May 6, 2010 - 7:44am
What size Lodge cast iron Dutch oven is best for no-knead bread?
After curiosity finally got the best of me, I bought the book and then read countless posts here and elsewhere without finding an answer to my question. Your help is much appreciated!
Donna Beth
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I find that a 5 qt is perfect for the standard Bittman/Lahey recipe.
that a 5 qt. is just right. As to cost, you could spend the rest of the evening trying to save $5 on a pot that will last you the rest of your life, or you could buy one on Amazon or at Walmart and be done with it.
Good Luck.
Michael
At Amazon - that's the Lodge 5-quart. Free shipping.
I agree it's great for the NK bread - also for soups, stews, etc.
In a follow-up column of Dec 6, 2006, NYT food writer Mark Bittman said he prefered a slightly smaller pot than a 5-quart.
I use a 5-quart dutch oven when I make no-knead bread. The NYT recipe makes about 1 & 1/2 pounds and I found the loaves I baked typically were about 3 inches high.
Lodge does offer 3-quart and 4-quart sizes for their cast iron dutch ovens - see http://www.lodgemfg.com/Logic-dutch-oven.asp
On the other hand, as many TFL members have pointed out, a 5-quart capacity dutch oven is a flexible size for all sorts (and shapes) of bread. Here, for example, is a loaf that I baked in my 5-quart dutch oven using a very different recipe...this loaf is about 1 pound and about 4 inches high.
Interesting, I had never seen the follow-up or the comment. I do find that a 3.5qt pot is about perfect.
I have a 5qt lodge that also works well. I find I can get good spring and overall height in the 5qt, but a little less than in the 3.5qt.
Lahey seems to be not to concerned about the treatment of the proofed load, but I've found that placing it carefully in the pot, rather than chucking it, results in a higher rise.
Ed.
Do you own (or have you read) Lahey's new book? I'd like to know if he sticks with the high hydration dough that was originally popularized by the NYT article.
Bittman gave weight measurements for no-knead bread in his follow-up article - the hydration is 80%.
Looking forward to your response - thanks - SF
My conversion of the NY Time recipe from volume to weight has an 81% hydration.
My transcription of the "My Bread" version into my breadsheet has a hydration of 75%. I don't remember off hand if Lahey provided the weights in the book or I calculated them. I still have My Bread out from the library, so I'll check when I get home.
Ed.
thank you for taking the time to do this for a fellow TFL member. I appreciate it. - SF
The hydration in "My Bread" is 75% and Lahey provides the weights.
Ed.
I make cheddar-jalapeno loaves by this method. I've played around with the pot size and "forms" in pots to hold a different shape to the loaves made by the Lahey method. I use a 2 quart casserole with domed lid with good results. I proof the loaves in baskets, invert onto parchment and lower the loaves and parchment into the heated dish. The parchment protrudes below the lid, but seals sufficiently.
One strange thing I did a month ago was to proof a loaf in an oval brottform and place rolled and crumpled alluminum foil "ropes" (if you will) along 2 sides of a cast iron pot. These formed an oval space in the pot in which to place the oval loaf, offering some support to it's oval shape. I used the parchment here also and that worked well.
I
Never mind the heavy cast iron. Which I have, both bare and enameled, I have been getting better results with GraniteWare roasting pans. I use two, 11x7 inside. Covered for 10-15 minutes. No steaming, light to handle and inexpensive. I have the dough rise in a wicker basket, sitting in parchment paper which I lift out and set directly into the pan. Works great, good oven spring, and don't have a heavy dutch oven to wrestle with.
I am intrigued by using the GraniteWare. Do you preheat the pan? Were your temp and times similar to what you used with the heavier cast iron?
GraniteWare is the stamped out steel stuff that is enameled and baked on. It's only drawback is that if it is dented, it chips and rusts. So----don't dent it. Yes, I leave it in the oven while the oven heats so that it is hot. But it is so light that taking it out and putting the dough in is not so risky as handling the heavy stuff. Incidently, I collect the heavy stuff and have a "ton" and am slowly getting disenchanted with it. Am building up with "Commercial Aluminum Cookware" the precurser to Calaphan. Made in Toledo, Ohio. Wonderful stuff.
After making many loaves of Lahey's bread in a heavy, enameled 5 qt. Dutch oven and a 2 1/2 qt. ceramic covered casserole, I bought a medium sized Graniteware roaster and a clay Romertopf baker at Goodwill. Spent $50 on the Dutch oven and $10 on the ceramic casserole. I spent $4.00 on the roaster and $8.00 on the clay baker. (Target carries the roaster for under $12.00.) I found the oven spring to be much better with both the roaster and clay baker. I also bought wicker baskets (one round and one oval) for $1.00 each at Goodwill. I use parchment paper and lift the dough instead of dump.
I found after using the Dutch oven almost daily in my oven, the rack with getting warped from the weight. I found the safest utensil to be the roaster. Lightest, easiest to handle.
I preheat both the roaster and clay baker in the oven.
I'm a fan of the plain cast iron "Lodge Logic 5-Quart Double Dutch Oven and Casserole with Skillet Cover" because it's perfectly sized for a boule, even a BIG one, is big enough for a chicken, and the top can be inverted to double as a skillet, the perfect size (and weight) for a thick-crust pizza, or you can do some English muffins on it. So 5 quarts is about right.
Marslizard, hi!
How hot does the oven get initially when you use the Corning Ware casserole for your bread? Do you reduce the heat during the bake; if so, at what point and at what temperatures? Thanks for your help!
Joyful
The cap on the lid of a Lodge Dutch oven cannot take temperatures above 400 F.
On Amazon, they suggest buying the Le Creuset cap with the Lodge 5.5 quart. Screw one off and the other on, and for $10 you get a lid that can take temps up to 550, which is maximum heat on most home ovens.
My Lodge has a cast iron loop, no cap. It's the five quart with the handle, which removed since it's of little use when you're not cooking over a camp fire.
For my Le Creuset, I simply cover the lid caps with aluminum foil and have never had any issues. The reason I switched to the Lodge was that my better half didn't like the enamel in the Le Creuset getting discolored and the price was right.
Ed.
I just received my copy of Tartine Bread a few days ago and even though I already have several Le Creuset Dutch Ovens in various sizes, I went ahead and ordered the "combo" because I liked the idea of being able to place the bread on the more shallow top and cover it with the deeper 5-quart piece. Less chance of burns that way. I chose the one without the handles. Here is the link for the one I bought:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LEXR0K/ref=oss_product
Barbara
Thanks, marslizard. I definitely will try the Corning. I have a 5-qt cast iron Dutch oven and used to bake bread in it all the time, but I got tired of the weight and having just one loaf. I've been splitting the dough and baking on the stone w/ parchment and steaming ("spritzing" actually) the oven. But this sounds much better. I don't do anything like your volume; your output is definitely impressive. I have thought about farmer's markets and may give it some more thought.
Joyful
A 5qt is a great all around pot, a must have for me. The oblong dutch oven provides a bit more length. The 3qt. combo DO cooker is bread and other uses, just flip it over.
Enamel coated cast iron will chip eventually. I have some Griswold cast iron pieces that I use weekly and they are from 1945 (inherited family pieces) and going strong. As long as you don't subject your black cast iron to abrupt temperature changes or let it rust, it should last forever.