June 21, 2020 - 2:28pm
What is the best way for generating steam in a home oven? My oven seems to vent all the steam I create.
What is the best way for generating steam in a home oven? My oven seems to vent all the steam I create.
Edit: I'm sorry--I meant to say without a dutch oven. I actually have one already but I like to make breads that wont fit into a dutch oven (baguettes, batards, etc).
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Use a Dutch Oven and a lid with a good seal to hold the steam. Sort of an oven within an oven.
Add your bread, an bit of water mist, and cover the DO tightly. Much of the steam will come from the water within as the loaf bakes.
Oh gosh, I'm sorry--I meant to say without a dutch oven. I actually have one already but I like to make breads that wont fit into a dutch oven (baguettes, batards, etc).
If you're baking with a pizza stone or a similar device, you can either use a very deep aluminum foil roasting pan or the top of a granite ware turkey roasting pan. Using parchment paper as a base, slash your dough, mist the dough with water, load your dough onto the stone and cover with the pan. My loaves are usually around 650-670 g at or about 72% hydration. I bake at 450F for 24 minutes, remove the top and paper, then bake at 425F for another 22 minutes. That works for me.
I have had some success putting trays on the racks above and below the baking rack. and then pouring in boiling water before i close the oven door after loading. it's not quite as good as a dutch oven but it's something. Be very careful with that though. it's possible to damage the oven or shatter the oven glass if water gets on it. i use a wine bottle with a pouring spout like for olive oil to deliver my hot water.
others have also rigged steam from a pressure cooker via rubber hoses into the oven with door closed. that's sound a little extreme, a little dangerous, and a little like something i want to try.
dutch ovens are great when you can fit the dough inside. but i do miss watching the oven spring take place.
I just implemented an idea for this and you can see the pictures here: https://wheatbeat.com/baking-baguettes-in-a-crummy-home-oven/
I’ve been using a strategy simikar to wheatbeat’s. I use an old enameled steel (graniteware?) roasting pan that I can fit over 2 baguettes or 1 batard on my stone. I don’t bother with weighting it down, but I do place 6-8 ice cubes around the loaded dough just before covering with the roaster bottom. Works great for me. Enameled steel is light and easy to handle even at 500+ degrees. The roaster bottom also has handles an inch or so from the rim, making handling that much easier. Watch for roasters in thrift stores. Looks like Amazon has new roasters, too.
Good luck,
Phil
Sune (FoodGeek) had a video on oven Steam. The technique that works best for me is a medium towel that you, place in a pan and soak with boiling water, just prior to baking.
I bake in an industrial convection oven and a brick oven; and the towel technique has worked the best for me.
A lot of people use Sylvia's towel and a cast iron pan with lava rocks.
I use a loaf pan with lava rocks. I pour water over them and let the oven presteam for a couple of minutes. And I have a baking sheet with lava rocks that I pour water over when I load the dough.
Use a watering pitcher to pour the water over the rocks- it spreads easier, keeps your hands away from the steam and has a further reach into the oven...protecting the glass in the door which can shatter if water gets on it when it is hot.