I have made no knead bread in my dutch oven more times than I can count this week. I have a super dysfunctional relationship with bread lately. Don’t know what it is. Actually, I know exactly what it is. It’s a submissive relationship. I see bread; I eat bread. Okay, maybe it’s not quite that dramatic. But I do go through bouts of bread making and eating sometimes. It certainly is comfort food for me. The story of my life: 50 Shades of Carbs 🙋🏻♀️ Moving along. This dutch oven bread has been a tough nut to crack. It threw me for a loop there a few times before I settled on a recipe. And then, I started playing with it all over again because of the current yeast shortage. I wanted to use less yeast in the recipe and also streamline the process, so it required no refrigeration at all. Just a simple mix, cover, and go scenario, and I’ve got it down perfectly now!
Instead of asking me what I love about no knead bread, ask me what I don’t love; the list would be much shorter. Maybe it’s the soft and chewy centers or the crisp outer crust. Maybe it’s the fact that it makes my entire house smell like the corner bakery. Perhaps it’s the one bowl no-knead part. It’s just all of it. To tell you the truth, this bread reminds me of the large boules you find in the basket of your favorite mom and pop bakery. All I want is a schmear of European butter and a teaspoon of my favorite preserves to complete things.
What is dutch oven no knead bread?
No knead bread is made with dry yeast, which produces carbon dioxide gas naturally during the fermentation stage, which then causes it to rise. It’s different from quick bread like soda bread that use baking soda or powder to provide the carbon dioxide to aide the dough in rising.
What do you need to make no knead bread?
What kind of flour do you suggest using, I have both
If you have the option of choosing between bread flour and all-purpose, it’s a no brainer to go with the bread flour. It’s the ideal flour to use when baking bread. If you’d let me, I’d like to geek out on you for a second. Bread flour has a higher protein content compared to all-purpose, and the additional protein is required when making bread to produce more gluten. The elasticity of bread comes from gluten, and that chewy texture we love from a good boule is because of gluten development. The high gluten content in bread flour delivers a crispy, crunchy outer crust while still keeping that soft and chewy center we love. It’s exactly the same reason why I like to use bread flour when I’m making Detriot-style pizza.
How to make no knead bread in your dutch oven:
What is the secret to no knead bread?
The secret(s) to making great no knead bread are simple.
What dutch oven do you suggest using?
I own a variety of dutch ovens, so I put a few to the test for this recipe. You could use something as small as a 4-quart dutch oven or as large at a 6 quart for this recipe. I’ve used this 5-quart Lodge that is a budget purchase and works well. Most days I use by 4-quart cocotte that is a workhorse in my kitchen. The key to all of this is using a vessel that has a thick, heavy bottom pot that has an oven-proof lid (at least 450ºF) that will retain heat so that the bread cooks quickly and evenly.
Faq’s about homemade bread:
Is it safe to use parchment paper at such a high temperature? To be safe, check the packaging on your parchment paper; the one I purchase says 450ºF, so it works just fine. How do you store the bread? Store it wrapped in plastic wrap then keep it in an airtight container at room temperature. Bread will last for three days, after three days you can dice it up and make croutons!
Variations for no knead bread:
Cranberry Walnut: stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts and ½ cup of cranberries when you’re preparing the dough Fresh Herbs and Pepper: 2 teaspoons of minced fresh thyme and two teaspoons of freshly minced rosemary along with a generous grinding of pepper Caraway bread: add two or three teaspoons of caraway seeds when you’re mixing the dough. Jalapeño: ¼ cup of pickled jalapeños that you dried on a napkin and minced would add such a delicious flavor to the dough. Be sure to dry out the jalapeños completely before adding them to the dough. You could even add a sprinkling of garlic powder! Lemon Thyme Bread: add one tablespoon of minced thyme and minced lemon peel
Other homemade bread recipes to try:
Jalapeno Cheddar Bread Honey Oat Bread Roasted Garlic Rosemary Focaccia 1-hour Dinner Rolls Garlic Irish Cheddar Chive Soda Bread
If using all-purpose flour, you will need 1 1/2 cups of water. If using bread flour, you will need 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons of water for this recipe.STORAGE: Store the bread wrapped in plastic wrap then keep it in an airtight container at room temperature. Bread will last for 3 days, after 3 days you can dice it up and make croutons!
