No Knead Dutch Oven Bread Recipe

[jfmorris]

I've followed this same basic recipe for "whole wheat" bread, but find that you don't get great results with 100% whole wheat flour. I don't think it has enough gluten or something, and you need a mix. I've also lately dropped down to the 3 cup recipe I posted in #5 above, since I'm feeding fewer people these days.

[Jim White]

I like about one third of the flour as whole wheat. I also like to chuck in a couple of tablespoons of sunflower seeds (shelled, of course).

[SheilaAnn]

jfmorris funny you should say that. The person who wrote this recipe specifically said that it does not work well with all whole wheat. But did suggest up to 1 cup white whole wheat.

[mnavarre]

I wouldn't go much over 20% whole wheat unless you're willing to do some stretch & folds. It also depends on the whole wheat flour you're using, flour with more bran needs more hydration and doesn't work as well in a no-knead bread, even with a high protein content.

[SheilaAnn]

Slices deeper into the round. The patty melt is only showcasing the bread. Not my best patty melt, though. Too thick.

[Starsky]

So, If I use a larger dutch oven will the bread just come out thinner. And I'm guessing that I'll have to adjust cooking times

[jfmorris]

I use the same cooking times for the 3 cup and 4.5 cup versions I posted.

I did the smaller batch this week, and it did not spread out and flatten as much as expected, and never touched the sides of the dutch oven.

[SheilaAnn]

jfmorris same for me. I used a small Dutch oven. My loaves never reached the sides. I’m thinking my next loaf will be full recipe. I halved it because we don’t eat bread fast enough.

[jfmorris]

@ShielaAnn I often just form the dough into one or two "french bread" style shapes (depending on how big a batch I am making), on parchment paper, slash the top several times, and slide that onto a preheated sheet pan that has been heating in the oven, and a pour a quart of hot/boiling water in a preheated pan on the bottom rack. Cooking time drops to just 30 minutes when I do that, and it is still pretty crusty.

[Starsky]

Well, the bread went in. My dough seemed too wet. Not sure why. Thought I followed directions closely. We'll see what happens

[Starsky]

Here we are. Definitely has a crust . So, I checked the bread 6 minutes early and it was reading 203 degrees already.so I pulled it out. I know baking is somewhat of a science so I'm going to guess at my mistakes and you guys can tell me if I'm right. First of all the dough seemed slightly wet. A little too much water or not mixed thoroughly? Second, and probably the biggest, I trusted the temp reading on the oven instead of hooking my Smoke probe to the grate. I placed it in a 9 qt. Dutch oven because that was all I have. Did the loaf thin out too much and I should have decreased cooking time?

[SheilaAnn]

Imho, you nailed it. It is a very wet dough and with practice, you will get better at handling it. Crumb looks great. Crust looks great, too. Yeah, if you had a smaller DO, the loaf would be a little taller. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[jfmorris]

Yes - the crumb looks great on that - lots of pockets in the bread. My last batch came out too dense, but I delayed an entire day and put the bowl of dough in the fridge overnight.