Dutch oven artisan bread

A high-hydration, no-knead artisan bread recipe designed for a cast-iron Dutch oven, featuring a long overnight fermentation for complex flavor and an open, airy crumb.

Equipment

• Digital kitchen scale
• Large glass or ceramic mixing bowl
• Sturdy wooden spoon, silicone spatula, or Danish dough whisk
• Plastic wrap or snug silicon lid
• Parchment paper
• 4.5 to 6-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with lid
• Sharp razor blade or kitchen shears
• Heavy-duty oven mitts
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

• 450 g (approx. 3 ½ cups) Unbleached All-Purpose or Bread Flour
• 360 g (1 ½ cups) Lukewarm Water (70°F–78°F / 21°C–25°C)
• 10 g (2 teaspoons) Fine Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
• 2 g (½ teaspoon) Instant or Active Dry Yeast

Instructions

1. Whisk together 450g flour, 10g fine sea salt, and 2g instant yeast in a large bowl until evenly distributed.
2. Pour in 360g lukewarm water and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon, silicone spatula, or Danish dough whisk until all dry flour is fully hydrated. The dough will look shaggy, sticky, and wet. Do not knead.
3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a snug silicon lid. Place in a draft-free spot at room temperature (68°F–72°F / 20°C–22°C) and let ferment undisturbed for 12 to 18 hours until more than doubled in size, bubbly, and slightly tangy.
4. Lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour or cornmeal. Gently scrape the wet dough onto a floured work surface. Do not punch down.
5. Fold the edges inward toward the center to form a round shape. Flip the dough seam-side down onto the prepared parchment paper.
6. Lightly dust the top with flour, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and let proof for 30 to 45 minutes.
7. While the dough proofs, place a 4.5 to 6-quart cast-iron Dutch oven (with lid on) on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat to 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes.
8. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven using heavy-duty oven mitts and set on a heat-safe surface. Remove the lid.
9. Score a 1/2-inch deep slash across the top of the proofed dough using a sharp razor blade or kitchen shears.
10. Using the parchment paper as a sling, lift the dough and lower it into the preheated pot. Place the lid back on and return to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
11. Remove the lid. Continue baking uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust reaches a deep mahogany finish.
12. Lift the bread out using the parchment sling and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Resist slicing hot bread to avoid a gummy interior. Use parchment paper to prevent scorching the bottom crust and ease transfer. Wet or flour hands when handling sticky dough. Store cooled loaf cut-side down on a wooden board or in a brown paper bag for 48 hours to maintain crispiness. Freeze sliced bread with parchment dividers for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 145 kcal · Total Fat: 0.5 g · Saturated Fat: 0.1 g · Trans Fat: 0 g · Cholesterol: 0 mg · Sodium: 325 mg · Total Carbohydrate: 29 g · Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g · Total Sugars: 0.3 g · Protein: 4.8 g · Calcium: 8 mg · Iron: 1.8 mg · Potassium: 50 mg