The Fresh Loaf

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Anyone use 2 dutch ovens simultaneously? Tartine country

pizza fool's picture
pizza fool

Anyone use 2 dutch ovens simultaneously? Tartine country

Howdy!  I've been doubling the Tartine 3 recipe for the basic country loaf to make 4 loaves. However, it takes forever to bake 4 in a row, uses a ton of gas and heats up my house.  So I was thinking of trying to bake two simultaneously in side by side dutch ovens. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

gmabaking's picture
gmabaking

Except for the once in a while sandwich loaf, that is about the only way I bake bread anymore. It lets you experiment if you choose, you can put one in with cold pan cold oven, then add the dough to other DO when the oven and pan are hot, lots of combinations to try. I've gone back to preheating the oven and pans at 475, turning down to 450 when they go into the oven with lids on for 20 minutes and off for about the same. I've been trying a granite pot, I guess it is a small stock pot. Not as much oven spring with it though it is lots lighter than the cast iron.

Hope this helps,

Barbra 

David Esq.'s picture
David Esq.

Before you buy the second oven just take the lid off the one and put it next to the base and make sure they both fit.

Having all that cast iron in the oven really helps maintain oven temperature, which you'll need since you have to open the oven twice to get the doughs loaded.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

Oh this is Interessting as we move house soon and I will have a Range Oven with space enough for 2 Dutch Ovens.

I do not see why you would not get good results or why it should not work, the procedure is the same just with one more Dutch Oven.

I shall try it most certainly:)

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

at once - no worries as long they fit they work.

pizza fool's picture
pizza fool

Thanks, all, I'll try it with the next batch.  I started doubling the recipe cause I couldn't bear to throw out all that starter.

cerevisiae's picture
cerevisiae

I've done the double dutch oven thing with good results too, and it's so much more efficient.

That said, if the only reason you're increasing your production is to use up starter, there are other options. If you search around, plenty of people have ways of handling their starter to make it a no-waste process.

I just keep a very small amount around (30 g), save the discard in the fridge, and once there's a bunch, make pancakes. I've also found that a little starter in brownie batter is quite tasty, as well.

 

pizza fool's picture
pizza fool

Thanks for the suggestions, I may try pancake batter with starter.  If I bake brownies I'll eat brownies, and then why not cookies and why not cupcakes, and then I've got a problem.  I double the recipe cause I figured bread freezes well and it's maybe 30% more work for twice the product, and there's all that starter anyway.  What I've been meaning to do is to use the extra 100g of starter and use most of it for Reinhart's ABED pain au levain, of which I'm very fond.

I've been keeping 60g of starter on hand in the fridge (10s/25w/25bf-ww) and refreshing it two or three times before baking... do you find keeping a smaller amount means you have to refresh it more often to purge some of the sourness?

pizza fool's picture
pizza fool

Thanks for the suggestions, I may try pancake batter with starter.  If I bake brownies I'll eat brownies, and then why not cookies and why not cupcakes, and then I've got a problem.  I double the recipe cause I figured bread freezes well and it's maybe 30% more work for twice the product, and there's all that starter anyway.  What I've been meaning to do is to use the extra 100g of starter and use most of it for Reinhart's ABED pain au levain, of which I'm very fond.

I've been keeping 60g of starter on hand in the fridge (10s/25w/25bf-ww) and refreshing it two or three times before baking... do you find keeping a smaller amount means you have to refresh it more often to purge some of the sourness?

doughooker's picture
doughooker

Generally speaking, if you're baking multiple loaves, the more loaves you can load into a heated oven the better, provided they will physically fit and the oven rack can support the weight.

I have one of these. They come in different sizes and are made of aluminum, a better heat conductor than cast iron. In addition, they are a fraction of the weight of a cast iron d.o.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000E2RVZ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=BUK1DQLOWR4B&coliid=I2YM2O1GPDX2WO

PetraR's picture
PetraR

I much prefer the heavy cast iron Dutch Ovens , well worth the money spend.

I tried the aluminium one but was not happy with it, never got the rise I do in my cast iron ones.

doughooker's picture
doughooker

I tried the aluminium one but was not happy with it, never got the rise I do in my cast iron ones.

Why do you suppose the material it's made of would affect the rise?

I get a wonderful rise in my aluminum one.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

I do honestly not know but it just did not work for me as well as it does in my Cast Iron ones.

pizza fool's picture
pizza fool

Thanks, but either way I dont see myself buying any additional pots.  Shelf space, yknow.  I have an oval Le Creuset Dutch oven and a round 4qt Le creuset Dutch oven that fit nicely side by side.  I will, however, buy another of those melt proof handles for the pot, as the dough or tinfoil trick is annoying.