Rustic Dutch Oven Bread

Rustic Dutch Oven Bread
**Some recipes call this no-knead bread, but you do have to knead it.
This is a crusty bread that would go nicely with soup or chili. I mixed mine up to let it rise after dinner one night and baked it the next day when I got home from work, letting it rise for 18 hours. I saw no difference in the dough from that morning to that evening, so I could have baked it earlier and next time I will. Don't be afraid of this dough either, when I put mine into the hot pan I just plopped it in there. I baked mine for 20 minutes more after removing the lid and it could have used a few more minutes, but yours may vary depending on your oven. I've included another recipe at the bottom that is very similar except it also uses beer. I will be trying it next.

what you need:
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1.5 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (I used unbleached AP flour)
1.5 teaspoons salt

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise for at least 8 hours, best 12 to 18 hours, at room temp.

When you are ready, after at least 8 hours, lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle the top with flour and knead it 15 times. This means folding it over on itself. Shape dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours.

After 1 and a half hours of rising, put your dutch oven, with the lid on, in your oven and set the temp. to 450 degrees. Allow to heat for 30 minutes. Gently pick up your dough and place it into your hot dutch oven....I used olive oil to grease mine first....you can turn the dough upside down if you want, I did. Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits along the top of the dough, put the lid on the dutch oven. Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 20 to 30 minutes more.

Remove dough from pan and allow to cool for at least 2 hours. The bread will snap, crackle, and pop while it is cooling!
Baking and oh did it smell GOOD!

After kneading.

After an 18 hour rise.

Alternate Recipe using beer:

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

1.5 teaspoons salt

7 ounces water, room temp.

3 ounces mild beer

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix in the wes with a spatula. Cover and let rise for 8 to 18 hours.

Line a 10 to 12 inch skillet with parchment paper sprayed with a non-stick spray. On a floured surface knead the dough 10 to 15 times. Form the dough into a ball and place on the parchment paper; loosley cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for two more hours.

When you have 30 minutes of rise time left pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees and place your dutch oven, with the lid on, in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove dutch oven from the pre-heated oven and lift the dough ball, parchment paper and all, and place it in the dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake an another 15 to 30 minutes until the loaf is a deep golden brown. Allow to cool.