I use a 4 qt Staub and a Lodge 4.5 qt cast-iron dutch oven to bake bread and both give equally fabulous results. I do the second proofing in floured, dishtowel-lined bowls (not too big so that the dough balls keep their shape), then when ready to put in the pre-heated pots, put parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place it over the proofing bowl, then gently flip it all together so that the dough lands on the parchment paper. I remove the the dishtowel, make a few cuts, then use the parchment paper as a sling and put it all into each dutch oven (paper too). Since the parchment paper I use is only rated to 425 degrees, I bake at that temp. For sourdough, I typically cook it covered for about 25 minutes, then remove the lids and bake another 15 min til bread is 208 degrees at the center. When baked, picking up the corners, I carefully use the paper to lift the cooked bread out of the dutch oven and place on a cooling rack. I've never had a problem with the paper sticking using this method.
April 30, 2020 at 2:07pm
I use a 4 qt Staub and a Lodge 4.5 qt cast-iron dutch oven to bake bread and both give equally fabulous results. I do the second proofing in floured, dishtowel-lined bowls (not too big so that the dough balls keep their shape), then when ready to put in the pre-heated pots, put parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place it over the proofing bowl, then gently flip it all together so that the dough lands on the parchment paper. I remove the the dishtowel, make a few cuts, then use the parchment paper as a sling and put it all into each dutch oven (paper too). Since the parchment paper I use is only rated to 425 degrees, I bake at that temp. For sourdough, I typically cook it covered for about 25 minutes, then remove the lids and bake another 15 min til bread is 208 degrees at the center. When baked, picking up the corners, I carefully use the paper to lift the cooked bread out of the dutch oven and place on a cooling rack. I've never had a problem with the paper sticking using this method.