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Rustic bread in a Dutch oven

Rustic bread in a Dutch oven, photographed for Pinch of Mint

By Tom · Updated

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  • About 4 hours 10 min
  • Easy

Sometimes, people often overcomplicate bread but we've tried to master the perfect home loaf and we're going to show you how to do it.

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The recipe

Rustic bread in a Dutch oven

Sometimes, people often overcomplicate bread but we've tried to master the perfect home loaf and we're going to show you how to do it.

  • 15 min prep
  • 2 hours 50 min cooking
  • 1 hour 5 min hands-off
  • Easy

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

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Measurements

Ingredients

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Place the flour (600 g) into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre using the back of a spoon. Next, add the salt (18 g) to one side of the bowl and the dried yeast (7 g) to the opposite side.

  2. Step 2

    Pour the tepid water (400 ml) into the centre and then mix using a spoon until all ingredients are combined.

  3. Step 3

    Dust your work surface with flour (600 g) and tip the dough out onto the worktop. Knead the dough for 5 minutes by stretching, folding and generally moving it around for 5 minutes. Place back into the bowl and cover with a clean, damp cloth. Set a timer for 10 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    After 10 minutes, uncover and pick up one side of the dough. Stretch it over to the other side of the bowl and gradually work your way around the bowl two times. Cover and leave for another 10 minutes. Repeat the same process again and then leave for a final 10 minutes. Work your way around the bowl stretching the dough for a final time. Cover once more and leave for 45 minutes. (See video for a demonstration of this stage).

  5. Step 5

    After 45 minutes it's time to shape the dough. Push out any excess air from the dough and place the dough onto a floured worktop. Shape into a rough ball by picking up one side and pulling into the centre, work your way around the dough until it forms a ball.

  6. Step 6

    Line a mixing bowl with greaseproof paper and place the shaped dough into it. Cover with a damp cloth and proof the dough for a further 30 minutes. At this point preheat the oven to its hottest setting or roughly around 250°C or 482°F and place the dutch oven in to preheat also.

  7. Step 7

    After 30 minutes lift the dough from the bowl using the corners of the greeseproof paper and place into the hot dutch oven or cast iron pot. Lightly dust the top of the bread with flour (600 g) and slash a cross shape using a sharp knife. Place the lid on and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the lid and bake for a further 20 Minutes until golden on top.

  8. Step 8

    Remove your bread from the pot and leave to cool before tucking in.

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Questions people ask

How long does rustic bread in a dutch oven take?

About 4 hours 10 min from start to finish: 15 min of prep, 2 hours 50 min of cooking, and 1 hour 5 min hands-off while it waits. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Is it vegan?

Yes, as written. Check the labels on anything shop-bought, which is where animal products tend to hide.