Is it Wise to Cook Bread in a Dutch Oven

I’m new to Quora, a website where people can ask any kind of question, and then people can post their helpful answers.

So today I was looking at some topics that I’m interested in, and the first Dutch Oven question I saw was “Is it Wise to Cook Bread in a Dutch Oven”.  In some ways it kind of sounds like a funny question to me, but it’s really a valid question, and people just might not have the confidence, or experience to try it, so it is a genuine question.

So let me just tell you this – if you love good homemade bread, I have a simple answer for you…
YES!! DO IT!!

I will link to my favorite recipe down below, meanwhile, read on and enjoy the eye candy…

I’m a big proponent of Dutch Oven cooking!  As the saying goes – things always taste better from a Dutch Oven.   And it’s true!

Most of my cast iron are Dutch Oven camp stoves (with the legs), and they are very versatile.  I’ve used dutch ovens outdoors using charcoal, on the stovetop (carefully, because our stove is a glasstop), and in the oven.


Hey! Nice legs!!

 

Below, is my enthusiastic evidence of why you absolutely should try cooking bread in a Dutch Oven.

This was my first loaf of bread in a Dutch Oven.  It is a home-ground wheat bread that was cooked in a 10 in. DO using charcoals.  I was really pleased with how it turned out.  And it tasted great! (even though I’m not a huge fan of wheat bread)

 

Then it was quite a while before I attempted breads in a DO again.  But then I discovered the No-Knead Bread.  HOLY COW!  So easy, so forgiving, so beautiful, and SO DELICIOUS!!

One of my first loaves of no-knead bread in a 12 in. Lodge Dutch Oven.

One of my first loaves of no-knead bread in a 12 in. Lodge Dutch Oven.

It quickly became a family favorite, as evidenced by a few pictures of this magical creation.
If only the computer had smell-a-vision!

Delicious and crusty - I never would have guessed how easy this bread would be to make.

Delicious and crusty – I never would have guessed how easy this bread would be to make.

And when I say that it is a family favorite – let me tell you

One time I was cooking up some bread for a big family party.  I was cooking outside using charcoals, and it was a bit windy that day.  So in my efforts to compensate for the wind carrying the heat away too much (and admittedly, I was trying to hurry the process a little), I ended up burning the bottom of the bread a bit on some of the loaves.

I felt horrible!  I wanted so badly have these perfect loaves for my family, but instead I had burnt bottoms!  I thought nobody would like it.  I felt like people were just being kind when they said they still liked it, but we ate a good amount of the bread.  But I still thought they might just be being nice – that is until the end of the night and my niece hugged the remaining 1/2 loaf and eagerly asked if she could take the leftover bread home – burnt bottom and all.

Crusty No-Knead Bread - it has a good thick crust that can be hard to cut through. We bought an electric knife just for when we make this bread. Then you can cut it without destroying the slices. I highly recommend the electric knife.

And when I say crusty, I mean CRUSTY – it has a good thick crust that can be hard to cut through. We bought an electric knife just for when we make this bread. Then you can cut it without destroying the slices. I highly recommend the electric knife.
Four loaves of delicious No Knead Bread - Bring on the Honeybutter!!

Four loaves of delicious No Knead Bread – Bring on the Honeybutter!!
Give this Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread a Try!

Give this Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread a Try!

Ok, before I send you to the recipe, here’s a couple notes.

  • For the recipe they give, I double it for each loaf.
  • The loaves shown here are the doubled recipe, and each cooked in a 12 in. Dutch Oven.  They make a good family-sized loaf
  • You don’t need to use the baking paper.  I used it the first time, but haven’t since.  The only thing it really helps is lifting the bread out.

There are a lot of posts and pages about No-Knead Bread around the net, but here’s the page that I found at the time.

Crusty Bread

 

But it isn’t just limited to loaves of bread.  Here are some other examples of breads that are great to cook in Dutch Ovens…

Dutch Oven Cinnamon Pull-Aparts

These Cinnamon Pull-Aparts are delicious, simple, and a family favorite. One co-worker said all she wanted for her birthday was for me to bring in a batch of these! I would set them up the night before and put the oven on a timer. Then in the morning I’d wake up to fresh, hot deliciousness. And keeping them in the DO, they were still warm when I got to work. Heaven!

 


Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – a Dutch Oven Standard! This is especially delicious when you bake it up the canyon during a picnic. Best tip for easy release from the pot – Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the dutch oven. Also, spray the pot with no-stick spray before every dish.

 


Don’t tell anyone that I cheat when I make this Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie! For the top I use buttery croissant dough from a tube! It’s a delicious little shortcut.

 


I found that the Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie was so easy and delicious, that I’ve made it a few different times..

The tomatoes and parsley make a nice garnish for the top of this Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie

Or sometimes I’ve cut and twisted the croissant dough into ropes or flowers to garnish top of the Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie

 


Poppin fresh biscuits in the Dutch Oven

Mmmmm…..  Dutch Oven Cheesy Biscuits!

Mug Cakes cooked in the Dutch Oven while up camping

Mug Cakes and Orange Cakes cooking in a 15 inch Dutch Oven

One of the Orange Cakes cooked in the Dutch Oven

These Mug Cakes were so easy, and fun to cook in a different way. Made for great camping food!

And of course,…. Dutch Oven Cornbread! Yum!