Learn how easily you can make no knead Dutch oven bread with just four simple ingredients in an afternoon.
Though I try to steer away from bread these days, I thought making homemade bread would be a nice idea for our Easter dinner. I like the idea of steaming bread in a Dutch oven and it ended up being easier than I thought.
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Cooking Bread in a Dutch Oven
Step 1: In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, and dry active yeast.
I used all-purpose flour, sea salt (table salt would work too), and a packet of dry active yeast.
Step 2: Heat your water until it's around 105 degrees, warm but not hot.
Step 3: Add the water to dry ingredients and stir them together. It will be sticky.
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Step 4: Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise for 2 - 3 hours. It's cold in our house so I turned on the oven ahead of time and then turned it off so it would stay warm for a while.
Note: I only let the bread dough rise for 2 hours. In hindsight longer may have been better but you'll see below how it looks.
Step 5: Transfer the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper. Then grab hold of the edges to push the dough in a nice shape.
Step 6: Make a couple of decorative cut marks on top if you like.
Step 7: Heat the Dutch oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes with the lid on top.
Step 8: Place the dough ball with the parchment inside the heated Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
Step 9: Bake the bread in the Dutch oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for 5 more minutes or until the top crust is golden brown.
Isn't it beautiful?
Here you can see that the bread is a little on the flat side. Letting it rise a little longer would have probably been better.
However, let me tell you that it tasted delicious with butter and was a nice treat as part of our Easter dinner.
Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 5 quart Dutch Oven
- Rubber Spatula
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Cooking thermometer
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups All purpose flour
- 1 packet Active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1.5 cups warm water approx. 105 degrees
Instructions
- Mix flour, yeast, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add 1.5 cups of warm water (105 degrees) to the flour mixture.
- Mix the ingredients until you have a sticky ball.
- Cover and set it in a warm area to let the dough rise for 2-3 hours.
- After 2-3 hours, preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Set the Dutch oven in the middle of your oven for 30 minutes.
- Gather the risen bread dough and place it on some parchment paper.
- Use the sides and corners of the paper to push the dough into a round shape.
- Set the parchment with the dough ball in the Dutch oven and cover with the lid for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and let the top get golden brown. (about 5 more minutes)
- Remove the Dutch oven and allow it to cool slightly on a wire rack before lifting out the parchment paper and loaf to cool further.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Paula
Patti, this looks delicious and beautifully baked. I usually bake sourdough but I will give this a try just for a different flavor. I do think I will add a couple tsp of sugar with the flour mixture to help activate the yeast. I also do a double rise on my dough. It gives that extra flavor to me anyway. I'll let you know. Thanks for posting.
Patti Estep
Paula, you sound like an expert. Definitely let me know how your changes turn out and thanks for sharing your ideas.
Paula
Patti, definitely not an expert, just picked up a few tricks making bread here and there. I did add a couple tsp sugar but couldn't really tell a difference. I didn't have time for a second rise but will do the next time. Everyone loved the bread. Crispy on the bottom when came out. Couldn't wait to cut. 🙂 My husband and I both slathered on the butter and enjoyed. Definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
Patti Estep
So happy to hear you like the recipe. I really enjoyed the crispy bottom too. Thanks for sharing your experience.