I tested a lot of Dutch ovens and pots in the process of writing my Kneadlessly Simple cookbook. So when people started asking which ones worked best it was easy to come up with advice. Here's the same bread, my Crusty Cracked Wheat, baked in a plain cast iron pot and in a light-colored enamel-coated cast iron Dutch oven. As is usually (but not always!) the case, the darker pot interior surface delivered deeper browning.Tip: Even though dough doesn't usually stick to pots, it can, and I've never found a way to predict which pots will have sticking problems in advance. If you're not sure, head off trouble by simply spritzing the pot with non-stick spray just before you put in the dough. (If you grease the pot before you preheat it, it will smoke.)
>Looks Don't Matter--The very pretty but pricey French pots are not the only ones that will work for crusty artisan-style loaves: Seasoned plain cast iron pots, which are much cheaper, are just fine. And some plain cast iron pots come already seasoned and ready to use. Enamel-coated carbon steel and anodized aluminum pots will also do a good job--and they are a lighter, so are easier to lug around. Enameled carbon steel pots tend to have hot spots, so I always bake at a slightly lower temp with them.> Bigger Is Not Necessarily Better--Many pot bread recipes circulating around today call for pots that are larger than is optimum. Loaves calling for 1- to 1 1/4-pounds (3 to 4 cups) of flour will dome more and look better if baked in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart pot. (A 3-quart pot with a domed lid will work, too, as the dough can expand up into the top.) The 6-quart pot I've often seen called for results in loaves that flatten out too much, although, of course, they taste fine.
>Hot Enough for You?--Some pot bread recipes call for preheating the pot at high heat (450-500 degrees F), so be sure the knob or handle of the pot you choose is heat-tolerant. I've bought several great pots only to discover the knob or handle could only be heated to 400 F or so degrees. In one case, I just unscrewed the phenolic knob and replaced it with a brass one purchased at the hardware store. The preheating step means that pots made of glass and ceramic can be a risky proposition: They may crack or shatter when the cooler dough is dumped in. Skip them unless the manufacturer specifically says it's safe go directly from freezer to oven.
You'll find more helpful info on selecting bread pots here. For more bread pics and hotlinks to my free bread recipes, click here.
15 comments:
good advice!
I just ordered your bread book, and maybe something there will answer my question, but I'm curious. Have you tried bisque-fired or low-fired clay pots (more heat-shock tolerant)? As I'm a potter, I'll probably experiment with this, but am curious as to whether you already know?
Thanks, Cindy
I haven't tried using clay pots--I don't know that I'd be able to tell how they were fired. I have been reading that the la Cloche clay bakers tend to be fragile and crack from heat, but I have no idea how they are fired. As long as they stay in one piece, they apparently do yield a very crusty bread.
Thanks, Nancy
I'll give it a try (or quite a few tries) and let you know how it works out.
From the photos on-line, it looks like the la Cloche bakers are thin-walled poured pottery, probably of low-fired clay, which I would expect to be fragile. My instinct would be to make a piece for this use with thicker walls, but then of course, it's heavier to ship, which is a big deal these days.
Anyway, thanks for your reply. I much appreciate it, and I'm really looking forward to reading and trying out your bread book.
Hello from Finland! Just received your book and it seems great, thank you!! Luckily also found your website. I have one question... In Finland we have dry yeast that requires water of 42C/108F in order to wake up. The yeast is mixed to flour and then you add the water. How would this yeast work with your method? Should I wake up the yeast first in small amount of flour and hotter water and then proceed according to your instructions - or? We have only this one kind of dry yeast and then fresh yeast which is dilluted to luke warm water 37C/99F. If I used fresh yeast what would be the right amount in your method?
Appreciate your kind answer,
Best Regards
Tina
Thanks for writing. I am not sure how Finnish yeast would work since I haven't tested it, but I think your suggestion of waking the yeast by combining it with a little flour and 42 C (slightly warm) water is probably the best course. Then, if it is not "instant" yeast that dissolves readily in cold water, it will still be fine. After the yeast wakes up a little, I would then just add the warm water-flour-yeast mixture to the rest of the dry ingredients, and add the cold water as directed. I would not use fresh yeast in the recipe--the quantities would be very different and the recipes would probably not work well. Good luck.
By the way, I would love to hear how your approach works out. If you have time, please let me know.
Thank you for your answer! I will forget the fresh yeast and try the dry one. I´ll let you know how the result was!
I just baked my first loaf...wow, it looks great on top! The sides and the bottom look a little too dark; either the pot I used was too thin (?) or my oven is running too hot (I have a gas range). Should I lower the heat? If so, to what? The bread I made called for the pre-heat of oven and pot at 450 20 mins. prior to baking and then lower to 425. Can't wait to taste my first effort.
Yes, it's likely that your pot is a little thin, or your oven runs a little hot (or both). I would just reduce the heat by 25 degrees F. If your breads still seem too brown on the bottom, you can also try baking on the middle rack. That should solve the problem. Hope the bread tasted good! BTW, the preheating not only encourages the steam that develops the crustiness, but also sears the outside of the dough so it is less likely to stick to the pot.
You said you replaced the knob with a brass one, could you also use stainless? Thank you for the information.
Yes, a stainless knob would work fine. Actually it might be better, since stainless does not conduct heat as well and the knob wouldn't get as hot!
I don't have a suitable pot for making the pot breads in your book... if I tried making them in just a regular loaf pan would they still be ok (just not as crusty, which is fine with me), do you think?
You can definitely bake in a loaf pan instead. Just be sure to use a 9- by 5-inch pan--anything smaller won't hold all the dough. Also, you will have to adjust the baking proceedure a bit. A dough baked in a pot donesn't brown as fast, so you may have to cover ones baked in a loaf pan with foil part way through to keep them from over-browning.
I have made the Crusty Peasant Bread several times and it is FANTASTIC! Thank you, Nancy!! My family thinks it rivals the best bakeries in town (and we have great bakeries in Portland, OR). Perfect results and almost no work! I've used an All-Clad saucepan, Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Dutch oven and Le Creuset 3-1/2 quart Dutch oven. All were good, but the Le Creuset gives the best results and is the perfect size (the Lodge was cheaper but too large so the bread was flatter, but you could probably increase the recipe). I solved the knob problem by wrapping it in several layers of aluminum foil (which I keep and re-use). I make this bread every week (two recipes are in progress right now!), so the Le Creuset was a good investment for me.
I already owned a 6-qt. Lodge Color Dutch oven (& replaced the plastic lid knob with a metal one from the hardware store), but also got a 3-qt. Dutch oven (Tim Love Collection; comes with metal knob already) for Christmas -- so I'm all set. I intend to order a copy of your book later today (probably from Barnes & Noble), and may bake my first no-knead bread this week (we'll probably have a "snow day" later this week in central IL due to heavy snow, so I'll have the time).
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