No Oven Challenge Bake - 10% spelt 10% rye SD
I have really enjoyed while baking for this challenge. I was on a business trip 11 days and my starter had a rest period in fridge. The weather today was beautiful although -7 dC in the morning but warmed quite a bit before noon. I decided to use my Weber Performer grill to bake a bread for this challenge.
Preparation was simple - fill the chimney with briquettes and start fire beneath them. Next step was preparing the grill. I put two char-baskets one at each side of the grill and between them was just enough space for my Lodge cart-iron skillet which will not be above the charcoal but will be heated indirectly.
After the briquettes were ready I put half of them in each basket and closed the grill. After some time the temperature was 240 dC, just a little bit lower that I wanted.
I have preheated the skillets on a gas stove to be at 240 dC (checked with infrared thermometer) and then I loaded the loaf into skilled the usual way, scored it, covered with upper skillet and bring that to the preheated grill.
After a while I saw that the temperature has risen to 250 dC so I slightly closed the vents on top of the grill. I was eagerly waiting for 30 minute mark when I can uncover bread.
I was really nicely surprised because the bread looked like when I am baking in my oven, but was more pale. I checked the temp of the lid skillet and it was only about 180 dC. So i decided to bake longer. Next check was at 45 minutes mark and all together bread was baked for 65 minutes.
I was wandering what will be the bottom of the loaf looking like but was pretty sure that due to indirect heating it will be ok. And it was.
After slicing the loaf I saw a really nice open crumb structure, maybe even too open for my opinion. The crust was crunchy and has cracked on several places. It was for sure one of my best loaves with a great contrast between the crunchy crust and soft and wet crumb.
Just few words about the dough: 10% whole rye grains milled at home, 10% whole grain spelt, 80% type 550 organic German flour from Bohlsener Muehle, I bought this flour while being on business trip and it turned out as a great bread flour with 11.5% gluten. The hydration was about 80% and the dough was easily manageable.
Happy baking!
Joze
Comments
have used the indirect heat method too! This one turned out great... perfectly baked inside and out. Hope it was all fun. Well done and happy baking Joze
and you are right - it was a great fun especially because this was my first bake after 11 days break. Actually I was inspired by your idea. If it would be warmer outside I would prepare an open fire and use my big "peka", kind of a dutch oven on which you put some charcoals to heat it also from the top. But then I simply decided to make it simpler and use my Weber grill. I was always wandering how I could bake bread in it and it turned just great. The indirect heating method I use always when preparing ribs or any other type of meat which needs a long baking time on lower temp. I wasn't sure if I will get enough temp for bread baking, but it looks like I was successful.
Your bread looked amazing and you can make necessary changes for next bake.
Happy baking DAB.
Joze
Your loaf looks really great. The crumb is amazing, so lovely and open.
Sounds like a great tasting loaf too.
Hope your trip went well. Glad to see you baking again :)
Happy baking
Ru
My trip was fine, the best part was unplanned visit of Paris for two days. And guess what I did: I visited famous Poilane bakery and brought their big miche home for tasting. I will post soon about this visit. Their croissants were the best I have ever eaten - they just melted in my mouth. I still have that flavor in my mouth.
Happy baking Ru!
Joze
I can't wait to hear more about it. One of my dreams is to travel around France visiting bakeries.
It just looks like it came out of an oven! And even better than some that did! Great crust and crumb with no mishaps. The indirect heat is brilliant! You really succeeded. I'm sure it's tasty and good.
I'm interested about the peka. I thought it was just in Croatia but given it close proximity to Slovenia, it not that surprising anymore. They say it is the metal ring that is the secret for keeping the coals on top.
I hope you had fun and thank you for accepting the challenge. Happy baking Joze!
Pal it was a great fun to accept the challenge and I really enjoyed baking today in a different way. I am sure my neighbors though that I am preparing meat on the grill, but it was bread :-)
"Peka" is most likely not of Slovenian origin, but is known everywhere at Balkans and not just Croatia. Probably you thought about this type of "peka". Unfortunately I don't have that type but would love to have one. It needs a certain area covered with fire bricks where you prepare fire and heat up "peka" and prepare enough charcoals for later baking. Something like that is in my plan but would definitely be outside of house and it may happen some day. I could use it in my oven with a little bit more exercise as my oven is really low (meant to bake pizzas).
What I was meaning was cast-iron type of "peka" which was produced in Croatia but is easier for maintaining and not so dependent how good you seal the lid with the ashes that the steam does not escape. I attached several pictures where I am preparing meat in "peka" inside my oven. I actually fire up my oven and wait until it cools down to 350 dC and then push peka inside. All the charcoals and ash is on one side and later on I add some more briquettes to keep the temp around 180dC. I have already baked bread in it as well - unfortunately it is too big for a small loaf.
Happy baking Pal!
Joze
and how. I agree with Palwithnooven, it looks as though it came right out of the oven. What a success! nicely done, Joze
hester
Thanks for so nice opinion. As you can see from the above picture I am used to cook a lot and in a very different ways and therefore I had to learn how to maintain the right temperature while preparing meat. Actually preparing meat is harder as it is more sensitive to the right temperature. Today I would need even higher temperature because I had to bake for 65 minutes to get a very decent crust.
Happy baking Hester!
Joze
cook. Many very good cooks don't do bread at all. So cheers for the job well done.
hester
a challenge like this brings so many ideas to the fore, it is really great. Glad you are home again safely from your travels, happy baking and enjoy the miche from Paris.
well done
Leslie
for your nice comment. I am really happy to be back home and having fun with baking. The bread from Paris is already gone, minority to neighbors, majority to my grandchildren.
Happy baking Leslie!
Joze
I never would have believed that it was cooked on a grill! Well done!
It was really hard waiting those 30 minutes before uncovering the bread. I didn't know what to expect. But it turned out surprisingly good. It was a lucky day!
Happy baking Danni!
Joze
This is how Australian travellers cook ash bread (damper or bush bread) directly in ash:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVWUKM3PRys
or in a camp fire oven (I you cook at a camp fire you would use coal under and over on the lid):
https://www.snowys.com.au/blog/how-to-make-damper-in-a-camp-oven/
Your loaf looks lovely.
and especially for the posted links and picture. With my "peka" (Dutch oven) I would bake exactly the same way as one can see on the posted picture. "Peka" has some "teeth" on the lid to prevent briquettes to fall down. As I have never baked bread in it this way (only in my pizza oven as I would do with any other DO) I was quite sceptical if I can put it direct on charcoals not to burn the bottom of the loaf.
Now I am challenged again and if the weather and time permits me this week I will repeat my challenge bake.
The ash bread looks great and I will also give it a try once but I need to make a bigger fire.
Thanks for sharing this Ingrid and happy baking!
Joze
Great Bake Joze!
I am planning on baking my bread the same way you did, so I'm so glad to see yours turned out so well.
Regards,
Ian
I am sure yours will turn out great as well. Actually I found that if I would have four char baskets it would be even better because with two the temperature was just enough high to bake it indirectly. With 4 baskets I would have just enough space in the center for my Lodge skillet and would work perfectly.
Good luck with your project Ian!
Joze