Easy Dutch Oven Bread

Making bread from scratch is very satisfying, and baking it over a campfire is even more so. This easy bread recipe is made within a Dutch Oven and produces a delicious, hearty loaf that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. We use a Lodge 5 quart cast iron Dutch oven. Thanks to A Couple Cooks, Dutch oven bread baking is now our preferred method, even at home. Be sure to check out their bread recipes and video tutorials.

With campground prep in mind, this recipe was designed to be as easy as possible with very little mess. I measure out the flours and salt at home and then pack it in a mixing bowl with a lid. When camping, it can be challenging to find a surface to knead the dough. For that reason, this bread dough is mixed and lightly kneaded within the same bowl. Then, after placing the dough on parchment paper, it is left to rise for several hours in the same mixing bowl. When your Dutch oven is preheated, simply transfer the dough by grabbing the edges of the parchment paper and moving it (as quickly as possible) into the Dutch oven.

Baking Over a Fire

Working with the fire can be tricky, so be sure you are attentive. This isn’t the fix it and forget it part of the recipe. You will need a nice bed of coals below the grate and a few you can easily grab with tongs to place on top of the Dutch oven. In the initial baking phase, leave the lid on for a full 15 minutes. It will be tempting to check on your loaf, but don’t do it. You can rotate the Dutch oven around if you are worried about the bottom burning. After that time, you can take the lid off and check it out, but do so quickly. This peek at the bread will allow you to assess how it is baking and make modifications if needed. You might need to move it closer or farther away from the coals, or change up the coals on top. The bread will probably need an additional 15 minutes or so in the oven.

>For a delicious meal made fully over a campfire, we suggest making our vegetable soup recipe along with this bread. Last time we made this bread it was quickly devoured, so good luck not eating the whole loaf in one sitting.

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Dutch Oven Bread

(3 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Yield: 10 Servings

Prep Time: 3 hours – Cooking Time: 30+ minutes

This simple loaf of bread, baked in a Dutch oven, produces a beautifully crisp exterior, with a soft, moist crumb. Minimal prep and mess make this an excellent camping bread baked over a fire.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups bread flour (250 grams)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (50 grams)
• 1/2 cup oat flour (45 grams)
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup warm water

Instructions

1

In a large bowl, mix together flours, salt, and yeast.

2

Add in warm water and stir until combined. The dough will be somewhat sticky. If it is too dry, add water by the tablespoon. Knead a few times, by hand, within the bowl.

3

Place the dough in the center of a piece of parchment paper (approx. 12" x 12" or larger) and then place back inside the bowl. When ready to bake, the parchment paper (with the dough top) will be transferred directly to the Dutch oven.

4

Cover and let rise for 3 hours or until doubled in size.

5

Oven Method: Preheat conventional oven, with the Dutch oven inside, to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, transfer the bread dough by grabbing the edges of the parchment paper and moving it into the Dutch oven as quickly as possible. Cover, and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

6

Campfire Method: Prepare a fire with lots of hot coals. Preheat the Dutch oven by placing in on a grate above the coals. Once the Dutch oven is hot, transfer the bread dough by grabbing the edges of the parchment paper and moving it into the Dutch oven as quickly as possible. Cover and then place 2 large coals on top of the lid. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the oven frequently. You can remove the coals to check on the loaf after 15 minutes, and then make adjustments if necessary.

7

Cool the loaf for about 30 minutes before cutting into it.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• 150 Calories
• 29g Carbohydrates
• .4g Fat
• 2.7g Fiber
• 6g Protein

Estimated per-serving amount

Notes

• Temperatures can vary drastically when cooking over a fire and takes some practice to get used to. Don't be intimidated though, it is quite fun!
• This loaf keeps well for about 3 days, but I don't think it will last that long.