How to Bake Sourdough Bread in a Dutch Oven
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Feb 2, 2023 • 4 min read
A cast-iron Dutch oven is a go-to vessel for many sourdough bread bakers. Baking sourdough in a Dutch oven yields moist bread with a soft crumb.
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What Is a Dutch Oven?
A Dutch oven is a large cooking vessel with a heavy lid. Most are made from seasoned cast iron. Some have a nonstick enamel coating on the inside (although some chefs insist a Dutch oven is an all-cast-iron pot, and those with enamel coatings should be called French ovens). For non-purists who do not require cast-iron cookware, modern Dutch ovens also come in stainless steel and ceramic models.
Why Bake Bread in a Dutch Oven?
Baking bread in a Dutch oven allows you to steam the bread at the beginning of the bake, getting the best rise and forming a nice crispy crust. The high sides of the Dutch oven also trap moisture, hydrating the sourdough and creating a soft crumb. Some bakers prefer a cast-iron “combo cooker,” which features a Dutch oven and a lid that doubles as a pan.
5 Tips for Making Sourdough Bread
When baking sourdough bread, consider the following tips:
- 1. Fold the dough. Fold the dough by pulling the bottom of the dough up and folding it over the top. This technique will give your sourdough loaf a better texture than kneading with a mixer or by hand.
- 2. Write down the repeat steps. When folding and shaping the dough, keep track of each turn in a notebook so you do not overwork the dough.
- 3. Add cornmeal to the Dutch oven. You can add a dusting of cornmeal or a piece of parchment paper to the bottom of the Dutch oven to prevent the bread from sticking to the pan. This will also ease removing the bread from the Dutch oven after baking.
- 4. Score the bread. Score your bread before baking. Scoring with a lame (pronounced “lahm”), sharp blade, or kitchen scissors prevents your sourdough bread recipe from cracking, as it allows gases to escape while the loaf bakes. You can also score bread to create a decorative design.
- 5. Keep the leftover leaven. After combining some of the leaven with the grains, set aside the leftover leaven. This can become your new sourdough starter for the next time you want to bake.
Dutch Oven Sourdough Recipe
makes
2 Loavesprep time
2 hrtotal time
2 hr 45 mincook time
45 minIngredients
Note: This recipe includes 15 hours of inactive time.
- 1
Make the leaven (leaven is the term for when active starter meets dough): in a large mixing bowl, combine 35 grams freshly fed sourdough starter with 100 grams of whole wheat flour, 100 grams of all-purpose flour, and 200 grams of warm water. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rest overnight.
- 2
Soak your grains. In a large bowl, combine 600 grams of whole wheat flour, 200 grams of all-purpose flour, 200 grams of rye or spelt flour, and 750 grams of warm water. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and let rest overnight.
- 3
The next morning, add half of the leaven to soaked grains, stir to combine with a spoon or your hands, and let rest for 20 minutes. (This step is called an autolyse, and both aids in the production of both gluten and adds flavor.)
- 4
Combine 25 grams of salt with 50 grams of warm water and add to the dough. Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
- 5
Fold the dough, using a wet hand to reach under the dough, pulling the bottom of the dough up, and folding it up over itself. Rotate the bowl in four quarter turns, folding after each turn. Repeat this process every 30-45 minutes for 4-5 hours.
- 6
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide it in two using a bench scraper. Cover with a clean towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- 7
Flip the dough over and shape. Using floured hands, gently pull the dough towards yourself and fold it upwards over itself, folding in half. Pull on the non-folded side to fold in half again. Fold a third time. Rotate 90 degrees and fold a fourth time. Rotate 45 degrees, pull towards yourself, and fold a fifth time. Pull the dough towards yourself in the other direction and fold a sixth time. Rotate 90 degrees and fold a seventh time. Fold in the other direction, for a total of eight folds.
- 8
Place in proofing baskets or cloth-lined bowls dusted with flour and cover with a clean cloth or tea towel. Let dough rest for 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.
- 9
Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. As the oven is preheating, place a Dutch oven in the oven and heat for 15 minutes. Remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven and gently add the dough to the pot.
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