Hello! I am new to sourdough baking. Is it best to use a cast iron dutch oven like attached or should I lean towards an enamel coated one? Also, would a 5qt be big enough?
by Pretty_Paramedic8547
13 Comments
TheBWL
I’ve heard that the high temperatures of sourdough baking can damage the enamel of those dutch ovens – I use the Lodge like pictured and it is perfect.
Substantial_Loss_364
I’m relatively new to sourdough but have been using the lodge combo cooker and it has been working great
dollivarden
I have both Lodge (like in your photo) and Le Creuset and both work well. I actually prefer the Lodge because I flip it upside down and use the bottom part as a dome.
I use a Le Creuset bread oven. Yes, it was expensive, I’ve never in my life paid that much for a single pot (I live near a LC outlet so my DOs are never full price), I could have gotten a cheap DO from the zon or Target or whatever too, I honestly just wanted the bread oven though LOL I don’t regret it, I love mine
Critical_Pin
These are great for baking (turned upside down) and many other things. They’re very useful
I prefer bare cast iron ones, I worry that enamel would get stained or chipped.
In the UK Lodge is a bit expensive but there are other brands on amazon that are the same design.
charlesVONchopshop
I got a cheap $70 dollar enameled Le Creuset knock off from Amazon. It has survived 50+ bakes with no damage. The inside is cast iron. The shape is much nicer and it makes taller loaves with nicer ears than my dutch oven. I’m attaching a picture of a two loaf batch. Both loaves are identical except for the baking vessel and the scoring. The taller one with the beautiful ear is from the enameled Le Creuset style oven.
Ps. The Amazon knockoff ones have a non-enameled black cast-iron version for the same price if you’re really that worried about the enamel.
I’m Lodging a complaint against anyone who doesn’t agree that Lodge is great (budget friendly as well)
PhesteringSoars
I have a pair of them. Last pair was No441 and No442.
I love them. My only caution would be . . . I typically bake 740-770g loaves in them.
If they’re springing well, I can do 800g. I think it would be terribly hard to go much larger in size.
73BillyB
The Lodge with the lid handle is the best one. I own 8 dutch ovens at my business. 3 are the Lodge 5qt. I prefer them.
Mysterious-Tart-1264
I don’t have a dutch oven, but if I were to get one, it would be that one. The lid is a bonus pan. I use cast iron fry pans and love them. I had a whole set years ago of Le Crueset incd the dutch oven, but I gave all but the tiny sauce pan away. I didn’t like the enamel coating. They were heavy and hard to clean. My lodge are great – easy to clean, easy to maintain. Yes heavy, but they are essentially non stick and they are way more affordable.
I make my sourdough in reg loaf pans and squirt a bunch of water into the oven as I close it. My husband says my bread is as good as the artisanal boules we used to get from the farmer’s market. The loaf pans fit into a giant square tupperware that easily fits into my small fridge. I wanna try baguettes, but I would need to adjust my system and I am lazy.
OkStructure3
The picture above is the one I have and I LOVE it!
13 Comments
I’ve heard that the high temperatures of sourdough baking can damage the enamel of those dutch ovens – I use the Lodge like pictured and it is perfect.
I’m relatively new to sourdough but have been using the lodge combo cooker and it has been working great
I have both Lodge (like in your photo) and Le Creuset and both work well. I actually prefer the Lodge because I flip it upside down and use the bottom part as a dome.
https://preview.redd.it/h53g7gtandqd1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdd3c199b3496c7a9478c1d936f0d7a7d3c9a6a9
Check out the Challenger if you’ve got the dough.
FYI. Aldi will be selling these next week. Along with other sized DO’s, and bread making equipment.
https://www.aldi.us/weekly-specials/upcoming-aldi-finds/upcoming-aldi-finds-detail/ps/p/croftoncast-iron-bread-dome/
I use a Le Creuset bread oven. Yes, it was expensive, I’ve never in my life paid that much for a single pot (I live near a LC outlet so my DOs are never full price), I could have gotten a cheap DO from the zon or Target or whatever too, I honestly just wanted the bread oven though LOL I don’t regret it, I love mine
These are great for baking (turned upside down) and many other things. They’re very useful
I prefer bare cast iron ones, I worry that enamel would get stained or chipped.
In the UK Lodge is a bit expensive but there are other brands on amazon that are the same design.
I got a cheap $70 dollar enameled Le Creuset knock off from Amazon. It has survived 50+ bakes with no damage. The inside is cast iron. The shape is much nicer and it makes taller loaves with nicer ears than my dutch oven. I’m attaching a picture of a two loaf batch. Both loaves are identical except for the baking vessel and the scoring. The taller one with the beautiful ear is from the enameled Le Creuset style oven.
Ps. The Amazon knockoff ones have a non-enameled black cast-iron version for the same price if you’re really that worried about the enamel.
https://preview.redd.it/cxzhnepwrdqd1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a500115bc1c32696436978d7641b8cbc41cb3e33
I’m Lodging a complaint against anyone who doesn’t agree that Lodge is great (budget friendly as well)
I have a pair of them. Last pair was No441 and No442.
I love them. My only caution would be . . . I typically bake 740-770g loaves in them.
If they’re springing well, I can do 800g. I think it would be terribly hard to go much larger in size.
The Lodge with the lid handle is the best one. I own 8 dutch ovens at my business. 3 are the Lodge 5qt. I prefer them.
I don’t have a dutch oven, but if I were to get one, it would be that one. The lid is a bonus pan. I use cast iron fry pans and love them. I had a whole set years ago of Le Crueset incd the dutch oven, but I gave all but the tiny sauce pan away. I didn’t like the enamel coating. They were heavy and hard to clean. My lodge are great – easy to clean, easy to maintain. Yes heavy, but they are essentially non stick and they are way more affordable.
I make my sourdough in reg loaf pans and squirt a bunch of water into the oven as I close it. My husband says my bread is as good as the artisanal boules we used to get from the farmer’s market. The loaf pans fit into a giant square tupperware that easily fits into my small fridge. I wanna try baguettes, but I would need to adjust my system and I am lazy.
The picture above is the one I have and I LOVE it!