Tips to make sourdough bread without Dutch Oven

Bhavna's Food Journey

May 4

Once you succeed in making sourdough starter you will start thinking of baking bread. Most of the video you will see uses Dutch oven to bake the bread. I personally not yet there to spend money on something I am not sure yet I will be able to use it. I need time and test my recipe before I can invest in things I will be using regularly. So, I started researching what else can I use. I would have used my loaf pan but while baking the bread, it needs to keep the steam inside the pot. It needs something heavy and not burn the bottom. After couple of trials, I figured out that I can bake bread without Dutch oven. Bread came out amazing.

Once you learn and comfortable baking bread, do buy a Dutch oven which will last your forever, it is worth it!. I have also hear from many bakers that roaster pan (with white dots) works great and it's much cheaper option and easy to handle as it is light weight.

I first prepared double batch. I used caraway seeds in one loaf and caraway seeds + black olives in another loaf.

Here is what I did to replace Dutch oven for baking the loaf:

I used cast iron pan for 1 loaf and CorningWare bakeware (correction from video) for another loaf.
Put CorningWare, lid and another circle cake pan in oven and turn on oven at 450F. While these are heating, also heat cast iron pan on stove on medium heat.
You will also need boiling water ready.
Once oven is ready, you need to prepare. Transfer one loaf with parchment paper in CorningWare and cover the lid. Transfer another loaf with parchment paper in cast iron pan. Add 2 ice cubes outside of parchment paper and cover with round cake pan.
First you need to put empty aluminum foil pan or anything oven proof in oven in lower rack, cover the glass door with cotton napkin before you add hot water in pan so if it spills, glass doesn't break. Add the hot water and then remove napkin. Now put both loaf pan in top rack. Turn on the timer to 20 mins.
Bake it for 20 mins.
Then lower the temperature to 425F and set timer for 20-25 mins. Remove the lid from both pan. Carefully remove boiling water pan also (you don't need steam at this point). Bake it without lid. Once you see crust is slightly brown (it will take at least 20 minutes or more), turn off the oven.
Remove both loaf from oven and put on cooling rack to cool down.
Wait until bread is completely cool down (around 1 hour) then cut in desired size and enjoy!.

Sourdough bread

These bread freezes well in freezer. Once you start baking, you will find out how long does it take to bake it in your oven. But I have noticed, it takes around 40 to 45 minutes to get the best result. Don't be afraid, you have to try it to know if it works.

Let me know if you have question regarding the process.

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Tips to make sourdough bread without Dutch Oven

Time: 45 mins
Difficulty: Medium
Print

Here is what I did to replace Dutch oven for baking the loaf:

I used cast iron pan for 1 loaf and CorningWare bakeware (correction from video) for another loaf.
Put CorningWare, lid and another circle cake pan in oven and turn on oven at 450F. While these are heating, also heat cast iron pan on stove on medium heat.
You will also need boiling water ready.
Once oven is ready, you need to prepare. Transfer one loaf with parchment paper in CorningWare and cover the lid. Transfer another loaf with parchment paper in cast iron pan. Add 2 ice cubes outside of parchment paper and cover with round cake pan.
First you need to put empty aluminum foil pan or anything oven proof in oven in lower rack, cover the glass door with cotton napkin before you add hot water in pan so if it spills, glass doesn't break. Add the hot water and then remove napkin. Now put both loaf pan in top rack. Turn on the timer to 20 mins.
Bake it for 20 mins.
Then lower the temperature to 425F and set timer for 20-25 mins. Remove the lid from both pan. Carefully remove boiling water pan also (you don't need steam at this point). Bake it without lid. Once you see crust is slightly brown (it will take at least 20 minutes or more), turn off the oven.
Remove both loaf from oven and put on cooling rack to cool down.
Wait until bread is completely cool down (around 1 hour) then cut in desired size and enjoy!.

These bread freezes well in freezer. Once you start baking, you will find out how long does it take to bake it in your oven. But I have noticed, it takes around 40 to 45 minutes to get the best result. Don't be afraid, you have to try it to know if it works.

Enjoy!
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