November 2, 2014 - 2:18pm
Gas Oven Breads: May I see pics your breads baked in home gas ovens.
I know this is an odd request, but I am pondering buying an all gas range. However I have been informed that baking breads in a gas oven is not the best thing. May I see some pics of some of your breads baked in gas ovens; breads that were baked uncovered.
NOT INTERESTED IN THE COMMERCIAL GAS OVENS baked breads in bakeries. Also please let me know your brand to help me decide. My gas oven that I buy will be convection with on/off switch.
Thank you.
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BKSInAZ, you may want to qualify that. For example, if you bake a bread in a covered Dutch Oven, it's not really gonna matter if your oven is gas or electric.
I'm guessing you want to see loaves baked in home gas ovens that are uncovered in open pans or are free-standing.
You are correct... I like to see breads baked uncovered; which means no dutch oven breads.
Thanks for helping me clarify my thread.
I have plumbed copper pipe and retrofitted a pressure-cooker to inject steam into it--low and front--while I'm baking, though much of the steam goes right up the vent--high and rear--I can tell it helps a little. There are a lot more experienced bakers on this forum than me....
I have a blog post made today with a pic, bread baked in a stainless steel pan, the top is open. The oven is a GE, their cheap model purchased more than a decade ago, looks like this.
I think the challenge is to learn to use the tools you have, and not always be desiring something else.
I use a gas oven, and its a cheap one at that. What allows me to get a good loaf out of it is the way I steam it. I use cast iron pans, one with a very small wall and one with a very deep wall, to enclose the breads for the first 20 mins of the bake. You could also use a dutch oven. Basically, it makes it an oven within an oven and traps all the steam from the bread. The photo I use as my avatar image has two loaves made from this cheap gas oven.
All pictures on my blog here are done with a gas oven. the round ones are in a dutch oven, but the rest are uncovered. The key is figuring out the best steam setup for your oven.
BKSinAZ,
Here are a couple of shots of bread I baked in my Wolfe residential oven which is not commercial. Also I used a plant mister. The bread was baked in the oven proper, not in cast iron pot or dutch oven.
I now use a gas fired brick oven that I built. I used the same burner, thermostat, and other parts that are in my Wolfe. I also incorporated a steam jet that I use during the first 12 minutes of baking. (I should mention that during the steam process the thermostat is 'off' and the vent is closed.)
This brick oven takes a while longer to 'heat-soak', but I don't lose much when the door is opened and it doesn't cycle 'on' and 'off' often. It was a pain to build, but after a year using it I am happy that I did it.
As far as 'convection-ovens' I can't give much input other than I have read gobs on both sides of the issue about using one for breads…..
Whatever you decide to purchase, my advise would be to make sure that it will pre-heat to an honest 500ªf and has a good door seal, oven light, glass window, and not a bunch of 'computer-bells-and-whistles'.
kenlklaster gave good input…. learn and use what 'ya-got'. You can always "up-grade" as you get real good……
Just have fun…..! Remember that baking bread is also "kneading" your brain.
My oven is a 10-year old residential Wolf all-gas range. I get the best results when covered (with a Dutch oven or large stainless steel bowl). Here are some breads I baked uncovered on baking stone with lava rocks for steam.
Olive SD
Fig SD
Nothing wrong with that bread!!!
Can you show me pics of the lava rocks and explain how (exactly) you use them? Do you put the rocks in a pyrex bowl?
I don't use Pyrex. I use a metal roasting pan to hold my lava rocks, but cast iron is probably best. You can read about the lava rock method in David's (dmsnyder) blog post. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20024/oven-steaming-using-sfbi-method He describes it better than I could. The other method that is popular on TFL is Sylvia's steaming towel method.
:) Mary
When I was considering purchasing a pro-style gas range I was worried about how well it would work for bread. I was sent pictures of breads made in the distributers test kitchen. I wasn't impressed with the color/quality of the crust but thought it might be a result of baker's skill. So I got the range and went through a long process to figure out how to get a good crust (some of it posted on this site). It handles pizzas very well, baguettes pretty well, and other baked goods very well but if you want a richly developed crust, covering seems the only way to go. But I did discover today a nice work around for long loaves that won't fit in a dutch oven. Will blog about that soon.
The upshot is...if I had to do it again I would go with gas cooktop, electric oven. Nevertheless, I do love my Capital Culinarian.
Here's a pic of uncovered baguette in gas oven: Decent but not as good as the results I got in an electric.
Here's the long loaf I baked today under my new set up...it really is an easier set up than dealing with steaming towels/lava rocks etc. Stay tuned!
Let us know what you decide to do.
Hey all,
I am new to bread baking. I use a gas oven and do not get a crispy crust despite spritzing the bread and inside the oven while putting in the loaves . My oven provides heat from the bottom only. So should I turn on the grill flame (on top), during the last 5 mins of baking ?
Hey all,
I am new to bread baking. I use a gas oven and do not get a crispy crust despite spritzing the bread and inside the oven while putting in the loaves . My oven provides heat from the bottom only. So should I turn on the grill flame (on top), during the last 5 mins of baking ?