No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two. 1 1/2 tsp salt Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger. At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that's OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don't worry if it's not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

The liquid in the recipe includes the liquid for proofing. I just add the dry yeast and the liquid I might have used for proofing. And even back when I used to proof the yeast I never measured the liquid...I just put the luke warm liquid in a bowl, added the yeast and started mixing in the flour....and when I have added aboput half the four, add the salt and oil or whatever else. Yeah...dough sticks to your hands when kneading....just rub your hands together, and incorporate the rubbins back into the dough...have some flour on the board and dust the dough ball with flour. Yes you can wet your hands or oil them before kneading but in 8 to 10 minutes of kneading, you will find that the oil or the water wear off and your hands will still get sticky. I often use a dough scraper to help the dough come together before I get into full blown kneading. But once the dough makes into a good mass, it shouldn't stick to your hands much at all....just a few fluffs of flour should keep it working well. Linda C Here is a link that might be useful: kneading by hand

Yes...great pic but like jel48 asked, "How did it turn out?" That's great that she wants to learn something like that. Was she learning the art of breadmaking from Grandma? Update please... Sue

Jasdip, I have a couple of big loaf pans from Cuisinart, I seldom use them because they are so big, I'll bet your recipe would perfectly fill those two. I've never used bacon grease in bread, although I've used lard, now you've got me thinking. I usually reserve the bacon grease for the corn bread pan.... Joan, if you want to try something slightly different, I've made rolls with this recipe from King Arthur Flour. The technique is very different, but the texture of these are very nice. There are instructions for shaping a loaf at the end of the recipe, although I've only used it for rolls. Japanese Milk Bread Rolls Tangzhong (starter) 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons whole milk 2 tablespoons bread flour Dough 2 1/2 cups bread flour 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon instant yeast 1/2 cup whole milk 1 large egg 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter Directions To make the tangzhong: Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain. Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature. To make the dough: Combine the tangzhong with the remaining dough ingredients, then mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk. Gently deflate the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces, and shape each piece into a ball. Place the rolls into a lightly greased round bun pan. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rest for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy. To use another pan, see "tips," below. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the rolls with milk or egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water), and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll should read at least 190°F. Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Yield: 8 rolls. Tips from our bakers These rolls can also be baked in a 9" round metal pan for about 25 minutes. To make a loaf: After the dough's initial rise, divide it into four equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold the short ends in towards one another like a letter. Flatten the folded pieces into rectangles again and, starting with a short end, roll them each into a log. Place the logs in a row of four — seam side down and side by side — in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover the loaf and allow it to rest/rise for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy. Brush the loaf with milk or egg wash and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190°F. Remove the loaf from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Annie