How to cook Bread on the BGE?

Birdman

I'm going to make some dough in a bread machine. Then what do I do with it? I was thinking of making a round loaf, make some slits at the top & put a egg wash on it, cook it on an inverted plate setter with a pizza stone on top of the plate setter for extra mass. [p]Is this about right & at what temp and how long do I cook? At what internal temperature is the bread done?[p]TIA

The Other Dave

birdman, I'm glad you asked. I don't have the answer, but please post your results. As a starting point for temp I would GUESS about 350*. I believe the egg is perfectly suited for bread baking since the temp is so consistant and is similar to the old brick ovens.

YB

birdman,
This may help with time and temp.
Larry
[ul][li]Bread To Die For[/ul]

Prof Dan

birdman,[p]I have baked bread right on the pizza stone, but I have had even better results in a cast iron dutch oven. Preheat the Egg to 425 for about 45 minutes, with the closed dutch oven sitting on firebricks or the pizza stone, right on the grill. Then dump the dough ball into the hot dutch oven, put the cast iron lid on, and bake at 425 for about 45 minutes. The crust comes out great, because the dutch oven traps moisture inside. That makes the crust thicker and crunchier -- I don't know why, but it's true.[p]The bread comes right out of the dutch oven -- no need to oil the inside of it. Just scatter some cornmeal in it just as you are putting in the loaf to bake.[p]The basic dough is a snap -- 3 cups flour, 2 teaspoons yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar [optional], 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon oil [also optional], and one cup water. I make this in a food processor with a dough hook, and I usually add other stuff -- cooked onion or garlic, maybe sesame seeds, whatever. Let it rise for an hour, form the loaf ball, and let it rise for another hour while you fire up the Egg.[p]One more tip -- for some reason, you aren't supposed to use soap when cleaning a dutch oven. Don't know why, but I follow that rule.

Good luck!

Puj

birdman,[p]Well, you have a couple of things to consider and didn't provide enough specifics in your post so here are some good rules of thumb.[p]If you shape the dough into a boule you'll want bake at the lower end of the temp scale, say 400°F to 425°F. Baking time depends on the size of the boule. If its close to a 1 pound boule plan for about a 35 minute bake. A 2 pound boule could take up to 45 to 55 minutes depending upon the dough formula.[p]Baguettes should be baked closer to 500°F. Be careful not to burn the bottom (just like you have to watch a pizza crust), and depending upon the dough formula plan on a bake time 28 to 35 minutes.[p]Remember I'm just giving you some guidelines. Good luck, and what'ya baking?[p]Puj

Puj

Prof Dan,[p]I may just bake a boule in the Dutch Oven next Saturdary at Eggtoberfest in honor of you. Using the DO for baking breads on the BGE is a great alternative to the more "normal" hearth method.[p]Now I just need to decide the boule to bake (maybe a sourdough with asiago cheese and topped with roasted onions and garlic).[p]Thanks for triggering the thought,
Puj

Tim M

<p />birdman,[p]Your setup sound fine to me. Here is a loaf I did some time ago, haven't done it for awhile -- I need to do it again. [p]The link below has many more pictures - hope it helps. Enjoy[p]Tim
[ul][li]Bread on the Bge[/ul]

Janet

Tim M,
Why is your plate setter not as black and yucky as mine?
Do you do a high temp clean?[p]Janet

Prof Dan

Puj,[p]I'm honored! Wish I could make it to Eggfest -- I'm on the West Coast and it's too far away.[p]Suggestion -- start with a "sponge." A day before you are going to make the bread, mix a cup of flour, about a half cup of water, and just a few grains of yeast. Mix with a spoon. It should be a wet soggy lump in the mixing bowl or the measuring cup. Let it sit out overnight; it'll be full of bubbles next day,[p]The next morning, use it as the basis for your dough. Don't add any more yeast. For some reason, this really improves the flavor. The French call this sponge a "poolish," I think, although that doesn't sound very French.[p]Good luck![p]

Tim M

Janet,[p]Yes, doing pizza cleans it somewhat. I also had/have 3 different models as Bge redesigned them over the years and sent them to me to test. That picture is using #2 - it has to sit on a grid. The newest one is larger and sits on the fire ring and is even beefier. I am also very neat and that picture is old (aka the setter was pretty new). I still have it though. If you go to my website, you will see it on the wooden cart and that is where it is sitting right now. Rain won't hurt them and may even help clean them.[p]Tim
[ul][li]Tim's place[/ul]

CR

Prof Dan,if you are baking the bread inside a covered Dutch Oven why not do it in the oven? [p]I thought that by baking in the BGE the benefit was to get the some of the smoke flavoring into the crust.

Prof Dan

CR,[p]There are times when I don't want to run the oven in the house -- on warm days, for example. Also, I have an electric oven, and it costs a lot to heat it up. I'm not sure the cost of charcoal is less, but it's close. Finally, there are times when I know I'll be Egging later on, so why not fire up the Egg for the bread, anyway?[p]I love smoke, but I don't always want smoke in my bread.