I have a question about Dutch Oven pots?

Miss_Perfection

I have a Granite Ware pot .
I was wondering can I bake bread just like I would on a Dutch Oven?
The picture below is what I have.
The lid is not heavy it is light and I heard it has to be a heavy lid?

mtaratoot

I think one of the benefits of the D.O. is that the entire thing is thick and heavy. It holds the heat in up close to the baking bread. It also holds in the steam. I have a ceramic-on-cast iron D.O., but I've never used it for bread. It's a great tool. Treat yourself to a D.O. if you can. I also have an anodized aluminum D.O. for rafting, but it's huge. Cast iron is great, but you need to take good care of it. Ceramic-on-cast won't rust, so in some ways it's easier to care for, but you do need to take care not to chip the ceramic. I have LOTS of cast iron. I would have bought a cast iron D.O., but I found a nearly new ceramic coated one for dirt cheap at a thrift store after the pandemic. I assume someone bought it to make bread and got tired of it.

I also have some of the thin ceramic-on-steel pots. They are fine for canning. I have used them to boil peanuts and crabs. I wouldn't use them for bread.

zebasschick

i used to use graniteware to make bread. i put a graniteware pizza pan under the casserole i used to keep the bottom from overbaking, as graniteware is pretty thin. it came out fine.

but just today my new lodge 5.5 quart dutch oven arrived, so from here on out, i'll be using that. btw, they're only $40 at walmart, if you can believe that!

springlering62

The recipe I use says to preheat the Dutch oven and lid for the whole hour or so the second rise takes. And yes, the anuthor explains why the extra hot, long-preheated oven gives the best results.

The lovely sound when the dough loaf hits the very-hot cast iron is almost cornbread’ish.

I do find that the preheated heavy cast iron dutch oven cooks a lot faster than the recipe calls for.

I love a chewy country-style crust. I don't think a lighter material would give the same results. Or stand up to such a long preheat.

Miss_Perfection

mtaratoot wrote: »

I think one of the benefits of the D.O. is that the entire thing is thick and heavy. It holds the heat in up close to the baking bread. It also holds in the steam. I have a ceramic-on-cast iron D.O., but I've never used it for bread. It's a great tool. Treat yourself to a D.O. if you can. I also have an anodized aluminum D.O. for rafting, but it's huge. Cast iron is great, but you need to take good care of it. Ceramic-on-cast won't rust, so in some ways it's easier to care for, but you do need to take care not to chip the ceramic. I have LOTS of cast iron. I would have bought a cast iron D.O., but I found a nearly new ceramic coated one for dirt cheap at a thrift store after the pandemic. I assume someone bought it to make bread and got tired of it.

I also have some of the thin ceramic-on-steel pots. They are fine for canning. I have used them to boil peanuts and crabs. I wouldn't use them for bread.

Thank you for your help.
I just bought a Hell's Kitchen 3qt Dutch Oven Cast Iron

mtaratoot

I just used my ceramic cast iron D.O. to make a batch of some really good soup. Split pea and barley. It's based on recipes I saw online (I was looking for split pea and barley), but I made some changes. When you're not making bread, you might be able to make a small batch. My D.O. is much larger than yours, but you could totally make a smaller batch.

I put dried split peas, hulled (not pearl) barley, and some salt in the D.O. with some herbs and spices (lots of cumin, salt, and thyme mostly with a little sage) and the obligatory seven bay leaves from the yard. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then add a bunch of veggies - chopped onions, carrot, celery, a serrano chile, and LOTS of coarsly chopped garlic. Lid back on and simmer slowly another half hour stirring from time to time. That's pretty much it. I added some Maldon salt to the bowl as it still needed a bit. I think it probably was about three or four quarts of soup. It will be better tomorrow, but it's already good... not sure how much will make it to tomorrow.

mtaratoot

I preheat cast iron for cornbread, but not nearly that long. I used to, but it would tend to burn the butter/oil I would add before pouring in the batter. Now I let the oven preheat quite a while so my baking stones get fully hot, then just heat the cast iron for ten or 15 minutes. It works pretty well.

Maybe I should be brave and make some bread again. I bet I have the will power now to not eat BOTH loaves the first day....

zebasschick

springlering62 wrote: »

The recipe I use says to preheat the Dutch oven and lid for the whole hour or so the second rise takes. And yes, the anuthor explains why the extra hot, long-preheated oven gives the best results.

The lovely sound when the dough loaf hits the very-hot cast iron is almost cornbread’ish.

I do find that the preheated heavy cast iron dutch oven cooks a lot faster than the recipe calls for.

I love a chewy country-style crust. I don't think a lighter material would give the same results. Or stand up to such a long preheat.

i stopped pre-heating my dutch oven for sourdough bread, and it didn't seem to make much difference. sometimes i get better oven spring starting cold and letting the dough heat more gradually as the yeast don't die as quickly - when they warm gradually, they get more active.

there's a lot of discussion on this topic on the fresh loaf forums.

btw, pre-heating or not pre-heating graniteware won't matter as the metal is so thin.

springlering62

Preheat and then oil the cast iron?

It’s very satisfying to rub crisco onto a hot skillet lol.

But I usually do it first.

mtaratoot

I don't use shortening. I typically use butter to grease the iron for cornbread. Adding it first would mean it burns. It also burns if I add it to a pan that's already too hot. I tried using bacon fat. That worked fine too, and it seems to have a higher smoke point. I should try avocado oil or something.

zebasschick

for making bread, i just use a piece of baking parchment paper with no oil or grease on the dutch oven.

Miss_Perfection

This is what I did.
I made homemade Artisan bread it turned out really good.
I pre heat the oven for 450 put the dutch oven in my oven.
About 39 mins.
While it's preheating I cut a parchment paper and added olive oil and dusted flour then put the bread dough on the parchment paper.

springlering62

That looks lovely. I might make a loaf today, since I’ve got three jars of whey hanging around in the fridge.

My DO is so well seasoned I just rub a tiny amount of crisco into it before heating.

The bread turns right out when I take it out of the oven. It’s never stuck.

And it’s a great bicep workout turning it out lol.

zebasschick

Miss_Perfection wrote: »

This is what I did.
I made homemade Artisan bread it turned out really good.
I pre heat the oven for 450 put the dutch oven in my oven.
About 39 mins.
While it's preheating I cut a parchment paper and added olive oil and dusted flour then put the bread dough on the parchment paper.

that came out really well. it looks totally yummy!