Quick Beer Bread in a Camp-style Dutch Oven or bake conventionally

    I was amazed when I interviewed Kate Rader for my monthly cooking column that appeared in The Abilene Reflector-Chronicle (9/14/13). Prior to that interview I knew literally nothing about camp-style Dutch ovens and certainly had no idea they were so versatile. If I was still in camping mode (been there, done that, not happening again), I'd have gone right out and bought one . . . that's how enthused I was! Luckily Kate's recipes can also be baked in a conventional oven, so I will be making her recipes in my climate-controlled kitchen.

     By the way, the online version of Kate's article contains lots more recipes and additional advice on Dutch oven camp cooking, a list of Kate's favorite recipe books, and more. 

Kate tending a Dutch-oven of baking bread. Part of her camp-style Dutch ovens are stacked up to her left.

Quick Beer Bread      Conventional or Dutch Oven

About this bread, Kate says, “This was a Fleischmann’s yeast recipe. I started making it in 1984. It takes just 90 minutes from start to finish and works well in my 12" Dutch oven. When I'm home I make the dough in my bread machine but I bake it in the oven.”

2¼ to 2¾ cups unsifted all-purpose white flour – divided use

1¼ cups unsifted rye flour

4 teaspoons vital wheat gluten, optional (pure gluten that is derived from washing wheat flour to remove the starch; it strengthens the flour allowing for optimum structure in baked breads)

¾ cup beer

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon butter

2 (¼ oz.) packages active dry yeast or 5 teaspoons

½ cup warm water (115°)

2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1½ teaspoons of regular salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1.  Mix 1½ cups of the all-purpose white flour and all of the rye flour. Heat beer, honey, and butter to 115°.

2.  Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water.

3.  Measure out 1 ½ cups of the white flour-rye mixture into large mixing bowl; add warm beer mixture, salt and garlic powder + dissolved yeast.

4.  Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining white flour-rye mixture and enough additional white flour to make a soft dough.

5.  On floured board, knead dough until smooth, about 4 minutes (this can be done in the bowl of an electric mixer using a dough hook).

6.  Shape into a ball. Place in an 8” round pan, or on a baking stone, or in a 12” Dutch oven. Slash the top of the loaf to keep it from bursting during the baking phase. Grease top lightly. 

7.     Cover. Let rise in warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes.

8.     Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done. Cool on rack.  

Note: For Dutch oven loaves, Kate shapes the bread on a piece of parchment paper for easy transfer to the Dutch oven where it rises and then bakes (the parchment stays inside the Dutch oven as the bread bakes). She also suggests, “Put coals mostly around the outside rim of lid or the middle of bread will get too brown. Bake until nicely brown on top and you can probably check the bottom at this time to see if it is nice and brown.”

Recipe without photos . . .

Quick Beer Bread         Conventional or Dutch Oven

2¼ to 2¾ cups unsifted all-purpose white flour – divided use

1¼ cups unsifted rye flour

4 teaspoons vital wheat gluten, optional (pure gluten that is derived from washing wheat flour to remove the starch; it strengthens the flour allowing for optimum structure in

baked breads)

¾ cup beer

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon butter

2 (¼ oz.) packages active dry yeast or 5 teaspoons

½ cup warm water (115°)

2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1½ teaspoons of regular salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1.  Mix 1½ cups of the all-purpose white flour and all of the rye flour.

2.  Heat beer, honey, and butter to 115°.

3.  Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water.

4.  Measure out 1 ½ cups of the white flour-rye mixture into large mixing bowl; add warm beer mixture, salt and garlic powder + dissolved yeast.

5.  Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining white flour-rye mixture and enough additional white flour to make a soft dough.

6.  On floured board, knead dough until smooth, about 4 minutes (this can be done in the bowl of an electric mixer using a dough hook).

7.  Shape into a ball. Place in an 8” round pan, or on a baking stone, or in a 12” Dutch oven. Slash the top of the loaf to keep it from bursting during the baking phase. Grease top lightly. 

8.  Cover. Let rise in warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes.

9.  Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done. Cool on rack.