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I have been experimenting with making whole grain sourdough bread at home. My current recipe is for a loaf that is about 4 cups of flour total, not counting sourdough starter, evenly split between bread flour, whole wheat, and dark rye. After preparation and rising, I cook in a dutch oven, with the dough shaped like a long cylinder stretching from one side of the dutch oven to the other, so that it rises into a loaf shape. Cook time is 30 mins with the lid on, then 5 mins uncovered; at 500 F in a conventional oven. After cook time, I immediately take the loaf out of the dutch oven and let it cool on the counter.

This creates a pretty satisfactory loaf of bread; simple to make, tasty enough, cooked all the way through with a nice crust on the outside. My only issue is that it "burns" on the bottom where the loaf is in contact with the dutch oven. The loaf is slightly blackened on bottom, though that is mostly a cosmetic issue, there is no burnt toast flavor. However, the bottom 1/4 inch of the loaf is very tough and hard to cut when slicing.

I've tried varying cook times and haven't be able to solve this burning problem. What are some tactics that might allow my loaf to cook the same way on the crust and insides, but not burn the bottom as much?

kingledion
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  • How are you heating the Dutch Oven? In a conventional oven or a more direct heat method like a fire or charcoal? – Chris Cudmore Jul 26 '19 at 16:54
  • @ChrisCudmore Conventional oven, 500 F. I should edit that in. – kingledion Jul 26 '19 at 17:02
  • Try an insulated baking sheet under the dutch oven. For Example purposes only https://www.nordicware.com/insulated-baking-sheet – Chris Cudmore Jul 26 '19 at 17:07
  • Hey King. I have to answer in the comments, looks like. Take off the lid handle of your dutch oven (it will unscrew). Wire the lid of your dutch oven securely down to the pot handles so it wont come off. Then flip the whole thing upside-down halfway thru the 30 minute bake. Lid handle comes off so it will sit upside-down, or you could pull apart wires of your oven rack to make space. Or you could use oven on its side and roll it 90 degrees a few times during bake. – Willk Jul 27 '19 at 18:42

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