Easy, No-knead Crusty Bread

Some notes on making the artisian bread in hot, humid Tampa. I tinkered with the recipe from this site and the following works perfectly for us:
4 cups bread flour (Pillsbury is fine)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry yeast
2 cups tepid water
Mix all in a large bowl and set aside (in a cool oven) for 18 hours.
Turn out onto a dish towel heavily coated with cornmeal and wrap in the towel. Wrap again in a second towel to absorb excess moisture.
Let rise for 2 hours.
Heat a covered Dutch oven in a 475 degree oven.
Flip the dough into the hot pan and bake, covered, for 30 minutes at 475.
Bake an additional 10 minutes at 475 with the cover off. Cool.

I found the dough was much too wet to form into a loaf but this was not necessary. The dough smooths itself once in the pot. The plastic wrap was also not helpful. Just use plenty of cornmeal and a second towel to wrap. Flipping the loaf into the pot is the only tricky part but even if it does not look perfect, it tastes wonderful. I shortened the cooking time because the loaf browned too much with the additional five minutes in the original recipe.
Bread, butter, cheese, and wine. What more do we need?
Cheri

I had been making this bread for over a year and had no trouble whatsoever. Then I started to make the bread to sell at our local farm market and bought some low cost flour at GFS. Big mistake. I had all kinds of trouble. It was super wet, wouldn't rise, was sticky and hard to handle, and didn't have the good taste and texture I had learned to expect. So, word to the wise, cheap flour does not save you time or money. I am back to my usual flour, mixed up a loaf this morning. Everything is right with the world, at least the bread world.

I wonder if some of the folks who had trouble with the recipe were also using a low quality flour. I did not use bread flour, just a good quality all-purpose flour.

I have been using this recipe since it was printed in ME News. I add some quick oats to it (substituting a cup or two for flour) and I also use whole wheat flour. I've found that I need to let it rise for at least 18 and preferably 24 hours. Also, I have found a way to use it in loaf pans so that I have sandwich bread--just oil the pans, and, after stirring down the risen dough, divide it in two and tip it into the pans. Smooth it out a bit and let it rise for an hour, then bake for about 70 minutes at 350; cool on racks. This recipe has been a great help to me with my busy schedule--I can bake twice or even three times a week with no trouble at all.

great bread! i love a good dense bread. i added sesame seeds and flax seed to mine for more crunch and fiber. i used 1 cup of buckwheat flour as well. i also added some wheat gluten which makes it hold together real nice. i will try it with sunflower seeds and maybe oatmeal too. very satisfying, thank you for the recipe!

I am enjoying a slice of this bread right now! A few hints -if the bread is too wet, it is because too much water was added. I add one cup of water, then add the remaining 1/2 cup a little at a time just until the flour is absorbed. The best way to store the bread is cut side down on a board inside the microwave - I use my microwave as a bread box. Never wrap in plastice or in a bag - it ruins the crust. I have a very detailed recipe at aresrocket.com/bread - both US and metric versions, plus photos. An awesome bread, the best I have ever made by far.

I have tried this recipe twice and both times the dough came out so wet that I could not work with it. I used the original recipe published in the New York Times which calls for 1-5/8 cups of water, the first time I thought it was something I did wrong, the second time I thought maybe there was a mistake with the amount of water called for in the recipe. I went to a number of other websites and found the amount of water varied only slightly from the original recipe. I used two cups all purpose flour and one cup of rye flour and let the tough rise in my electric oven with the light on for 18 hours. When I turned it out it was so wet that it could not be formed into a ball. I threw the first attempt in the trash. The second time I had the same results, this time I added more flour (~1 cup) and was able to work with it, I let it rise a second time and then baked it in my Dutch Oven. After baking the specified time the bread came out looking like a cow pie and tasted lousy, the bottom was burned and the bread was very wet and dense.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank You

I really want to try this recipe! It looks so easy. Has anyone tried the "Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day" recipes in comparison? Which tastes better?

Hello fellow knead-less bread enthusiasts! I've been enjoying this bread for almost a year now and rarely have trouble with it, except when our temps. here are in the 100's. Then it rises too fast, comes out flat, etc...
Anyway, I've had a request for a wheat free version using buckwheat, spelt, quinoa, or other non-wheat flours. Have any of you baked this bread wheat free?
I'd love some advice before I start experimenting. I'm not really a bread baker, I love the knead-less recipe because it is so simple, therefore I don't really know the chemistry behind bread and alternative flours. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

Hello fellow knead-less bread enthusiasts! I've been enjoying this bread for almost a year now and rarely have trouble with it, except when our temps. here are in the 100's. Then it rises too fast, comes out flat, etc...
Anyway, I've had a request for a wheat free version using buckwheat, spelt, quinoa, or other non-wheat flours. Have any of you baked this bread wheat free?
I'd love some advice before I start experimenting. I'm not really a bread baker, I love the knead-less recipe because it is so simple, therefore I don't really know the chemistry behind bread and alternative flours. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

I have made this "new" bread a couple of times now and just LOVE
IT!! I have a batch of rye going right now and I bake it in a very
old cast iron dutch oven I did have to lower the temp. just a
little as the dark black of my d. oven burned the bottum last time
with the rye. Here is the recipe: EM's rye bread. 1 cup rye flour
(light, I havent gotten to trying the dark yet!) 2 and 1/2 cups
bread flour ( if it is very damp out I did find that I needed
alittle more flour) 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt 1 large tablespoon
of Buckwheat honey(I think that maybe a little molasses would do
instead?) 1/2 teaspoon of active dry yeast 2 heaping tablespoons of
caroway seeds. 1 and 2/3 very hot tap water(or warmed bottled
minaral water if your city water has too much clorine in it... or
let your tap water sit overnite , and then heat it to around 110 to
115) I start by adding the yeast and honey to the hot water and let
it sit about 15 min. to make sure that my yeast is going ok Then
the salt and caroway seeds. I then add the rye flour and bread
flours. (adjusting for damp or dry condishions). let this sit in
the warm oven for at least 8 hours up to 18 hours.(I use my oven as
it is old and has a pilot in it, others say to leave the light on
in electric ovens. if your home is nice and warm go ahead and leave
it covered on the counter) then when ready to use it I dump it out
on floured surface fold over a few times and then put in flour
covered tea towel in a bowl to let rise again.(use alot of flour, I
have read that wheat bran does well too. or even cornmeal. or it
will stick) anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. about 20 minutes before
ready make sure you put your cold d. oven in cold oven and start
heating (you can follow the main recipe for temps. but for my old
dark d. oven I use about 400 degrees Farenhight) when 20 min pass
dump your dough in hot d. oven and cook covered for 20 min and
uncovered about 15-20 min at 375.. it makes a great loaf o

How do I store the bread once it is cut? As it is so good, do
not want to waste a bite.

I made my first loaf today. It was delicious! I would love to
add olives to the loaf. Would you do this with all the other
ingredents at the beginning? Would it be better to add them in at
the end in the second rising?

I have been making this bread for over a year and it's never
failed....Cooks Illustrated had an article about it several months
ago and they had one suggestion that I've followed and it works.
That was to use parchment paper underneath the loaf once who've
shaped it. You then pick up the loaf by the sides of the parchment
paper and set in your cooking vessel. The parchment paper stays
with the loaf throughout the cooking process. It's not nearly as
messy as flour and easier to handle. They also recommended spraying
the top of the loaf with a Pam product before covering with plastic
wrap for the post shaping rise. This really does prevent the wrap
from sticking to the rising dough.....I am interested in variations
that have worked...Thanks, Ruth for the tip re using a starter...am
going to try that soon. Janeane, New Mexico

Can't believe I have lived this long to finally find out how to
make a crusty artisan bread that is really wonderful! thank you so
much...........

I've been experimenting with sour dough: 3/4 c starter, 1 c + 2
Tbsp water and 1/2 tsp. yeast. Rise 24 hours, then 4-5 after
shaping. Whole grain: 2.5 c white flour and 3/4 c. uncooked 7 grain
cereal, 1.5 c water,etc. - dust with 7 grain. OR 1 c cooked ceraal,
3 cup white flour and 1.25 c water. The whole grain has more sugar,
so the process is quicker. I use a cast iron dutch oven. The
biggest problem is not eating too much.....! Ruth Sandin,
Minnesota

I tried 1 and a half cups whole wheat flour 1 cup rye flour and
a half cup white flour, a couple T. of molasses, some sugar. It is
excellent! Would be good with some sunflour seeds in it. My problem
is that I want to eat more and more of it. It is fantastic. I'll
never bake in a bread pan again.

I, too, have longed for such a bread even as I have lived in
northeast Wisconsin all my life and never even had a decent bakery
within easy driving distance. Imagine my surprise when I made this
receipe for the first time -- and it was actually as good as the
author of the article suggested. Since just before Christmas when I
made it for the first time, I make a loaf every weekend. I would do
it more but since our electric company prefers us to use our big
electric chores on the weekend [and heating my oven to 475 is a
biggie], I generally put together the ingredients on Friday or
Saturday eve just before bedtime, and bake around mid-day the next.
I've found that if one uses an electric knife, the hour wait to cut
into it, is decreased substantially -- like as soon as you can hold
the loaf -- and I've learned to stand the loaf on its side and cut
down to the other side. Have also experimented with whole-wheat and
find that we like 3/4c of whole-wheat along with 2 1/4c white
flour. Yum, yum -- more, more, more. Diane

If you are using cake yeast how muich should I use?

My first batch was way too soupy. I spooned the flour into the
measuring cup so i figured it was too little flour. After it sat 18
hrs I turned it out, right into the garbage. The second batch is
working now. I just dug the measuring cup into the flour to be sure
it was almost packed into it. The initial mix up was much better,
but when I turned it out to fold it and turn onto the towel, it was
still thinner than I thought it should be so I worked a little more
flour into it before I was able to get it onto the towel. It's
setting now, so we will see how it goes. Anyone have any ideas for
plugging the hole in the lid when i take the LeCruset handle off? I
hope this works. We just absolutely love this type bread.

I made this easy recipe yesterday and it turned out very well. I
used 2c. wheat and 1c. white. I used wheat bran and flour on the
towel and it didn't stick at all. I baked it in pampered chef
stoneware, which worked very well, no burned bottom. I only had to
bake it for the 30 minutes because it was already nicely browned
when I took the lid off. We had it with homeade chili...was yummy!
I can't wait to make more using a lot of the tips I have read here
about add ins such as the olive oil and spices, cheese, etc. Thanks
for the tips...Happy Bread Baking to all!

wow! this works. as usual i use my eyes, ears, nose and hansd to
bake. i did not use the formula, rather made my own artisan dough
and added a small amount of mashed sweet potato. i also used about
50% semolina flour for color. results are great! i am really
pleased with the possibilities and as a former clayworker i feel as
if i have found a special little gem.

I have made the bread two times and I am very pleased with the
results. I have one question: I have always had to add more water
to make the dough. If I did not use more water the dough was too
dry. I have tried hand mixing and machine mixing. I thought the
amount of water listed in your recipe may be in error. Thank you.
The Komanche

I like making it. It was nicely done, and it was fun to make!

Hubby found this recipe and I just had to try it...Have tried a
couple of variations - added 1/4 cup molasses (thought it would
sweeten bread but didn't just turned it a light brown and the
bottom turned black) - then tried it with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive
oil and lots of different spices (this one was great - it was good
as a dipping bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This time I
lowered the heat to 450 degrees and only baked for 40 mins. then
removed lid turned off oven and let stand in oven for next 15 mins.
this one turned out PERFECT! Truly enjoy this receipe - IT'S A
KEEPER!

I've been having some fun with this recipe, trying a double batch.
Somehow, it didn't seem to make a significantly bigger loaf. I have
also been using 1/2 white flour and 1/2 white whole wheat flour,
with good results. My biggest problem is getting the dough into the
hot pot without deflating it and distorting it. Any suggestions?

This recipe is awesome! I've tried it a couple of times now. Turned
out exactly as described. I allowed for maximum rising time as in
the recipe. I'm excited that someone had success with a gluten-free
flour mix, because I went gluten-free just recently, and was sad
that I might not be able to eat this scrumptious bread again.

I live alone- just priced Dutch ovens and am amazed how expensive
they are. Can I just cut the recipe in half- use a 2 quart glass
casserole I have- hope so. It sounds really good.( P.S.)- in
addition to price, I really could not LIFT a cast iron dutch oven
at Bed Bath and Beyond- talk about heavy !!!

I just made my first loaf, and it looks AWESOME and tastes even
better!!! I have been trying unsuccessfully to create this style of
bread since I moved away from San Francisco. I got as far as making
a wetter dough, but I never tried baking it in a covered dish
(although several times I've looked at those earthen covered bread
baking dishes in the cooking catalogs and wondered...) For this
attempt, I used tons of flour on the towel and the top of the loaf
(due to prior experience with ciabatta dough), so I had no sticking
problems, but the flour on the bottom of the loaf in the baking
dish did burn. I am going to try some of the suggestions from all
the comments to see if i can keep the bottom flour from burning, as
that was the only part i didn't care for. I don't have a dutch oven
(yet) so I used a 3 qt. pyrex round baking dish with lid. It worked
fine. After reading all the great reviews and ideas for
adjustments, I immediately started a new batch of dough, as this
loaf is disappearing quickly! Thanks for the great recipe, Roger!!!

I tried this bread for the first time two nights ago. My first loaf
was VERY hard on the outside and dense and sticky on the inside. I
used Fleishmans RapidRise yeast, and a cast iron dutch oven in an
electric oven. I followed the directions exactly. the SECOND time I
made the loaf, I put it in the oven with the light on as suggested
by someone else to create a better environment for the yeast. This
dough was much stickier and wetter and more difficult to work with.
The resulting loaf is hard as a brickbat and totally inedible. I
MIGHT try this loaf one more time, but so far it's a disaster.

have made several loaves using original recipe and various
combinations of unbleached and whole wheat flour. do not like the
scorched flavor. last baking i reduced oven temperature to 400 F;
preheated cast iron dutch oven. loaf is 1/2 unbleached, 1/2 whole
wheat. has dark brown crunchy crust without the scorching of the
higher temperature. dutch oven is an antique and was also concerned
about ruining its seasoning at high heat (475 F); also have no room
to have more than one of these heavy pots. best results so far.
tasty bread without the scorched bottom crust. (p.s. - oven temp is
accurate)

I only have a 2 qt. cast iron skillet. I'm able to make a 1 lb.
loaf in it. I cut the water down to 1 c., salt to 1 tsp., and the
flour to 2 c. I kept the yeast at 1/4 t. Turns out great! I cook 25
min. with the lid and about 10-15 min. without the lid. Made this
with 100% whole wheat. Still turned out good, but much more dense.
White is definitely my favorite.

I just tried this recipe with a gluten-free bread mix, and it
worked really well. for my second loaf, I found that substituting 1
cup pure apple juice into the water measurement helped boost the
yeast production, (like when I used to brew my own beer, before
having to go gluten-free)and cut the first rising time down to
about 2.5 hours.

I tried the recipe for the first time this week, and the results
really are amazing - it turned out perfectly. I used 2/3 white, 1/3
wheat (King Arthur brand here, too), and a cast iron dutch oven I
picked up for $3 at the local thrift store.

I tried this recipe for the first time this weekend and it turned
out great. The only thing I did differently was let the bread rise
in a bowl for all three steps rather than use a kitchen towel. I
will make this again, I would like to try it with a sourdough
recipe next. Ithink it would be great as a sour dough

I own 6 Dutch Ovens and as many cast iron griddles/fry pans Many
new Dutch Ovens are sealed with wax. Follow manufacturers cleaning
instructions. Or fill with water and bring to a boil. I find that
oil gets sticksy and animal fats stinky. I use an all vegeatable
shortening to season my cast iron and keep it from rusting. If you
store your dutch ovens for any length of time, (which with this
bread recipe probably will not happen) place a paper towel sheet
across the top opening then put the lid on. This well absorb any
moisture.

Check out Cabela's - we bought our 8 qt. Dutch oven there for
$24.99. Just finished making our first loaf and it came out
perfectly! We were worried about being at 5200 ft. elevation, so
kept our oven on 200 degrees while we were awake and the bread
raised great and tastes wonderful. Can't wait to try some with our
sourdough starter and/or whole wheat flour - oh, and Kalamata
olives, fresh rosemary, not all at the same time (smile).

I've tried this recipe twice in the last week. The first time I
followed the recipe exactly (using King Arthur unbleached flour)
and used corn meal on the dish cloth and top of the loaf while it
was rising. It worked great and didn't stick to the cloth at all.
It did burn a bit in the dutch oven while baking which probably
changed the taste slightly but it was still very good. On the
second loaf I used 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, 1 cup whole wheat
flour, and 1/2 cup flax seeds. I think it could have used a bit
more flour because the dough was way more sticky than the first
loaf I made. On this loaf I used flour on the dish cloth while it
was rising. It ended up sticking to the cloth a bit but I got it in
the pot with a little extra work. I scraped the extra dough off the
cloth and threw it on top of the loaf in the pot. This loaf turned
out way better than the first loaf. It tasted wonderful with the
whole wheat flour and flax seed. Oh, one other thing I did on the
second loaf was that I used kosher salt. This second loaf rose much
more than the first one did.

I found this recipe in our local paper over 6 months ago and have
baked many loaves and have sent this recipe to many friends also. I
also had some sticking problems to begin with and then switched to
the foil and it has stopped that problem. The loaves come out the
same everytime once you get it down pat. My wife and I love artisan
seeded bread, I quickly modified it with poppy seeds(1tbs),sun
flour seed(2tbs), Flax seed(2tbs) and toasted sesame seeds(2tbs).
Soooo great, no other change to the recipe except a little bit more
water. I also started adding( subsitution) wheat flour, about 20%,
doesn't quite raise like the all flour recipe but still my wife's
favorite.

I saw this recipe over the weekend and made a loaf last night. I
had no problems and the loaf came out perfect. I immediately
started a second loaf. I think I will lighten up on the last
dusting though, as it seems I used too much flour. I am so glad I
found a new use for my cast iron dutch ovens.

I've been making this recipe since summer, although not as much as
I'd like. I found a cheap Lodge dutch oven at Sears for about $30
-- I think it's a 5qt. It has a wire handle, and the handle on the
lid is cast in. It works beautifully! It claims to have been
pre-seasoned, but I don't really trust the pre-seasoning on any of
the newer pans; I'd recommend treating it as if it had never been
used. Mine darkened and smoothed quite a lot once I'd baked it for
a while coated with oil. I highly recommend a good cast-iron dutch
oven; it needn't be enameled, even! (Then again, I hardly use
anything OTHER than cast iron for cooking; I have about 10 skillets
that I use for different things, and they're all old cast iron!)
For those of you who have had your dough fall; the key really is
minimal handling. I mix mine with a spoon initially. Where the
recipe calls for shaping it into a ball, I just dump it on a
heavily floured dish-towel, fold it over, and cover it. That's it!
My experience has been that if you do more than that, you lose a
lot of the bubbles.

More about dutch oven. There are two "secrets" to the excellent
crust on this bread and the flavor of the bread: 1) the high heat,
2) the ability of a heavy pot to retain the heat. The same results
will not be obtained using ordinary loaf pans. Glass lids are
inadvisable at the high temperatures, and crock pot liners may vary
in their ability to withstand the high heat.

Affordable dutch oven: Check thrift stores for used cast iron or
enameled cast iron dutch ovens with lids. New ones run about $40
and can be found in hardware and houseware stores. A new one needs
seasoning before use, if not pre-seasoned by the manufacturer. Old
timers say to use animal fat such as bacon grease or lard. Coat the
inside of the pan, put it in a 300 degree oven and leave it for 2
hours. Dutch ovens can also be bought over the Internet, but the
shipping will be expensive; mine weighs 20 pounds.

This past weekend, I attempted to bake a loaf in my crock-pot
instert, as someone else had mentioned trying. Unfortunately, upon
heating, the glass lid to the crock pot shattered. I ended up
baking the dough in a loaf pan, covered with aluminum foil, and
added a pan of water on the lower oven shelf - the bread was
delicious, but I'm now trying to figure out where I can find an
affordable dutch oven, or if I can split the dough in half before
the final rise, and use two smaller containers, with two smaller
loaves. Has anyone tried that?

Hi all, I am here to update my first comments two weeks later. I
have baked about 6 loafs of this great bread. I had no more trouble
with the dough sticking to the cloth after I added lots of flour to
the cloth. I later used wheat bran which works very nicely with a
rougher surface on the finished loaf and a nutty taste of the wheat
bran toasted. Today, I tried a loaf with 1/2 whole wheat flour and
it didn't rise as well. Maybe I should have put it in my oven (gas)
to rise which seems to help the white flour rise; the pilot light
keeps the inside warm. I think this bread is very easy and tastes
great. I am interested in amending it by adding seeds and nuts and
maybe cheese! I had to cut the browning time for the last part of
the recipe because I did burn one loaf on the bottom. I changed the
browning time with lid off to 10 minutes in my small gas oven. I
use a large cast iron enameled, French made, Dutch oven. It works
very well but the Dutch oven has blackened a bit on the inside. You
won't need any grease in the pot. Loaf has never stuck to the pot,
they always come out very easily. Frederick

Hi all, it is my first visit to Mother Earth News online and I am
pleased to find this article and your comments on the "no
knead/NewYorkTimes" bread recipe. I happen to be in the middle of
preparing my own video on the method and have this to offer to help
those of you with the sticking problems: - The secret is minimal
handling of course, but the release from the cloth at the end is
facilitated nicely by using a generous sprinkle of ground corn meal
on the well-floured cloth before setting the dough ball on it, this
is because the ground corn meal is so aggressive in taking up
moisture that the dough does not tend to migrate into the fibers of
the cloth as readily, and the extra crunch in the resulting crust
is right on time. It is certainly critical to use a covered pot,
and a crock pot has a good shape for this, but I see no reason to
use a big pot unless you like the shape of a lower wider loaf. I
use a 1970's Copco dutch oven marked "D2", it is rated as a 2qt pot
but it holds about two and a half quarts to the rim - if you think
you will be making this bread as often as I do you will be very
happy with it, but they are no longer in production and you will
need to buy it from a yard sale or online auction where I recently
found my third. The shape of this pot is perfect for one of these
remarkable Boule breads, and by the way, I see reference to
"scorching", that scorching is part of the process and is delicious
in my book as long as it is not frankly burned and the loaf is so
moist that it doesn't affect the flavor of the rest of the body of
the bread. I bake two or three together (in separate Copco pots of
course) and have found it necessary to raise the temperature to 485
for the first half hour and up to 505 or 510 for the last ten
minutes. - One more hint, do not be afraid to use high temperature.
The high heat makes the bread want to shrink a bit and release
itself from the walls of the po

I found these recommendations for baking any bread at altitude
above 3000': 1) Reduce yeast by 25% to combat over-rising of the
dough (note- ignore this for the no-knead recipe). 2) Increase salt
by 25% to slow the rise of the dough & discourage sinking. 3)
Add water to the flour, 1 tsp at a time, to counteract dryness; use
quality flour (I routinely use 1/4-1/2 cup more water in any bread
recipe as Tucson is dry). 4) Reduce sugar by 1/3 to prevent the
collapse of the bread’s center (no sugar in the no-knead recipe).
5) Reduce oven temperature by 20-25%, but bake for the same length
of time. I find some altitiude effect in Tucson even at the 2500'
at my house. Someone mentioned using other flours. Without other
leavening, you could replace up to one cup of the wheat flour with
another type of flour such as rye, barley, oat, rice, soy. More and
the bread won't rise well as gluten is essential; rising will take
longer in any case with non-wheat recipes. Additions to the bread
sound great, but if using garlic or onions, use roasted garlic or
sauteed onions; either will affect the yeast if raw.

Thanks bobbear43! I didn't want to damage my new pot. I've got
everything rising. I'm going to bake this at 400 degrees, watching
closely.I live at about 7500 ft. in the Rockies. I'll report my
results.

Comments from a home baker and cook with 50 years' experience. Had
never seen this recipe. It came out well using whole wheat flour.
Crusty and light to medium density. Bottom a little scorched but
tastes just fine. With the long rising time for this bread, instant
yeast versus active yeast should make no difference. They're both
active. I buy my Red Star Active Yeast in a 3-pound package at
Costco for about the same price as 6 packets. I keep it in a quart
mason jar in the refrig. Rising problems: final rise needs a temp
of about 80 degrees. If you have a gas oven, turn it on, let it
light, and then turn it off. Then put the bread into the oven for
the final rise. Of course take it out when heating the oven. If no
gas oven, put the bread on an upper shelf in an electric oven, and
place a large baking pan full of hot water about 6" below it. After
an hour if the bread hasn't risen enough, refresh the hot water.
Another problem is not waiting long enough. If no oven, even if too
cool in your kitchen, the bread will eventually rise enough. Cast
iron dutch oven: I used mine which is from Boy Scout days. 475
degrees is actually too hot with dry baking to maintain the
seasoning of the pot. My pot came out all dry looking inside, but I
let it cool a little and reseasoned it with some vegetable oil. I
am going to experiment with lower temperatures.

I have made this bread twice now - I really like it. I am having
trouble with it rising properly too. I will keep at it, but would
take more suggestions, too.

I realized I have instant yeast and not dry active yeast. Does
anyone know how to substitute? I have read it is measure for
measure but not to dissolve the instant yeast in water. Would I
just mix the flour, salt and water first and then add the instant
yeast? Any ideas would be helpful

I just got a beautiful Lodge 7 qt. Dutch oven, just to make this
bread. I paid $39.98 total, including shipping at Amazon.com. This
is a great value. It seems like so many of you have had success
with this recipe, so I must assume that 475 degrees is the correct
temperature. It seems pretty hot to me. Is this the correct
Temperature? Thanks!

Mixed results for me. I let the dough sit overnight in my oven with
just the light on. Things went well and my dough looked almost
exactly like what was shown in the pictures until I put it on the
towel. After 3 hours, mine had barely risen and was also stuck to
the towel. I'd used a mix of cornmeal and flour, but not enough, I
guess. Knowing my kitchen was a little cool, I put the towel on a
cookie sheet and put the dough back in the oven with the light on.
Turned it into the hot dutch oven anyway. It's almost finished
baking and in a few minutes, I'll see how it turned out. Might
taste good anyway, though it's pretty flat. I think some folks here
have the Lodge enamel dutch oven, same as mine. I removed the
400-degree-rated handle from the lid for this baking project. I am
going to search for an all-metal handle that I can screw onto this
lid. And no, I'm not giving up on this easy recipe. I'm sure I'll
get a perfect loaf after some practice, trial and error.

Thanks for the tips guys - I will try it again in the oven with the
light on!

Thank you so much for the recipe, directions, and related articles.
I tried the original recipe as given with Grandmother's old cast
iron dutch oven which worked perfectly. (Price? Free to me, perhaps
a few dollars to Grandmother!) Then next day, I made another batch
and added a liberal amount of dill weed and dried onion flakes to
the liquid. When the dough had risen overnight and I reached the
time to fold it over a few times, I sprinkled the surface with
finely grated Coastal cheese (Asiago or New York Sharp Cheddar
would also be good). I folded and sprinkled about three times. When
I formed the dough into a ball, I was careful not to expose the
cheese. It was great fresh from the over and even the next day
after the flavors had time to meld. Next weekend I will try dried
tomato, drained Kalamata olives, and basil with a little onion. We
are thrilled with the recipe. Thanks so much.

I am extremely happy to say I think I have found the perfect recipe
and method of baking bread. Thank you so much. I have tried many
ways prior and have not had nearly the success as I did with this.
I was ecstatic when I took the lid off for the final bake and now I
can't wait to cut into it.

Interesting comments. Yesterday (Dec 3rd) we mixed the bread up and
this morning it has at least doubled in volume. Later today we plan
on baking it in a new cast iron porcelain 6 quart pot (with lid).
The pot's brochure said the knob on the lid is good to 400 deg F.
This is less than the 475 deg recipe temp callout. Is the 475 deg
temp a typo? We may remove the knob just to be sure. Looking
forward to the bread! Jim

Lots of Dutch Ovens from $69 to $220 - any recommendations? Also,
article says to use a six to eight quart oven. Is it necessary to
use such a large oven?

Lots of Dutch Ovens from $69 to $220 - any recommendations? Also,
article says to use a six to eight quart oven. Is it necessary to
use such a large oven?

Teri, Try putting the dough into the oven with just the light
turned on as suggested by Bill. In the winter, most house
temperatures are well below the optimum for bread to rise properly.
Also, use tepid to warm water. Hot water will kill the yeast. Try
using fresh ingredients-especially yeast. I also recommend (can I
say this?)King Arther Flour, if you can find it in your area-tops
for bread, in my opinion. Also, on the video, I know that they
demonstrate it just barely stirring the dough but I've found it
rises better if I mix it thoroughly-personally, I cheat and use my
mixer. Good luck!

This recipe worked great for me, and I've never baked anything but
frozen pizza before! My first loaf was a little on the flat side,
but the next two have been fine. I got new flour after the first
loaf, so I have a feeling maybe something had gone off in the old
sack. Also, from what I've read elsewhere, it's important to use
warm (but not hot!) water to get the yeast percolating. I've been
putting the dough in a bowl covered with saran wrap and sitting it
in the oven with the light turned on. At least in our oven, just
the bulb being on seems to keep the temperature around 75-80
degrees. We don't have a Dutch oven, so I've been using the
removable ceramic crock from our crock pot, along with its glass
lid; works great!

I was excited to try this recipe and have made 2 batches - neither
of them have risen properly. Is it something I am doing wrong, bad
yeast or too cold? Both batches I made in the afternoon and let
rise overnight - for 15-18 hours but it did not. Any help would be
appreciated. I noticed in other recipes that it calls for much more
yeast... I do not have a dutch oven so used pyrex qnd it worked
fine as far as the nice crust.

Maggie, no it won't stick to the dutch oven. I made it today in a
heavy cast iron dutch oven and it fell right out when I turned the
dutch oven over. It did, however, stick to my dish towel. Wish I
had read the comments here before trying it. This bread definitely
reminds me of breads I used to eat in Europe. It's a great recipe
if you like that style.

I love baking bread, and am anxious to try this recipe. I noticed
that it doesn't call for greasing that dutch oven......isn't the
dough going to stick badly???

I have made this bread every day this past week-it never lasts more
than a day and there are only 3 in our family. I have tried it
replacing 1 c. of white with Whole wheat flour, rye flour, even
polenta, also added pumpkin, sunflower and pine nuts to it. Endless
variations are possible. Secret-by adding 2 T. olive oil, it makes
the easiest silkiest, crispiest, easy to stretch but doesn't tear
pizza crust ever. Delicious! By adding 1-2 T. of butter to the
dough, it yields a bit more of a tender crumb on the inside but
with still crispy crust-great for sandwiches. I've shared this with
many friends already and plan to bake fresh bread and pizza for one
of my holiday parties this season. Whole Foods, move over!

Thank you Roger.......my sister and I have been trying to make
artisan bread for years.....I tried your recipe and it was
wonderful..we are building a new home and I don't have a regular
oven so I used my oven roaster and even that worked. I used the
inside of my electric crock pot and lid because I don't have a cast
iron dutch oven but I plan on buying one........Thanks again..

has anyone successfully made this bread with hard white whole wheat
flour? thanks.

The loaf that I baked looks just like the expensive artisan loaves
that I buy at Costco. I used a stainless steel Dutch oven with a
copper bottom, and the bread baked up beautifully. And when I tap
on the bottom of the loaf, it makes the coolest hollow thump. An
unsolicited suggestion for a previous poster: Frederick, maybe you
could use some of that no-stick aluminum foil (Reynolds Release, I
think it is called) or wax paper instead of a cloth to avoid the
dough sticking when it rises. I used plastic wrap and it worked
okay for me. Anyhow, next I plan to try using other flours besides
wheat, and adding some nuts and/or seeds to the dough. Yum! Thank
you for making this recipe available to us!

WOW! I have never made a loaf of bread as good as this one! It was
exactly as advertised - very crusty outside and soft inside. And,
it was delicious. I am fortunate to have a cast iron Dutch oven
with the inside/bottom somewhat rounded instead of flat.

Oh my goodness, This first loaf of the no knead bread stuck to the
cloth where it was rising and was very difficult to get from there
into the hot pan. I am new at baking and working with dough. I am
not discouraged completely but I think I learned use plenty of
flour on the cloth when you put the dough on it to rise. Just a
warning to others who might also be beginners in the bread making
kitchen. Can't wait to see how it tastes anyway. Flat and
mal-formed doesn't hurt anything!

Oh my goodness, This first loaf of the no knead bread stuck to the
cloth where it was rising and was very difficult to get from there
into the hot pan. I am new at baking and working with dough. I am
not discouraged completely but I think I learned use plenty of
flour on the cloth when you put the dough on it to rise. Just a
warning to others who might also be beginners in the bread making
kitchen. Can't wait to see how it tastes anyway. Flat and
mal-formed doesn't hurt anything!

I tried the No Nead bread as soon as I saw the recipe in my last
issue. I have been baking all our bread for years, but never
managed to get that wonderful crust. This was so simple. My only
problem was with a burnt bottom, but I solved that with putting a
small round pizza type stone in the bottom of the kettle and
raising the rack up one level in the oven . Thank you for sharing
this great bread trick with us all. Grethe

So happy to read Roger's article about the No Knead bread. Eric
Rausch at Breadtopia has a whole section on this method including
videos and variations on the recipe. The version with steelcut oats
is great. I usually line a banneton with parchment paper which
makes it so much easier to gently lower the dough into the hot pot.
No burnt fingers and no deflating from the dough dropping from a
height. Try it, you'll be hooked! Annie