No-Knead Bread

WOW!! I made a double batch and used 2 c. all purpose flour, 2 c. bread flour and 2 c. wheat flour. I let it rise almost 24 hours. I didn't wrap it in a towel. I put it in a big bowl with a lid and after about 22 hours I used a spoon to dip in between the bowl edge and bread and pull the bread up and over itself. I went all around the bowl like that and then sprinkled corn meal on top of the dough. I put my turkey roasting pan with the lid and about 2 tbsp vege oil in the 425 oven and let it preheat. I then dumped the dough directly from the bowl to the hot pan and sprinkled corn meal over the dough and baked it 30 minutes covered at 425 then uncovered at 375 for another 40 minutes. This is amazing bread!! I can't stop eating it. The outside is chewy and crusty without being hard. The middle is moist and has lots of holes with good texture. Next time I'll push the dough to cover the entire bottom of the pan cause the bottom crust that was in the oil is the best! This is extremely easy and unmessy if you skip the towel step!! Thanks for sharing!!

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If you like a crusty artisan bread then you have to try this one. Don't let the directions intimidate you, it is actually quite easy. The dough is wet and will appear flat but don't give up on it, it will turn out. If it is humid or raining then don't add all of the water, start with a cup and add the rest in spurts until you get a nice consistency. When the recipe calls for generous flour, it means it or else it will stick to your towel, excess flour can be brushed off after baking. Enjoy it warm!

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First time I tried this I didn't realize that my active dry yeast is not the right stuff - you've got to use instant yeast. Have since modified the recipe for active dry yeast by mixing the dough with only 1 1/2 C. water and then proofing 1/2 t. of yeast in 2 T. of warm water and then adding to the dough. Also I find that the softness of the dough yields a very flat loaf when made in a large dutch oven. A smaller pan will yield a thicker loaf.

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My husband sent a link to this New York Times story a long time ago. I wanted to try it right away, but my Le Creuset cookware has the black phenolic handle which can't take a high temperature in the oven. Well, I found out that you can order a nice replacement metal knob. Now that I have that, I can give this recipe a try! Hooray!!

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I read about this bread in my local paper and new I would find good feedback on the Zaar. Thanks everyone -- you told me exactly what I needed to know. I never would have believed that such a beautiful artisinal loaf of bread could be so easy to achieve. The crust was perfectly chewy, the crumb nicely open, and the flavor out of this world. I used rapid rise yeast and a 4 quart clay pot and 2 tablespoons less water than called for. Now I just need to remember to start my dough a day ahead of time. Thanks for posting!

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Thank you for posting this recipe as Lahey offered it. I have made this loaf a number of times and always with incredible results. I have spent a number of years trying to get the same results with more conventional means. Two months ago I succeeded with a Rose Levy Beherenbaum recipe and a lot of effort only to discover that the same results were attainable with very little effort and a minimum of time. Ironically, I found the news on Rose's web site. If you have never made a really crusty open crumb bread before, you need to try this. Finally, I would not use a 6 to 8-quart container as I prefer a taller loaf. I have doubled the recipe and successfully baked it in a Lodge 4 qt. cast iron Dutch oven (a beautiful round tall loaf with a crust to die for!). Thanks Amandochka and Jim Lahey.

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this is so so wonderful that I literally bot a bought just for it! This recipe is ridiculously easy and perfect for a somewhat lazy chef like me. My favorite is to add chopped herbs to the batter for a savory final product.

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This was weird! After leaving overnight - probably about 20 hours - it hadn't risen and was very runny - almost like a Yorkshire pudding batter, we thought all was lost. Then we tried to do the tea towel thing, but it was too runny, so just to see what may happen, we decided to pour it into our Le Creusit (after greasing w/ olive oil) and going for it. OK, it was a bit dense, but the crust is to die for and it is a good bread. Then we realised that instant yeast wasn't the same as regular dried, after reading the other reviews, so next time will go on their tips and add more dried yeast and a bit less water and I think it will be a total winner. But I'm already giving 5 stars (which is something I rarely do) as the transition from what looked to be a total disaster to a good loaf of bread was incredible. It completely doesn't make any logical sense, even for a non-baker like me, but it works, Go For It!

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I love this recipe. We're having it tonight with potato soup. For the millionth time.

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Hello from Portugal, I had taken a look at this recipe awhile back on the Net, but wasnt to sure if it would be good or not. So I decided to take a peek here at Zaar and see if anyone had given it a try, and sure enough yes they have, after checking out the great reviews, well I just had to give it a try myself. To my wonderful surprise it was absolutly lovely!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Perfect for me to make as I have arthritis on my hand. My HB. and a friend of his eat it ALL UP in no time at all, LOL...LOL... Conclusion I had to make 2 more batches for the next day for the kids and me, for we NEVER EVEN GOT TO TASTE the first batch. From now on this is the recipe I am always going to make. THANK YOU!!!!

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I LOVE this bread. I found this recipe a few months ago and have been making it on a fairly regular basis ever since. The only bad thing about it is that it requires planning ahead. I really like that it doesn't taste too "yeasty," and the crust is TO DIE FOR. Mmm I am hungry just thinking about it. A couple notes: I sometimes use 1 1/2 c. of water or a bit more..... usually I am too lazy to pull out my T measure. It really doesn't make much of a difference. I cook it in my 4 qt oval corningware, and it comes out great. I cook it covered (in preheated Corningware) for 20 minutes at 425, then take the lid off and cook it 20 minutes at 400. It comes out great. I burned it the first time I made it and this is the compromise I have come too with the recipe.

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My neighbor made a loaf of this and brought it over hot, it was delicious! She gave me the recipe but it looks like it is already posted(awesome, too many directions to type!) Thanks!

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This is so good! It's exactly what I wanted it to taste like. I love, love the crust. Sooooo good and sooo easy!! I even stuck it in the refrigerator last night when I was too tired to wait another 2 hours for the second rise - I mis-read the instructions. It turned out great! Thanks :)

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Easy and delicious! Knead is good, but it is messy. This recipe gives you a delicious bread, no mess and lots of fun!

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I don't understand the rave reviews for this bread. This tastes like the loaves I made when I was just starting out, and didn't know anything about baking. I don't consider this a crusty loaf. To me a crusty loaf has a crisp, thin crust, or a thick, chewy crust.. The crust on this bread is very thick and dry--the worst of both worlds. The flavor is nice and yeasty, which is why it gets the second star, but I won't make this again.

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Outstanding. This is such an amazing, rustic, bread. I didn't think I could actually make something like it. The active prep time is almost nothing, and the ingredients could hardly be simpler. I did buy bread flour for the first time ever just for this recipe because I thought it might be worth it, and I let mine rise for about 18 hours. I had to create some warmth for it because our house isn't usually that warm inside. I used a mix of cornmeal and wheat flour on the outside, and baked in my cast iron pot. Since I had just reseasoned it, I put a sheet of parchment down just to be on the safe side. It smelled great baking. I served this with mushroom bourginonne in a whole pumpkin, and when the soup ran out we dipped the rest of the bread in a bit of olive oil...and the whole loaf was gone in an evening. I will definitely be making this on a regular basis. I am so glad I found this recipe!

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Such a wonderful recipe! It makes a very crusty, chewy exterior and an elastic bubbly inside and perfect for olive oil dipping. I only coat it with flour.

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I made bread for the first time in my life and I am no spring chicken!!!! When I read the recipe, it seemed too easy to be true. Well, what a surprise - hardly any work to it and the results are amazing. We loved the crust and the texture. I did go crazy a little with the flour in the last step, so next time I will use cornmeal. Thank you so much. This one is a keeper for sure. I am so proud - I made bread today!!!!

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