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dutch oven bread 101

TchrLdy71 avatar
Recipe by
Fran Miller
@TchrLdy71
Parkersburg, WV

Who knew that making a loaf of artisan bread could be so easy? This no-knead recipe can be measured and stirred together in 5 minutes, then left on the counter for 12-18 hours until you decide you want to make and eat it in about 3 hours. You do need an oven-proof Dutch oven with an oven-proof lid to make this bread. Parchment paper will also make it easier to get the dough into the hot pan. Oh, yes. You need GOOD oven mitts! Really good ones. =^..^= The photos show a recent baking of Cinnamon Raisin Dutch Oven Bread.

yield 6 -8, depending on serving size
prep time 5 Min
cook time 45 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For dutch oven bread 101

  • BASIC BREAD DOUGH
  • 3 c
    bread flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 1/2 tsp
    *heaping* active dry yeast, or 1 envelope
  • 1 1/2 c
    warm water

How To Make dutch oven bread 101

  • 1
    Stir the dry ingredients (flour, salt, yeast) together.
  • 2
    Add the warm water (think: baby's bath water) and stir until moistened.
  • 3
    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a dish towel OR place into a bread bucket with a lid. Ignore for 12-18 or so hours.
  • 4
    Two hours before you want to bake your bread, put a sheet of parchment paper** on your counter and dump the bread dough onto it. It will be very wet and sticky, which is normal for this bread. Cover with cling wrap & the dish towel. **If you don't have parchment paper, flour your counter, dump out the wet, sticky dough, then sprinkle a little more flour on the top before covering with cling wrap & the dish towel.
  • 5
    About 90 minutes into the wait, put your dutch oven with the oven-proof lid into the oven and turn the heat to 450 degrees F. Preheat the oven and the pan & lid for 30 minutes.
  • 6
    Remove the pot & lid from the oven. Take the lid off the pan. (YES, it is VERY hot!) If you used parchment paper, remove the dish towel and cling wrap, then just lift it up with the bread dough still on it & place it in the pan. If you used a floured surface, dust your hands well with flour and form the sticky dough into a ball as well as you can. Lift it up and carefully put it into the bottom of the hot pan. Don't burn yourself! With a pot holder, replace the lid and put the pan back into the hot oven.
  • 7
    Bake COVERED for 30 minutes, then remove the lid carefully and bake UNCOVERED for another 10-20 minutes, or until the loaf is browned and baked through. It will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom or you can check that the internal temperature of the bread is about 210 degrees F.
  • 8
    Remove the bread CAREFULLY from the hot pan and cool completely. You can just sit down to eat it with butter or fix it to go with https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/beef-soup/homemade-veggie-soup-101.html?p=1 or https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/main-course-beef/bevs-stuffed-pepper-soup.html?p=2 or https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/soup-beef-soup/eileens-irish-stew.html?p=11 or even https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/main-course-chicken/poppy-seed-chicken-casserole-2.html?p=10 . But I have to admit my favorite dish to eat with this hearty bread is not one of my own recipes but one I found on JustAPinch and make often. It's https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/beef/beef-in-guinness.html?p=12, which is beyond delicious and now a family favorite!
  • 9
    Store loosely wrapped in parchment paper, if you don't want to lose the nice crust. If you like a softer crust, store in plastic.
  • 10
    NOTE: There are many options for this bread if you check the internet. Cinnamon Raisin Bread is a family favorite. (1/2 cup of white sugar and 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon with 3/4 cup of raisins) You can also use whole wheat flour for part of the flour. Some people love making Garlic Herb Bread. Whatever you try, most recipes simply have you adding the additional dry ingredients to the basic dry ingredients in Step 1. Have fun experimenting with this great, but easy, bread recipe! =^..^=
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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