Making a meal outside has its own unique charm, as anyone who enjoys camping or outdoor cooking will attest. While there are many traditional camping meals to pick from, nothing quite compares to the aroma of freshly baked bread filling your campsite. That’s where Dutch oven bread comes in. This rustic loaf is easy to prepare, tasty, and great for sharing. We'll show you how to make Dutch oven bread on our flat pack camp grill in this blog post so you can have delicious homemade bread no matter where your adventures take you.
The beauty of Dutch oven bread is that it’s relatively simple to make, with just a few basic ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. But despite its simplicity it has a rich, complex flavor. It’s also much healthier than store-bought bread, which is full of preservatives and added sugars. At its core, Dutch oven bread is a hearty, comforting bread that pairs well with soups or stews. It’s also a great way to impress your family and friends with your baking skills!
To make Dutch oven bread on one of our Otzi Ember flat pack grill, you’ll need an 8” diameter Dutch oven. A Dutch oven is a cast-iron pot with a tight-fitting lid that’s perfect for baking bread as it helps to create a steamy, moist environment inside the pot that allows the bread to rise and form a crispy crust on the outside.
The key to making this recipe is allowing the bread dough enough time to rise. This is essential for creating a light, airy loaf with a good texture and flavor. When bread dough is allowed to rise, it undergoes a process known as fermentation, which is when the yeast in the dough breaks down the sugars in the flour and produces carbon dioxide gas.
As the carbon dioxide gas builds up, it causes the dough to expand and become lighter and more porous. This is what creates the characteristic air pockets and fluffy texture of bread. The fermentation process also helps to develop the flavor of the bread and give it a complex, tangy taste.
But it’s not just about the flavor and texture. Letting bread dough rise also makes the bread easier to digest. During fermentation, the yeast breaks down complex carbohydrates in the dough, making them more easily digestible. This is why some people who have trouble digesting bread or gluten can often tolerate sourdough bread, which has undergone a longer fermentation process.
This recipe requires two rises, for a total of approximately 1.5 hours - 2.5 hours. Scroll down to the recipe for the full instructions. While it can be tempting to rush through the rising process in order to get your bread cooking faster, it’s important to give the dough the time it needs to ferment properly. Skipping or shortening the rising time can result in a dense, heavy loaf that doesn’t fully rise or have the same flavor or texture as a well-risen loaf. But if you follow our instructions, you’ll end up with a light, fluffy loaf with a good texture and delicious flavor!
Dutch Oven Bread, 1948 Jeep Willys style
A rustic, crusty bread with a rich and complex flavor. Simple to make and perfect for sharing!
*This recipe for a 8” diameter / 2 quart Dutch oven.
Prep time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours
Cook time: 45 - 50 minutes
Total time: 2.5 - 3.5 hours
Servings: 4-6
Course: Snack or Side Dish
Grill type: Otzi Ember Dual-Person Grill in Stainless Steel
Ingredients:
2 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp active dry or rapid rise yeast
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp rosemary
Instructions:
- In a medium mixing bowl mix together flour, yeast, 2/3 of the salt and 1/2 the rosemary. Add warm water (make sure it’s not hot). Stir until well combined.
- Cover with towel and let sit at room temperature until the dough doubles in size. This typically takes 45-90 minutes.
- Add 1 tsp canola oil to the Dutch oven, drizzle 1 tsp on the dough, and rub remaining oil on your hands. Gently release the dough from the sides of the bowl and shape into a ball.
- Place dough in oiled Dutch oven and cover with towel. Let rise until full of air, this takes 30-60 minutes.
- When dough is close to being full of air, get grill started with either charcoal or wood. Place grill plate on grill.
- Score the dough with an X in the middle and sprinkle dough with remaining rosemary and salt.
- Place cover on Dutch oven and set on heated grill. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until browned. (Optional- add hot coals on top of the covered Dutch oven to brown the top of the bread).
- Remove from grill and allow to cool for one hour. Slice, serve and enjoy!
If you try this recipe, be sure to let us know! We’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a rating and comment below, and tag a photo @otzigear on Instagram for your chance to be featured on our page!
