No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
A crusty round loaf built on an overnight rise instead of a mixer, baked covered so the crust blisters on its own steam.
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Written
Method
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Whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl.
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Stir in the warm water until no dry flour remains and the dough is shaggy and wet.
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Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough has more than doubled.
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Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and fold it over itself a few times into a rough ball.
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Set the ball seam-side down on a cornmeal-dusted towel, dust the top, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it holds a dent when poked.
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Thirty minutes before baking, set a covered Dutch oven inside and heat the oven to 450°F.
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Lift the dough into the hot pot, score the top with a sharp knife, and cover.
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Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
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Cool on a rack for at least an hour before slicing.
Notes
The overnight rise does the work a stand mixer would otherwise do — left alone that long, the gluten develops on its own, so the only real skill this asks for is patience and a pot with a lid. A cast-iron or enameled Dutch oven both work; what matters is that it holds steam around the loaf for the first half of the bake.
Slice it too soon and the crumb turns gummy under a beautiful crust — let it cool fully, even though it’s hard to wait. Stale a day later, it’s better toasted than fresh.