Inverted Dutch oven bread ... getting better rise in my bread

Stormbringer · October 2017

If you've got a cloche like @SciAggie this is probably preaching to the converted. I don't have one, but I realised I could get a much better rise from my bread by inverting the Dutch oven I was using and depositing the dough into the lid. The DO I use has a completely flat lid with a little depth, so it's absolutely perfect to receive dough from the banneton before baking. This means that scoring the dough became child's play, and very quick.

Details => https://thecooksdigest.co.uk/2017/10/20/inverted-dutch-oven-bread/

Bread recipe => https://thecooksdigest.co.uk/2017/08/18/crusty-artisan-bread/

@smbishop from memory, I think your DO has a flat lid so this could work well?

The finished loaf, SWBMO has been playing with her new lens:

The two parts to the DO pre-heated and ready for the dough:

Dough deposited into the lid, very quick score and spray of water:

The DO upside down ready to bake the bread:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/98/fct3av2vwc4t.jpg

Thanks for looking!

Photo Egg · October 2017

I have a Lodge CI that I think will work this way...Nice. Thank you.

reinhart36 · October 2017

Stormbringer said:

I realised I could get a much better rise from my bread by inverting the Dutch oven I was using and depositing the dough into the lid.

@Stormbringer - beautiful loaf - nice work!

I'm curious, are you saying you get better "oven spring" like this?

Is it because you don't need to drop the dough down into the deep pot (which might collapse it some), and you can more gingerly move the dough into the shallow lid?

Thanks for the feedback and tips.

Photo Egg · October 2017

reinhart36 said:

Stormbringer said:

I realised I could get a much better rise from my bread by inverting the Dutch oven I was using and depositing the dough into the lid.

@Stormbringer - beautiful loaf - nice work!

I'm curious, are you saying you get better "oven spring" like this?

Is it because you don't need to drop the dough down into the deep pot (which might collapse it some), and you can more gingerly move the dough into the shallow lid?

Thanks for the feedback and tips.

Seems like inverted base would seal in more moisture unless you had a base and lid that fit very tight. Then you might get better cooking around the sides when you remove the base and it's only cooking on the lid.

Stormbringer · October 2017

Photo Egg said:

I have a Lodge CI that I think will work this way...Nice. Thank you.

@Photo Egg If it's this one I think it will. I don't have it myself but its pretty much the same shape as mine. Might be a little bigger.

Image: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/9160iG09pKL._SX522_.jpg

Stormbringer · October 2017

reinhart36 said:

Stormbringer said:

I realised I could get a much better rise from my bread by inverting the Dutch oven I was using and depositing the dough into the lid.

@Stormbringer - beautiful loaf - nice work!

I'm curious, are you saying you get better "oven spring" like this?

Is it because you don't need to drop the dough down into the deep pot (which might collapse it some), and you can more gingerly move the dough into the shallow lid?

Thanks for the feedback and tips.

@reinhart36 it's fully explained in the blog article, but a TL;DR version is that I can deposit the dough straight into the CI and score it very easily, the previous method was way more cumbersome and error prone. The scoring, and spraying with water afterwards (especially in the score groove) leads to the better oven spring. Also with more of the loaf exposed after removing the top, I get a more even browning of the crust.

Photo Egg · October 2017

Stormbringer said:

Photo Egg said:

I have a Lodge CI that I think will work this way...Nice. Thank you.

@Photo Egg If it's this one I think it will. I don't have it myself but its pretty much the same shape as mine. Might be a little bigger.

Yes, that's the one. Thanks

Stormbringer · October 2017

Photo Egg said:

Stormbringer said:

Photo Egg said:

I have a Lodge CI that I think will work this way...Nice. Thank you.

@Photo Egg If it's this one I think it will. I don't have it myself but its pretty much the same shape as mine. Might be a little bigger.

Yes, that's the one. Thanks

Cool, good luck. Your DO is about 10% bigger than mine, so maybe up the ingredients a bit and use a 9 or 10 inch banneton.

GlennM · October 2017

The dough is quite wet, it doesn’t fall over the side?

Stormbringer · October 2017

GlennM said:

The dough is quite wet, it doesn’t fall over the side?

No, it's fine. The whole operation of adding dough, scoring, spraying and putting the top on takes under 1 minute. If I was using a DO with a completely flat lid, as opposed to the slight curved dome I have, yes it would probably be an issue. But then I'd use the DO right way around.

20stone · October 2017

That's a great looking loaf.

I don't have an invertable DO, but learned some of @caliking's tricks while we were turning perfectly great dough into meteorites in a DO in a live fire.

He dumps the dough onto parchment paper (same benefits as inverted) and then lowers it into the DO, and then drops a couple of ice cubes between the parchment and the DO along the edge. It ice becomes steam very quickly, helping the spring.

NPHuskerFL · October 2017

Gee I never thought of inverting a DO

Good looking loaf man!

Stormbringer · October 2017

20stone said:

That's a great looking loaf.

I don't have an invertable DO, but learned some of @caliking's tricks while we were turning perfectly great dough into meteorites in a DO in a live fire.

He dumps the dough onto parchment paper (same benefits as inverted) and then lowers it into the DO, and then drops a couple of ice cubes between the parchment and the DO along the edge. It ice becomes steam very quickly, helping the spring.

Ah that's a neat trick!

texaswig · October 2017

@20stone never heard that one. That @caliking is smart dude.

smbishop · October 2017

@Stormbringer ;
I need to try this, thank you!!

HogHeaven · February 2018

I use this DO for baking boules.

Stormbringer · March 2018

@HogHeaven what's the make and model on that? I've been looking for one that has a flat lid and a handle.

Carolina Q · March 2018

Stormbringer said:

@HogHeaven what's the make and model on that? I've been looking for one that has a flat lid and a handle.

Would this be suitable? No long handles, but short ones anyway.
http://shop.lodgemfg.com/dutch-ovens/5-quart-cast-iron-double-dutch-oven.asp
Click Downloads for dimensions.

Don't know it Lodge is sold there though.

caliking · March 2018

That loaf looks fabulous!

FWIW, I bought the one that @Carolina Q mentioned above, thinking that I could use it in the eggs as well. It's been my dedicated bread cooker, and has never been used in an egg. I wish I had bought the one with handles, as it is easier to manipulate than the one I have.

Stormbringer · March 2018

Carolina Q said:

Stormbringer said:

@HogHeaven what's the make and model on that? I've been looking for one that has a flat lid and a handle.

Would this be suitable? No long handles, but short ones anyway.
http://shop.lodgemfg.com/dutch-ovens/5-quart-cast-iron-double-dutch-oven.asp
Click Downloads for dimensions.

Don't know it Lodge is sold there though.

Thanks for the recco, and Lodge is available here via those good folks at Amazon. The 5 quart DO very similar to the one I already use, a bit bigger though. It turns out that Lodge make something like the one @HogHeaven used, but a bit small at 3.2 quart ...

Image: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/619DLHm0z2L._SL1024_.jpg

... and that got me thinking, I have the dome already, and Lodge make 10.25 and 12 inch CI skillets. So if one of those fitted the dome of the DO I have, we have a winner and I get a CI skillet out of it too. I'll check when I'm back in the UK, stuck in Switzerland in the snow at the moment.

HogHeaven · March 2018

I bought my lodge 3.2 quart Lodge DO from Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCC3-Cooker-Pre-Seasoned-3-2-Quart/dp/B0009JKG9M

texaswig · March 2018

@caliking you never say my loafs look fabulous.

caliking · March 2018

texaswig said:

@caliking you never say my loafs look fabulous.

That’s because I’m busy drooling over your tacos and stuff

Stormbringer · March 2018

HogHeaven said:

I bought my lodge 3.2 quart Lodge DO from Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCC3-Cooker-Pre-Seasoned-3-2-Quart/dp/B0009JKG9M

Cheers, I'll look into getting one.

Photo Egg · March 2018

Picked these up last night. Clearance stuff at Walmart. @caliking ...one of these 3.2 qt handled ones has your name on it!
Top one is a 6qt with legs. Bottom 2 are the LCC3.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/zy/owv0y866mvrc.jpg

caliking · March 2018

Photo Egg said:

Picked these up last night. Clearance stuff at Walmart. @caliking ...one of these 3.2 qt handled ones has your name on it!
Top one is a 6qt with legs. Bottom 2 are the LCC3.

I've shown uncharacteristic restraint since hearing about this sale

Photo Egg · March 2018

caliking said:

Photo Egg said:

Picked these up last night. Clearance stuff at Walmart. @caliking ...one of these 3.2 qt handled ones has your name on it!
Top one is a 6qt with legs. Bottom 2 are the LCC3.

I've shown uncharacteristic restraint since hearing about this sale

Should I bring it to Athens Eggfest for you?

caliking · March 2018

Photo Egg said:

caliking said:

Photo Egg said:

Picked these up last night. Clearance stuff at Walmart. @caliking ...one of these 3.2 qt handled ones has your name on it!
Top one is a 6qt with legs. Bottom 2 are the LCC3.

I've shown uncharacteristic restraint since hearing about this sale

Should I bring it to Athens Eggfest for you?

Well, shucks. If it literally has my name on it, I may just have to give it a home. I'll figure out logistics with you offline.

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