Question for Sourdough Bakers

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I've been working on my starter for a little more than a week now and I'm ready to bake something. Just about everything I've read says I need to use a Dutch oven for baking. I don't have one that I'm willing to put in the oven though, even though they have phenolic handles. And I'm loathe to spend $50 or more dollars on one right now. What I DO have is most of a set of Guardian Service, circa World War II. Most have no lids. But I have two that have the same diameter and I think would be about the size to use for a round loaf. They're thick and heavy. Can anyone tell me if I could use these, please?

Featured Answer

plllog

5 years ago

I never put sourdough in a dutch oven. You need that for ultra high hydration dough because it’s goop that won't hold its shape.

Your starter is ready to use if it will double in size, after feeding, reliably within eight hours and hold its top height for several hours. You might get a decent loaf before then, but you might have trouble.

i posted my easiest, most reliable recipe, along with other things, in this thread: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5924521/fun-with-sourdough. Do a protein wash (egg or milk) for prettier crust, and don't forget to slash the surface to control the let out of steam, preventing cracking.

Any recipe where you feed up a potion of your starter, and let it get all bubbly, then add flour, water and salt, should give you good bread. A smaller proportion of water to flour will keep it out of the pot. BTW, if you're not trying to make high hydration “artisan” bread, but your dough is too wet to stand, you can bake it off in any vessel, such as a saucepan, springform or bowl. Clay works if you don't want to use metal.

Good luck!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

maifleur03
5 years ago
The most common type of bread for centuries were types of sourdough. They were baked in all types of shapes and pans. Any pan will work even a cookie sheet. Timing can be something that is needed to be learned but the old knock on the bottom and if it sounds hollow it is ready could be used. One of the bakers in this area simply puts it in a greased and floured bowl that is turned out onto a sheet pan.
donna_loomis thanked maifleur03
Related Discussions
Sourdough bread baking question....
Q
Comments (2)
Teresa, when I use my sourdough starter I only use a couple of ounces to make a biga and the biga is left overnight to develop and in the morning it is added to the flour with additional water and salt. I don't measure the water because it varies every time depending on the flour, the weather, etc... I go by feel and whether I'm looking for a more hydrated dough or not. Depending on how active your starter is, I don't see a problem with using substantially less than one cup. Ann
...See More
No knead Sourdough Questions
Q
Comments (8)
Just leave it sticky. It's better to err on the side of a wet dough than dry dough. A well-hydrated dough will create an open (holey) crumb. A dry dough equals a brick. That's the tricky part about no knead breads. You can't be sure about the hydration of the end product by just following a recipe. That set amount of ingredients doesn't take into consideration the percentage of moisture found in, or absent from, the flour, or the differences in protein in flour from brand-to-brand and bag-to-bag. If flour is stored in a bag in the warmer months when we have higher humidity, the flour will absorb moisture - and dry in the winter when humidity is low. Adding flour that late can cause a number of other issues including streaks from improper mixing. Late additions of flour won't be hydrated properly and won't ferment correctly. Raw flour in the dough can also cause the loaf to break and shred on the sides, as well as influence the crumb color and the texture resulting in poor-quality bread. These are also things that happen when people use too much bench flour while handling the dough. I prefer placing the dough on a Silpat instead of a floured board, and then you don't need bench flour, or only a very small amount. Handle the dough with oiled hands and the dough won't stick to them. King Arthur Flour uses a method where they spray the counter with vegetable spray (PAM) instead of using flour, as another method for avoiding bench flour. Gently move wet dough with a plastic, rubber or silicon bench scraper to make it easier and to help keep the gases inside that will create an open crumb. If all you have is a metal bench scraper, it may need to be sprayed with vegetable spray to keep the dough from sticking. In spite of it all, have fun! -Grainlady
...See More
Mother - daughter sourdough question.
Q
Comments (3)
I just got done reading Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential'. I will never again be able to think of a 'starter' without being reminded of 'Adam Last-name-unknown' screaming 'FEED THE B!TCH' into the phone when he called in to work during a drug addled session for Bourdain to take care of his batch.
...See More
Sourdough Bread Question
Q
Comments (2)
You have to start a "starter". Check out the thread linked below for how to do that. Linda C Here is a link that might be useful: starter
...See More
aziline
5 years ago
I do not use a dutch oven either. Main reason is that i usually bake 2 at a time and I like to make torpedo type shapes, not boules. They are easier to get in the toaster and cut up in general.

Using a DO does add something but not crazy better like it would be using an actual steam oven.

There are lots of tricks for adding steam to your oven if you are so inclined.

Those look to be decently tall. If they are and you want to use them I'd actually put the bread on the stone and then one on top as a lid. That way you won't get a round bottomed loaf.
donna_loomis thanked aziline
Jasdip
5 years ago
I made no-knead bread in my small oval roasting pan. You know the old-fashioned speckled blue ones with the lid? It worked great.
donna_loomis thanked Jasdip
User
5 years ago
As long at the aluminum is in good shape, your vintage pans look like they would work great! I don't own a dutch oven but want to, because I've read so many recommendations for baking bread in them. Does your recipe call for parchment paper on the bottom? Removing the top for the last 10 or 15 minutes of baking? Good luck, and make notes so that next time you know what to tweak.
donna_loomis thanked User
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
I have never encountered a sourdough bread recipe that required baking in a Dutch oven....or any other 'pan'. IME, it's a pretty firm dough that holds its shape well, even boules.
donna_loomis thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Elmer J Fudd
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
We don't make sourdough bread but we do make boule shaped no-knead bread. They do call for using a dutch over with a cover. The reason for it, as correctly mentioned above, is that covered highly hydrated dough simulates the effect of steam ovens as are used in France, for example. That produces a crusty bread. With that baking technique, the lid is removed at the halfway point in time anyway but the dutch oven and the lid are preheated in the oven before the bread is put in.

To my knowledge, other techniques (like a pan of water under bread) don't produce the same effect. I had one dutch oven with a plastic knob that I replaced. I'd be tempted to remove the knob if you can (mine was fasted with one screw from underneath) and just replace it after the baking. Pry open the lid with a screwdriver and grab it with a pot holder when it's hot.
donna_loomis thanked Elmer J Fudd
Judy Good
5 years ago
I agree that a Dutch oven is not needed.
donna_loomis thanked Judy Good
Cloud Swift
5 years ago
I usually bake mine as free-form loaves on a baking stone. I put the big flat roasting pan that came with the oven on an oven rack below the baking stone and preheat the pan and the stone with the oven. Then I pour about two cups of near boiling water into the pan when I put the loaves into the oven to create steam.

I did try the dutch oven thing a couple of times, but I found it a pain to transfer the loaf into the pre-heated dutch oven without deflating it or getting burned and I didn't find the bread came out any better. Also, I sometimes like to do two loaves at the same time.

I do find having a couple of bannetons (proofing baskets) handy especially because it makes it easy to put the formed loaf in the fridge for an overnight proof.
donna_loomis thanked Cloud Swift
l pinkmountain
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
In my experience, and just speaking for myself, I've had the best luck with a covered pan for baking bread. And I've tried all the methods listed. My best results were still in the dutch oven. It could be due to me having an electric oven, famous for not having steady heat. The dutch oven somewhat compensates for that. I tried the baking stone method with water in a shallow pan below too, that was second best. I took the bread out for the last ten minutes to get an evenly browned crust.

Edited to add "out of the dutch oven" not out of the oven for the last ten minutes. Not necessary but often my pan baked breads are browner on top than on the part that is in the pan, which if the pan is big, is at least half the loaf.
donna_loomis thanked l pinkmountain
lindac92
5 years ago
To say that any dough, sour dough, conventional yeast of part this and part that is wetter or dryer than another is false....just add more flour and it will become firmer.....do a bit of a stretch as you shape it and it will become firmer.
I do just fine thank you baking in a regular oven on a cookie sheet.
In the first months of the quarantine I baked 650 loaves of bread....give or take 5 or 6 loaves.
When you shape your bread....stretch it, then roll it into shape, allow to rise, slash and bake in an oven with some ice cubes....or spritz some water into the oven with a sprayer.
donna_loomis thanked lindac92

Question for Sourdough Bakers

plllog

Comments (11)

maifleur03

Related Discussions

aziline

Jasdip

User

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

Elmer J Fudd

Judy Good

Cloud Swift

l pinkmountain

lindac92

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US