Dutch Oven Oat Bread

Fresh bread is yummy, no matter who you ask. Fresh bread that you made yourself is even better, and fresh bread that you made without electricity and with a live fire is the best bread. Its amazing that the men and women of the frontier could make food like this and not only survive but eat well, without the modern convenience of running water and electricity.

I have refined this recipe many times, and it is so easy anyone can do it. The secret is to know the little bread making secrets that you won't learn in a cook book:

1. If you boil the water you put the yeast in, even in the microwave, you will kill it. Yeast organisms' number one job is to make the hot gas that gives bread its pillowy properties. If you kill the little creatures, they won't do their job and you will have a nice paperweight for your desk.

2. Kneading: you can't do it too much. Kneading breaks up the glutens in the flour and makes it stick together. You should knead the bread until it passes the windowpane test:
    a. The windowpane test is taking a small piece of dough, and stretching it out with your fingers. If it develops a little window before it tears, congratulations; you are finished. If not, put the little piece back and keep kneading.

3. Preheat your oven. After the dough raises or 'proofs', it still has one last chance to proof itself! (pun shamefully intended) This last proofing happens when you put it in a hot oven. If you put it in a cold oven that slowly raises to temperature, it will just cook and you won't get as pillowy crust as you could have. With Dutch ovens, you can either heat the whole oven (which is best) or at least heat the lid, so you get that last little proof.

Really, there isn't any magic in bread making. Just 3 secrets. Tell everyone you know.

Step 1 Recipe

Recipe:
12" Dutch oven
350 Degrees
60 minutes
8 Servings

• 1 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 tbs active dry yeast

• 2 tbs butter, softened
• 2 3/4 cups white flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats

Warm water and mix with yeast. Set aside to activate. Mix all ingredients and knead until the dough passes the windowpane test. Let raise 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

Comments

[3leftturns]

Thanks! It's pretty yummy too!

[Biggsy]

This looks lovely :D good job :)