The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Outdoor Dutch oven bread

kringle's picture
kringle

Outdoor Dutch oven bread

Hello all,

i like to bake bread with my Dutch oven.  I do this now in my kitchen oven.  After about 20 minutes into the bake, I remove the lid and finish the bake. The lid keeps the steam around the bread in the beginning and removing it allows the crust to brown.  Works great!  

I belong to a cast iron cooking group that meets during the warm months.  We camp and prepare our meals outdoors with cast iron.  Most use charcoal briquettes on the top and bottom of the Dutch ovens to set our temperatures.  I’m trying to figure a way of allowing the steam to escape after the 20 minutes of the bake and keeping the heat on the top of the loaf to brown and finish the bake.  Does anyone have any experience with this.?  I’m thinking of cracking the lid for a few minutes to allow the steam to escape and then sealing the oven back up for the rest of the bake.  

 

Thanks,

John

David R's picture
David R

I've never tried it, but - you know those very fine screens that they sell as grease splatter covers for frying pans - are they fine enough to keep out dust & ash? Sooty dust can be very fine - sure wouldn't taste or look good if it got in.

Portus's picture
Portus

to turn the loaf over so the top rests on the tripod/grid, facing the briquette embers during the browning process; then simply cover the loaf with the DO but without the lid.  You will have to keep an eye on matters to prevent it turning to toast, so perhaps do this at a reasonable height above the embers. This would also allow steam to escape/evaporate quite efficiently.  I assume, of course, that your DO rests on a tripod above the briquettes for cooking purposes ;-)

tom scott's picture
tom scott

sometime ago I watched these videos by Eric of  Breadtopia.  Don't know if they have the info you want but here is a link if you want to watch.  https://duckduckgo.com/?q=breadtopia+campfire+bread+video&t=brave&ia=videos

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

about baking bread without an oven. I recall someone baking bread in a Dutch oven with charcoal just the way you described. That post should have insights on how to proceed.