December 23, 2021 - 2:37pm
Baguette Dutch Oven?
Found a Dutch oven linked below that might work with two half-length baguettes. A potential problem I see is the internal height, which is only 2.5" tall. I measured my baguettes and they were about 2.25" tall so it should work with not much room to spare. What do you folks think? Thanks.
Share
The top is so close, methinks the radiant heat coming down will over-brown the tops of the bread.
Valid point. What attracts me to this thing is a small enclosure space for two 13" baguettes as I think that would be the most effective to capture the steam. Also, I was thinking perhaps the steam would condensate on the top which might address your point but don't quote me on that as I don't know that for sure. Nonetheless, it would have been perfect if the depth were about 3"+. I found another one linked below that has more height but it is a little smaller so my baguettes will have to be shorter than 13". Thanks for the comment.
13" Square Dutch Oven (campchef.com)
I bake mine on a rectangular pizza stone, covered with this for the steam:
https://www.amazon.com/Granite-Ware-Covered-Rectangular-Roaster/dp/B000050AVD/ref=sr_1_34?crid=3URNK897C7Q0Y&keywords=turkey+roasting+pan&qid=16403075...
It is deep, so it is good for pain boulot as well and it is longer and wider than the cast iron pan that you linked.
I do not have that pan but I have a hotel steam pan, a stone, a baking steel, a large cast iron pot, a steam injector pressure cooker, etc. but I am still not happy, as I am the type that would like to try everything under sun to be satisfied :). Thanks Mariana for the suggestion though.
I understand, Ming. I tried everything shown on your photo and more as well until I found what I liked and what works.
What works is cold steam initially and hot steam later. The way I achieve it is by generously spraying the inner surface of the cover with cold water. If the loaf style permits it, as in there are no dry flour designs on its surface, I spray the surface of the loaf as well.
As the cover heats in the oven those droplets create the initial cold steam above loaves.
The square turkey roaster has handles and it is dark colored and lightweight, so it works better that the hotel pan and it is more user friendly.
Indeed that turkey roaster pan with handles should work better than a hotel steam pan, haha, I will need a good excuse to get one. I do spray cold water to the dough surface before and after I score it but spraying the inner surface of a cover (if one is used) sounds intriguing, I might give it a shot at it. Thanks Mariana for all the tips and tricks. Merry Christmas!
Some are very large with very high dome covers. The loaves might be too close and touch though you could separate when almost done & finish right on the oven rack. Another idea is to get the largest stone you can, place loves on it & cover with the dome/top of the,large roaster. The roasters are very big & the covers are huge. Pricy from pampered chef. All pampered chef items I have have held up well. All second hand.
Hey, thanks for all the ideas. I do have an oblong clay baker which I use to bake a single baguette, I forgot to include it in the photo. Something makes the bread so tender and crispy baking in a clay pot which I can't make sense out of it yet, but I do like it. Again, I have probably tried every home trick known to this forum so going forward I would like to hone in on fine tuning a couple of them that I like best.
I use the Broil King 69615 Cast Iron Rib Roaster. Works great.
For one baguette? Thanks.