven, one trick for making crusty bread.

How do you bake bread in a Dutch oven without burning the bottom? ›

To prevent burning, use coarse cornmeal or wheat bran

This layer helps keep the dough from sticking to the cast iron but also lifts it up to prevent burning. Sprinkle a generous amount of coarse corn onto the pan after it's preheated and just before you turn your dough onto the pan to score.

Why is my Dutch oven bread so hard? ›

Any tips for preventing a thick, hard crust on the bottom of my bread done in a Dutch oven? Make sure you are using a heavy gauge Dutch oven and that it isn't too close to the bottom heat element in your oven. If you are still getting a thick, hard crust, you can put a pillow of foil down, like this.

Is there anything you shouldn't cook in a Dutch oven? ›

Don't cook acidic foods

If your Dutch oven is enamel coated, then you can easily use it to cook homemade tomato sauce or any other acidic foods. However, it's not a good idea to simmer these types of foods when you're using any type of kitchen kit made from cast iron.

What does it mean to give a girl a Dutch oven? ›

Dutch oven is a slang term for farting in bed and pulling the covers over your partner's head, sealing in the stench of your gas. This gassy gag is named after an actual cooking device called a Dutch oven: a large metal pot that traps heat (and smells) under its lid.

Should I put parchment paper in Dutch oven for bread? ›

You can shape your dough on a rectangular sheet of parchment paper, then use it to safely lower the dough into your Dutch oven. Once your gorgeous loaf of bread is finished cooking, the parchment paper makes removing the loaf super easy.

Do you put parchment paper in Dutch oven for bread? ›

If the bottom of your Dutch oven isn't enamel-coated, it's best to use the parchment paper. Mine is enamel-coated, but I find it easier to keep the round shape of the dough if I just place it in the Dutch oven with the parchment paper. Whatever works fer ya!

What happens if you don't preheat Dutch oven for bread? ›

Biscuits and scones started in a cold oven don't rise as high and are drier. And crusty breads made with “lean” doughs (baguettes, ciabatta, pizza crust) should bake hot and fast (read: preheated oven). One exception: crusty bread baked in a Dutch oven, which produces excellent results when started in a cold oven.

Why does my bread burn in my Dutch oven? ›

Depending on the size of the loaf, the bottom crust might get overdone or burned. One way to avoid this is to bake smaller loaves that don't stay in the dutch oven as long. But another way, is to place something in the bottom of the dutch oven to diffuse the heat.

Why is my Dutch oven bread gummy? ›

If your bread is gummy and dense, check your oven temperature. Gummy bread is usually the result of the crust forming before the bread inside has had a chance to fully expand. Turn down the oven temperature if needed!

What temperature do you bake bread in a Dutch oven? ›

Preheat Dutch Oven & Bake

Right before you pull the dough out of the bowl, place the dutch oven into the oven and preheat it to 450 degrees F. Placing the artisan bread dough into the warm dutch oven results in a golden-brown crispy crust.

Can a Dutch oven be too big for bread? ›

You can still cook all the bread recipes that were written for a larger Dutch. There are a couple of things to keep in mind, however. For example, if you find yourself with a lot of dough, you might want to reduce the recipe by a third to fit nicely in the 3.5-quart Dutch oven.

What is the best size Dutch oven for baking bread? ›

You just need a lid to cover it and the proper heat-conducting cast-iron material, and your bread will come out perfectly every time. Size & Shape: Look for a 6- to 7-quart, round Dutch oven. Anything much bigger will cause the bread to spread out and go flat.

What does it mean when someone is a Dutch oven? ›

Dutch oven (practical joke), flatulating on someone and pulling a blanket or cover over their head, based on a slang phrase describing the mechanics of the cooking pot of the same name.

What does Dutch oven mean slang? ›

(rail transport) A protective cover for electrical contacts on a railway coupler, particularly but not exclusively used on the London Underground. (slang) The situation where a person breaks wind under the bedcovers, sometimes pulling them over a bedmate's head as a prank.

What are the 2 types of Dutch Ovens? ›

Seasoned and enamel cast iron are two of the most popular types of Dutch oven, so let's look at a side-by-side comparison of these two options. Seasoned cast iron and enamel cast iron are two of the most popular types of Dutch oven, so let's look at a side-by-side comparison of these two Dutch oven options.

What is the heck is a Dutch oven? ›

At its core, a Dutch oven is a casserole dish with thick, high walls and a tight-fitting lid. The heavy lid is crucial to lock in moisture, as it results in more flavorful food.

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