# Easy Rustic Loaf with Amazing Oven Spring and Ear



## noboundaries (Apr 3, 2022)

*75% Hydration Rustic Crusty Bread-Basic Recipe*

Made this recipe for the first time 12/22/15.  Came out FANTASTIC!  Sooooo easy.  This was the easiest bread I've ever baked.  I used a stainless steel Dutch Oven because I don't own a cast iron one and it worked out perfectly.  This recipe is kind of like one big Italian biga bread recipe.

Original recipe was a 100% hydration dough. It's difficult to handle but I've made it quite a few times. I could never get the oven spring I wanted or a scored ear. For latest attempt, I cut the hydration to a 75%. MUCH easier to work. Result? AWESOME! Less open crumb but great oven-spring and ear! Biga-like preferment taste. 

*Ingredients*

3 cups (360g) KA bread flour
1 ½ tsp (7g) fine sea salt
1/2 tsp (1.5-2g) active dry yeast
1 1/8 cups (270g) warm water (75°-110°F degrees)

*Directions*

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Pour in warm water and stir mixture with a wooden spoon or a firm silicone spatula until a shaggy ball forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise and ferment for 12 - 18 hours on the counter at room temperature. Should appear with small bubbles and a slightly rounded top. If the center starts to collapse, it will still work but needs to progress to the next step. 

Generously dust the working surface and one banneton proofing basket (or bowl with a tea towel) with flour. Use a bowl scraper and turn the dough out onto the working surface. Form into a ball and develop surface tension by turning and pulling. Place the dough ball bottom side up in the banneton. Pinch any open seams closed. Lightly dust with flour and cover loosely. Allow to rise a second time. If dough appears wet, dust with flour. To test the proof when it appears about double in size, poke to the first knuckle on forefinger. It should slowly spring back but leave a small dimple (3-4-5 hours depending on room temp. Most recent took 4 hours, from 0930-1330, with the kitchen at 70°F). 

Prep a piece of parchment paper on the work surface. When the paper is pressed to the botton and sides of the Dutch oven to be used for baking, the ends should extend just above the top of the Dutch oven rim. Remove the paper and place on the working surface.

As the second rise nears completion, place the Dutch oven with lid in the baking oven on a mid-low shelf. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat for a total of 30 minutes or more. Not essential with a stainless steel DO; more so with cast iron.

When ready to bake, turn the dough out onto the paper. Use a pastry brush to brush away any excess flour. Score the dough from one end to the other in a curve offset from the center.

Use Silicone gloves or mitts to remove the pot from oven. Remove the lid and quickly add the paper with the scored dough. Cover with lid then immediately return pot to oven and bake 30 minutes at 450 degrees. After 30 minutes, remove lid from the pot and bake uncovered for 15‐20-25-30 minutes to desired color. (10 min was not enough. Great flavor, but crust softened as it cooled).

Remove from oven and allow bread to cool on a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, bread stores well in an open paper bag (it helps the bread maintain it's crisp crust. I wouldn't recommend storing it in an airtight container or ziploc bag).

Recipe Source: adapted from Simply So Good.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Apr 3, 2022)

Beautiful!


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## BXMurphy (Apr 3, 2022)

Wow! Nice job! That thing really blew up! It looks like you might have done some sourdough at some point....


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## bauchjw (Apr 3, 2022)

It’s awesome! Man that looks incredible ! I need a good stew and some warm butter!


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## BGKYSmoker (Apr 3, 2022)

Looks good and the ear is great.


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## one eyed jack (Apr 3, 2022)

bauchjw said:


> It’s awesome! Man that looks incredible ! I need a good stew and some warm butter!



Room temp smoked butter.  

Great looking loaf, Ray.


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## pushok2018 (Apr 3, 2022)

Nice looking loaf!


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## olecrosseyes (Apr 3, 2022)

I need to study your loaf and leard! I sooo much want to learn the different breads! Sour dough is my go to, bur there are others too.


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## noboundaries (Apr 4, 2022)

SecondHandSmoker said:


> Beautiful!





bauchjw said:


> It’s awesome! Man that looks incredible ! I need a good stew and some warm butter!





BGKYSmoker said:


> Looks good and the ear is great.





one eyed jack said:


> Room temp smoked butter.
> 
> Great looking loaf, Ray.





pushok2018 said:


> Nice looking loaf!


Thanks, all. I think the neighbors heard me when I saw that ear.



BXMurphy said:


> Wow! Nice job! That thing really blew up! It looks like you might have done some sourdough at some point....


Thanks, Murphy. I've played with sourdough. Never got a result like this though. I've got a sleeping jar of sourdough starter in the fridge. I'll probably incorporate some of it in the next loaf I do later this week. 



olecrosseyes said:


> I need to study your loaf and leard! I sooo much want to learn the different breads! Sour dough is my go to, bur there are others too.



Thanks, OCE. Once you get a base recipe nailed, it's fun to add variables like whole wheat, bran, dried fruit, nuts, etc. I've perfected a whole wheat recipe my grandson calls "Pop Pop bread." The kids devoured a whole loaf today.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 4, 2022)

Now that is a fine looking bread Ray.


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## noboundaries (Apr 4, 2022)

Thanks, Brian. The crumb is more open than sandwich bread, not as open as a great sourdough. Yummy and delicious, though.


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## smokeymose (Apr 4, 2022)

I saw the pics on another post earlier but missed this post yesterday. I've bookmarked it


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## SmokinAl (Apr 4, 2022)

Awesome looking bread!
It seems like the older I get the more carbs I eat, and that bread would fit right into my diet!!  
Gonna do it!!!
Al


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## BXMurphy (Apr 4, 2022)

I go on a sourdough jaunt from time to time. I can never get the timing right to fit into my day and wind up giving up again.

One day, I baked like a dozen loaves, one after another, to see where the best results were. I had bread all over the place. So aggravating. Argh!

Murph


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## noboundaries (Apr 4, 2022)

smokeymose said:


> I saw the pics on another post earlier but missed this post yesterday. I've bookmarked it


Thanks, Mose. Enjoy!



SmokinAl said:


> Awesome looking bread!
> It seems like the older I get the more carbs I eat, and that bread would fit right into my diet!!
> Gonna do it!!!
> Al


Thanks, Al. 

Retirement + time x homemade everything squared = delicious! carb heaven!



BXMurphy said:


> I go on a sourdough jaunt from time to time. I can never get the timing right to fit into my day and wind up giving up again.
> 
> One day, I baked like a dozen loaves, one after another, to see where the best results were. I had bread all over the place. So aggravating. Argh!
> 
> Murph



Yep. Just like YouTube'ers, post your best results, not the lessons. The failures get eaten, and the fun is figuring out what happened. 

And I equate a beautiful smoke ring to a loaf ear. It does nothing for flavor, but DANG it looks good!

Keep up the fun search, Murph! It only took me 6+ years to get that ear! 

Ray


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## tx smoker (Apr 4, 2022)

Man that looks good!! I could destroy a loaf of that along with a plate of lasagna. Beautiful job and thanks for the recipe.

Robert


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## noboundaries (Apr 4, 2022)

tx smoker said:


> Man that looks good!! I could destroy a loaf of that along with a plate of lasagna. Beautiful job and thanks for the recipe.
> 
> Robert


Thanks, Robert. Now you've got me wanting lasagna. Just this morning, as I was having the toasted bread with eggs and freshly made Italian bulk sausage, I thought about breaking out the pasta machine. Due to your inspiration, I'll do the two birds-one stone thing.

I'll make some fresh ricotta, fresh noodles, grind some meat, make the sauce, and build a lasagna. Meals for days. 

I'll use the whey from the ricotta instead of water to make another few loaves of this bread! Why? One of my daughters' inlaws makes amazing wine. He saw the bread pic and wants to trade a case of wine for bread and bulk sausage. That's a trade I'll make all day long. See what you started!

Ray


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## noboundaries (Apr 9, 2022)

So, like some of you know, I cannot leave a recipe alone. I wanted to make a rustic whole wheat loaf (50% Whole wheat/50% bread flour). 

1st Attempt was WAY overproofed. The result is a yummy fail: flat and no oven spring (aka oven rise). Time to make some adjustments. 

2nd attempt the next day: Much better oven spring. No "ear," but much better shape. 
Added 30g of vital wheat gluten. Added 35g of water. Cut the overnight proof to 9 hours and the basket proof to just under 2 hours before loading it in the hot Dutch oven and cooking oven. Better oven spring, but no ear. 

New loaf:











New loaf compared to 1st loaf. New loaf in back. A


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## smokeymose (Apr 10, 2022)

noboundaries said:


> So, like some of you know, I cannot leave a recipe alone. I wanted to make a rustic whole wheat loaf (50% Whole wheat/50% bread flour).
> 
> 1st Attempt was WAY overproofed. The result is a yummy fail: flat and no oven spring (aka oven rise). Time to make some adjustments.
> 
> ...


Looks ok to me! I never get ears, anyway. Maybe I'm not cutting deep enough....


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## noboundaries (Apr 10, 2022)

smokeymose said:


> Looks ok to me! I never get ears, anyway. Maybe I'm not cutting deep enough....


I'm no expert but near as I can tell, it's getting that second proof nailed. I cut the whole wheat to the same depth as the bread flour one. I don't think I've ever seen a YouTube video of a *whole wheat* loaf with an ear. Sure tastes good, regardless.

I'm going to try a white whole wheat flour soon. It has less gluten forming proteins than regular bread flour so I might have to add a little vital wheat gluten. We'll see. Not this week. Probably next.


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## smokeymose (Apr 10, 2022)

noboundaries said:


> I'm no expert but near as I can tell, it's getting that second proof nailed. I cut the whole wheat to the same depth as the bread flour one. I don't think I've ever seen a YouTube video of a *whole wheat* loaf with an ear. Sure tastes good, regardless.
> 
> I'm going to try a white whole wheat flour soon. It has less gluten forming proteins than regular bread flour so I might have to add a little vital wheat gluten. We'll see. Not this week. Probably next.


I've been using an 80/20 mix of bread flour and white wheat and they come out soft and tasty.






If the starter looks right I'm going to mix and autolize this afternoon to bake tomorrow using straight bread flour.
We'll see....


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## noboundaries (Apr 10, 2022)

smokeymose said:


> I've been using an 80/20 mix of bread flour and white wheat and they come out soft and tasty.
> View attachment 628746
> 
> If the starter looks right I'm going to mix and autolize this afternoon to bake tomorrow using straight bread flour.
> We'll see....


Great looking loaves! Looking forward to your new results! 

I had a sourdough starter in the fridge that I kept going for several years, but recently it looked really weird (lotsa hooch) after I fed it with whole wheat flour for the first time. I fed it last week and nothing. Set it on the counter for several days. Nothing. Tossed it (about a cup's worth). 

I'll stick with the rustic bread and overnight proof. So easy with a texture I love and just a hint of sour taste.  The overnight proof and longer basket proof definitely give it the result I crave.


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## noboundaries (Apr 19, 2022)

So, I'm not a huge fan of round loaves, and even though I was using an oval proofing basket, the loaves turned out round when baked in a round Dutch oven. I wanted oval loaves, dang it.

I went shopping for oval Dutch ovens and bread cloches. Holy crap! I'm way too cheap to spend $50‐$200 on either. Then alternative inspiration hit me and sent me digging deep into the cabinets. Voila! An oval Granite Ware 7 lb chicken roaster. I bought that thing DECADES ago for like $10. Time to do some comparison baking.

I doubled my rustic recipe, bulk proofed it overnight, then basket proofed it this morning. The halves were within a gram of weight of each other.

After the second proof, one went in the round pan; the other in the oval Granite Ware pan. Both were on parchment paper.

Here are the results!







Here are the pans:






I immediately bought a second 13" Granite Ware roaster for $22 off Amazon.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Apr 19, 2022)

I mainly only eat bread for breakfast on weekends so I want mine loaf shaped.  Those cast iron ones work great from fridge to oven.


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## noboundaries (Apr 19, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> I mainly only eat bread for breakfast on weekends so I want mine loaf shaped.  Those cast iron ones work great from fridge to oven.


I understand. I have a whole wheat sandwich bread I make that fills the loaf need. Took a couple to the kids this past weekend. My grandson calls it Pop Pop bread. 

Rustic bread reminds me of my childhood and my maternal grandmother. Her bread was always a major treat when we visited.


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