Shepherds Bread In Dutch Oven Recipes

SHEEPHERDER'S BREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine water, butter, sugar and salt. Stir until butter melts and cool to 110 to 115 degrees. Stir in yeast, cover and set in warm place until bubbly, about 15 minutes.
• *Add 5 C flour and beat to form thick batter. Stir in enough of remaining flour (about 3 1/2 cups) to form stiff dough. Turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Turn dough into greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and knead to form smooth ball. I knead the dough 3 times.
• Grease inside of dutch oven and inside of lid with salad oil. Place dough in dutch oven and cover with lid to let rise for the third time. Let raise in warm place until dough pushes up lid about 1/2 inch (watch closely).
• Bake covered with lid in 375 degree oven for 12 minutes, carefully remove lid and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and turn out on rack to cool.

DUTCH-OVEN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in water and enough remaining flour to form a moist, shaggy dough. Do not knead. Cover and let rise in a cool place until doubled, 7-8 hours., Preheat oven to 450°; place a Dutch oven with lid onto center rack and heat for at least 30 minutes. Once Dutch oven is heated, turn dough onto a generously floured surface. Using a metal scraper or spatula, quickly shape into a round loaf. Gently place on top of a piece of parchment., Using a sharp knife, make a slash (1/4 in. deep) across top of loaf. Using the parchment, immediately lower bread into heated Dutch oven. Cover; bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until bread is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, 15-20 minutes longer, partially covering if browning too much. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

SHEPHERD'S BREAD

Steps:

• Combine water, butter, sugar and salt.
• Stir until butter melts; let cool to warm.
• Stir in yeast, cover and set in a warm place until bubbly.
• Add 5 cups of flour and beat with a wooden spoon to form a thick batter.
• Stir in enough of the remaining flour (about 3 1/2 cups) to form a stiff dough.
• Knead until smooth, about 10 minutes, add flour as needed.
• Place dough in Dutch oven (well greased) and cover.
• Set in a warm place to rise until doubled.
• Punch down and knead on a floured board.
• Return to Dutch oven and let rise until dough pushes up on the lid about 1/2 inch.
• Bake covered with lid, in a 375°F oven for 12 minutes.
• Remove lid and bake for 30-35 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.