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More Bread... and some Oxtail Stew

Posts: 14,831
edited November 2016 in EggHead Forum
Thanks to @Calikingand @SciAggie I had a WONDERFUL loaf of bread this evening! Cali for the recipe, identical to @Mainegg's camp bread, but with a little sugar. Also for the suggestion that it does NOT have to sit all night or all day before it's ready. Five hours is plenty. And SciAggie for the tip about properly forming a high hydration loaf as well as prodding me to dust the cobwebs off of my cloche! Wow, what a great loaf of bread!




And if you want something to go with the bread, try this stew! I used oxtail and the flavor was awesome. Not enough meat though, so next time, I think I'll use a chuck roast. Or maybe beef ribs. Whichever, it was all delicious!!! Recipe calls for a pressure cooker, but you could do it in a DO on the egg. It would just take longer.
http://www.gastrosenses.com/blog/pressure-cooker-oxtail-stew/

A teaser pic from the link. The bread pics are mine, the stew pic is not.


Enjoy!

I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Michael 
Central Connecticut 

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  • Posts: 10,458
    That stew looks right up my alley!!  With you suggestion I will use a chuckie when I try it.  

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Posts: 14,831
    The stew was good, the bread was bettah! And I did use my pressure cooker for the stew. Quick, easy and tasty.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Oxtails are my favorite! Yours looked great.. I've got a great recipe for Jamaican oxtails I'll share soon.. I need to learn to make bread ASAP 
    Large BGE
    36" BlackStone
    Backwoods G2 Party
    Yard full of other stuff to cook on

    RVA -> Chesapeake Va
    Professional Drinker & Home Cook
  • Posts: 19,636
    edited November 2016
    The bread and stew both look fantastic!  Strong work brother Q!
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • bgebrent said:
    The bead and stew both look fantastic!  Strong work brother Q!
    Brent obviously that Defiant is the real deal... Sleep tight my friend !!!!
    Q... that bread and stew looks awesome...
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
  • Posts: 8,364
    edited November 2016
    Bread looks great Q!  

    Have always struggled with the CI DO and bread.  No matter what I tried, the bottom would always be overcooked for my tastes.

    Tried the cloche for the first time today, much better results.  I am sold.  

    Thought about a 15 min cloche, 15 min sans cloche bake in the egg.  Like pizza, bread picks up the rustic flavor pretty quickly.  Will try it next.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Posts: 14,831
    I have never baked bread in the egg. And to me, egged pizza tastes the same as oven pizza. Which is one reason I haven't done pizza in the egg in over three years. Too much trouble for the same result.

    Today's cloche bread (oven) was better than any CI bread I have done. CI bread has always been good, but this was better. Same method... 30 minutes covered, 10 more minutes with the "lid" off.

    Maybe you should try CI bread in the oven. =)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Posts: 6,481
    The crumb on your loaf is fantastic. Baking bread is so very satisfying. The stew looks good as well. @Focker I leave bread under the cloche for 20 minutes and out for 10 - for whatever that's worth. I think most of the oven spring happens in the first 5-10 minutes though so I'm not sure what's best. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • Posts: 8,364
    I have never baked bread in the egg. And to me, egged pizza tastes the same as oven pizza. Which is one reason I haven't done pizza in the egg in over three years. Too much trouble for the same result.

    Today's cloche bread (oven) was better than any CI bread I have done. CI bread has always been good, but this was better. Same method... 30 minutes covered, 10 more minutes with the "lid" off.

    Maybe you should try CI bread in the oven. =)
    I have, lol.  Same deal, bottom of the loaf was overcooked as well.  
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Posts: 14,831
    edited November 2016
    Hmm. Don't think I've ever done one in the oven without a stone or steel under the DO (or today's cloche) And always on the center rack. Last couple have been on the baking steel. Before that, stone. No air gap under the DO, but always a stone/steel..

    Have you done those things? Otherwise, I'm out.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Posts: 8,364
    Hmm. Don't think I've ever done one in the oven without a stone or steel under the DO (or today's cloche) And always on the center rack. Last couple have been on the baking steel. Before that, stone. No air gap under the DO, but always a stone/steel..

    Have you done those things? Otherwise, I'm out.
    DO was put on the center oven rack by itself.  That may have been my issue.  
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Posts: 19,127
    I'm glad I had a good idea to make your bread better. Sheer fluke! I like to bake bread, but I'm no expert . I just figured that the slow rise in this recipe was because it was deliberately retarded by using a small amount of yeast, larger quantity of salt ( than I am used to using),  no sugar to feed the yeast, and colder than usual water ( most recipes I have seen use water at about 110°F or so).

    Adding sugar, more yeast, and slightly warmer water sped up the rise, and yielded a good loaf, so I should be thanking you for posting the recipe link.

    But I can't get the oven spring that I see many folks on here getting. Don't know why.   

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Posts: 6,481
    @caliking When I dropped my hydration from 80% to 75% and strated stitching the loaves when shaping my oven spring improved dramatically. I'm also no expert - just passing along what helped my bread improve. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • That bread looks incredible. I have been trying my hand at bread as of late and will need to look into a cloche!
  • Posts: 19,708
    You guys are my heros. Got to do that. 
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Just given a Mini to add to the herd. 

  • Posts: 8,364
    520 egg, 15 cloche, 20 sans cloche.


    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Posts: 17,629
    Hearty Stew and fresh bread? Sign me up!!! Nice work Michael.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Posts: 14,831
    520? DEGREES??! Seems pretty hot. Julie's original camp bread calls for 400°. That's what I've always used. And 30/10 minutes, lid on/lid off. In a DO. For yesterdays loaf, I used a cloche at 450°, still 30/10. But I'm new at this.

    This is like the one I have...

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Posts: 14,831
    Hearty Stew and fresh bread? Sign me up!!! Nice work Michael.
    Thanks, Blake. Give it a try.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Posts: 17,629
    Thanks, Blake. Give it a try.
    5-6 hrs for a loaf?  Ya that's nice.




    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Posts: 8,364
    520? DEGREES??! Seems pretty hot. Julie's original camp bread calls for 400°. That's what I've always used. And 30/10 minutes, lid on/lid off. In a DO. For yesterdays loaf, I used a cloche at 450°, still 30/10. But I'm new at this.

    This is like the one I have...

    I know.  I'm new too bud.

    But so far, the best loaf(all around), I have broke at the table.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Posts: 14,831
    You know, it's interesting to me that these loaves, with similar recipes, all LOOK so different! Purty though. =)

    @SciAggie's


    Mine

    And another of mine (but with no sugar)


    @caliking


    @Photo Egg

    And now, yours

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Posts: 8,364
    edited November 2016
    Wonder if flour has something to do with it?  I use KA AP.

    My brother's friend makes her own honey.  
    Looking forward to adding a little bit of it, to the mix next batch.  I'm sprung on this bread stuff.  So easy, so good.

    A piece of warm bread and Kerrygold is lovely.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Posts: 14,831
    Focker said:
    Wonder if flour has something to do with it?  I use KA AP.

    My brother's friend makes her own honey.  
    Looking forward to adding a little bit of it, to the mix next batch.  I'm sprung on this bread stuff.  So easy, so good.

    A piece of warm bread and Kerrygold is lovely.
    I'm sure every little thing has something to do with the appearance of a loaf of bread. The loaf I did yesterday used DirtCheapHouseBrand® bread flour. The "no sugar" loaf was KA Bread. But one had sugar, the other did not, and they were baked at different temps in different vessels. Always with SAF instant yeast though and no warm water.

    I think my "no sugar" loaf looks better than any loaf I have baked. But I don't know why. I don't remember if it was better, but it looks better. Until yesterday, they had all been done with the same recipe, at the same temp and in the same DO. Most with KA Bread. But none have looked like the KA one above.

    That said, yesterdays loaf tasted better. Sugar, slightly higher oven temp (450°) and baked in a cloche. Not as pretty though. =)

    The honey sounds like a good idea. I also want to try adding some garlic or herbs or something.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Posts: 6,481
    @Carolina Q @Focker I agree with the comment about how all our loaves look very different even though the recipes are similar. 
    I did pick up that @Focker is using KA AP flour in the above loaf; I'm using KA bread flour. That explains why my loaf is darker. I find that the higher the protein content in the dough (which is a reflection of the wheat variety) the darker the bread will be. I get brown to black (not burned) spots with high protein flour. My bread is blond with AP flour. 
    I also cook my bread at a higher temperature (500 degrees). 
    Like you guys, I do not consider myself an expert. That's why I made my bread post - I was excited to find/ stumble upon a method that yields good results for me. We read these books and see all this great bread other folks make and wonder why we can't do it too. That's me anyway - I feel like I'm the only dumba$$ that can't crank out these beautiful loaves. 
    Y'all keep baking and posting. I'm learning from every discussion. In the end I would bet any of these loaves taste good with some good butter or olive oil. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • Posts: 19,127
    I've been using SAF yeast and KA bread flour as well. Will try @SciAggie 's tip for lower hydration, at higher temp and see what happens. 

    I dont have have the patience to be a great baker, but the helpful tips here certainly help :)

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Posts: 14,831
    SciAggie said:
    I also cook my bread at a higher temperature (500 degrees). 
    That's why I increased the temp on my last loaf from 400 to 450°. I saw that yours was baked at 500° so I compromised. Next time, I'll try 500°. I really like the color of your loaf!
    caliking said:
    I dont have have the patience to be a great baker, but the helpful tips here certainly help :)
    I am a novice bread baker at best. I too have yet to find the patience to go through all the steps mentioned in many bread recipes. Do this, wait several hours. Do that, wait until tomorrow! Do something else, wait three days! Wait, wait, wait! 

    Well, WAIT! I just want a loaf of good bread!

    Of course, a decent loaf doesn't just happen. You can't just mix up a bunch of stuff and bake it, but this no knead bread is less complex than most. And it IS a decent loaf! I imagine it's not as good as many of the more involved breads, but it looks great, is tasty and crusty - and it can go from a bag of flour to a baked loaf in just a few hours. Even I have the patience for THAT! =)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Posts: 12,136
    I normally use KA. Bread flour as well.
    I'm sure size and shape of the dutch oven plays a part as well.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Posts: 8,364
    edited November 2016
    That's why I increased the temp on my last loaf from 400 to 450°. I saw that yours was baked at 500° so I compromised. Next time, I'll try 500°. I really like the color of your loaf!
    I am a novice bread baker at best. I too have yet to find the patience to go through all the steps mentioned in many bread recipes. Do this, wait several hours. Do that, wait until tomorrow! Do something else, wait three days! Wait, wait, wait! 

    Well, WAIT! I just want a loaf of good bread!

    Of course, a decent loaf doesn't just happen. You can't just mix up a bunch of stuff and bake it, but this no knead bread is less complex than most. And it IS a decent loaf! I imagine it's not as good as many of the more involved breads, but it looks great, is tasty and crusty - and it can go from a bag of flour to a baked loaf in just a few hours. Even I have the patience for THAT! =)
    I think the beauty in all of this, like the parchment discussion, is every pizza, loaf will be different, no two the same. 

    I love Mallmann, but those rustic flavors can overpower, especially with bread, covering the rest of the beauty of what's going on...especially with sourdough and extended bulk cold fermentation.  Too much char can happen in pizza even, which is hard to do, with all of the other flavor profiles in the mix.  

    Eggin' pies is where I learned my preferences.  

    That overbaked rock hard exterior, dry interior, may look decent, but dries my mouth just looking at it.  Same with the heavy flouring in bratforms, too much for me.  I like Blake's pastry brush tip though.  This is why I struggled using the DO, I wasn't satisfied, it didn't taste good to me, on its own.  Many long for the holes.  I'd rather have a shelf to hold the Kerrygold, mayo, nduja.  =)

    High protein flour isn't perfect, it can cause heaviness, especially in these wet doughs.

    I like tossing flax, pumpkin, poppy, sesame seeds on, and in, sometimes for heartiness.  I'm sure, others may cringe.

    After all this rambling, it all reduces down, to the beauty of personal preferences you learn along the way. 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Posts: 698
    Oxtails are my favorite! Yours looked great.. I've got a great recipe for Jamaican oxtails I'll share soon.. I need to learn to make bread ASAP 
    Please do. We did Jerk pork for the first time the other night and loved it. Plan on doing an island party soon in protest to winter. Ive got friends as nutty as me. 
    Bill   Denver, CO
    XL, 2L's, and MM

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