Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
A very wet dough and an 12 to 18 hour room-temperature rise let time and moisture do the work that kneading usually does, building gluten slowly without effort. Baking inside a covered, preheated Dutch oven traps the dough's own steam, which keeps the crust soft long enough for the loaf to spring up in the oven before it hardens into a crisp, blistered shell.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1030 min
- Servings
- 8
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 5/8 cups water, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 186
- Protein
- 6g
- Carbs
- 37g
- Fat
- 1g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and salt.
- 2Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Do not knead.
- 3Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature (68 to 72°F) for 12 to 18 hours, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough has roughly doubled.
- 4Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, sprinkle the top with a little more flour, and fold it over on itself once or twice. Shape it into a rough, taut ball.
- 5Place the dough seam-side down on a piece of parchment paper, cover loosely with a kitchen towel, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it holds a dent when poked instead of springing right back.
- 6About 30 minutes before the dough is ready, place a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven with its lid on inside the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C).
- 7Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough by the edges of the parchment paper and lower it, parchment and all, into the pot. Cover with the lid.
- 8Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 205 to 210°F.
- 9Lift the bread out by the parchment paper, transfer it to a wire rack, and let it cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing.
Tips & variations
- Weighing the flour and water on a kitchen scale gives far more consistent results than scooping cups, since packed flour can vary by 20 to 30 grams a cup.
- Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary, cracked black pepper, or shredded sharp cheddar with the flour for a flavored variation.
- A bare cast iron Dutch oven works, but an enameled one is easier to clean afterward since the crust can stick to raw seasoned cast iron.
- If the kitchen runs cold, the first rise can take closer to 18 to 24 hours; look for doubled volume and a bubbly surface rather than going strictly by the clock.
Storage & reheating
Store the cooled loaf cut-side down at room temperature in a paper bag for up to 3 days; a plastic bag will soften the crust faster. To refresh a day-old loaf, mist it lightly with water and warm in a 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. To freeze, slice the cooled loaf and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months, then toast slices directly from frozen.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- A Dutch oven lined with parchment paper before the dough goes in makes lifting the hot loaf out afterward far safer than trying to tip it out of the pot.
- If the dough sticks to the towel during the second rise, dust the towel itself with flour or use a lightly oiled sheet of plastic wrap instead.
FAQ
Can I make this without a Dutch oven?
A heavy oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid works the same way, or bake the shaped dough on a preheated baking stone with a metal bowl inverted over it to trap steam for the first half of baking.
Why does the dough need to rise for so many hours?
The extended rise replaces kneading; with only a tiny amount of yeast, the dough ferments slowly over 12 to 18 hours, developing both structure and a more complex, slightly tangy flavor than a quick-rise loaf.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant?
Yes, use the same amount, but dissolve it in the water for 5 to 10 minutes before mixing it into the flour, since active dry yeast needs to be rehydrated first.
Why is the inside of my bread gummy?
This usually means the loaf was sliced before it finished cooling; cutting into it while the crumb is still hot traps steam inside and makes it look underbaked even when it isn't.
Can I add mix-ins like olives or dried fruit?
Yes, fold in up to 3/4 cup of pitted olives, dried cranberries, or nuts after the first long rise, during the shaping step, so they don't interfere with the initial fermentation.