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RE: Stovetop Bread

"Ken Vaughan" <kvaughan@acsalaska.net>
Sat, 8 Oct 2005 19:30:55 -0800
v105.n043.2
Flat breads of various kinds are all good; but they are a lot 
different in texture and mouth feel to a more conventional loaf with 
crust and soft center.  I personally like naan style breads, usually 
cooked on a griddle since tandor ovens are hand to manage in wet Alaska.

I have done a lot of baking in dutch ovens.  What is needed is a 
dutch oven with a raised ring on the lid to hold the fire and 
coals.  I have used both cast iron and aluminum dutch ovens and 
generally prefer the aluminum versions.  The cast Iron version weigh 
in at about 23 pounds for a 10 inch version vs 7 pounds.  The cast 
iron one turns red easily especially with a little salt water and the 
aluminum one never corrodes appreciably.

Without heat on top, the bottom gets crusty crusty before the top 
gets done. With twice as many coals on top as on the bottom all is 
good.  Using charcoal briquettes, one per inch diameter on the bottom 
and twice as many on top -- bakes bread, cake, dump cakes, etc.   Add 
a few more coals and Pizza is for dinner.

I have used three or four large nuts on the bottom to raise a biscuit 
pan off the bottom instead of using stones.  they cleanup well, and 
with stainless they do not turn red when wet.

There are a lot of dutch oven resources available on the web.  Lots 
of scout groups use them  a lot -- when I had boys at home, we did a 
lot with scout groups and dutch ovens were always popular sources of good grub.

China is the home of some excellent steamed breads -- that would be a 
learning with bringing back home.

Ken in Juneau Alaska