How to use a dutch oven to bake sourdough.
Jul 26, 2021
If you've been struggling to get your sourdough to rise to it's full glory, and form the perfect golden crust, using a Dutch oven might just be the answer.
A Dutch oven can be a cast iron enameled pot, a solid cast iron camping pot, or even a clay or stoneware casserole pot with a tight fitting lid, as long as it is rated to use for the high temperatures needed to bake your sourdough ( 220°C ).
If you have something think will work, give it a try first before you go looking for something new.
Please note, cost does not always indicate value for money. My Dutch oven came from a discount store, and has been performing fantastically for well over 5 years. Better still, it only cost $40!
A WORD OF WARNING - Don't use a Corning Ware or glass casserole pot as they are not made to withstand the high temperatures needed to bake sourdough bread and could explode in your oven...and nobody wants that π£
WHY DUTCH OVENS WORK
Getting the perfect rise and crust on your bread is high on the list of goals for any bread baker. You may have had trouble achieving this in your regular oven because the dough needs steam to allow it to rise to its full potential before it starts to form its crust.
When you place dough naked into your oven with no steam, the exterior of the dough starts to harden before it has risen fully. This means that it's not going to rise properly and you also might see cracks or slight explosions at the base of your bread.
There are a few tricks you can use without using a Dutch oven, like spraying the walls of the oven with water. Or placing a metal tray under the shelf you are going to bake on, then adding 1/2 cup of water or some ice cubes to create steam but it will never be as good as using a Dutch oven.
Once you place your dough into a sealed vessel, the moisture that is already in your dough is released as steam and can't escape. This in turn allows the bread to remain moist, delaying the crust from hardening so it can fully rise and develop a crispy, shiny crust.
HOW TO DO IT
Your Dutch oven needs at least 40 minutes to 1 hour to preheat before you can bake your bread in it, so timing is essential when it comes to being ready for when your bread has finished proving.
- Begin by placing your Dutch oven into a COLD oven.
- Turn your oven on to its highest setting and allow to heat for at least 40 minutes.
- Once your Dutch oven is ready, place a piece of baking paper onto your bench and gently turn your dough out onto it, then score your loaf.
- Wearing oven gloves, take the Dutch oven out of the oven and carefully remove the lid.
- Pick up your dough using the baking paper and place straight into the Dutch oven.
- Put the lid on making sure it's sealed properly, and return to the oven.
- Turn the heat down to 220°C and cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes has passed, take the lid off the Dutch oven, and cook the bread for approximately another 20 minutes or until golden.
- You will know if your sourdough is cooked if you tap on its base and it sounds hollow.
This is how I always cook my bread and once you have tried it, I think you will too!
I would love to hear if you have a different method for getting the perfect rise and crust.
If you have any questions, or you post a photo on social media, I would love you to tag me over on Instagram @little.river.kitchen or on Facebook @little river kitchen
Happy Baking!
Have you heard about LRK Baking Academy?
It's your golden ticket to becoming a fantastic baker...
Crumbly bread, cakes that end up with crusty volcanoes on top, leaking tarts...it's enough to make you hang up your apron forever!
There's nothing worse than spending time, effort and money on a recipe only for it to fail!
Unfortunately most recipes just give you the instructions...they don't tell you what you really need to know to make sure your bakes turn out perfectly.
All those lesser known baking secrets like when it's time to stop kneading bread dough, why your cakes are dry and dense, or how to make sure you pie crusts are going to hold a filling without any leaks or developing a soggy bottom!
This is what LRK Baking Academy is all about.
It's like having your own personal baking expert right there with you in your own kitchen guiding you as you bake our amazing recipes. And you'll love our private baking community where we support and encourage each other no matter where you are in your baking journey.
The results our members achieve speak for themselves...FIND OUT MORE HERE
Want an easy way to learn how to bake amazing sourdough right from the start?
Β
How Home Bakers Are Getting Better Results
Subscribe to my newsletter and get my Ultimate Baking Tips eBook sent straight to your inbox, plus you'll also get recipes, kitchen hacks and all the latest straight from my kitchen.Β
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
