No-Knead Sourdough Oat Bread

My entry for Bread Baking Day #9, hosted by Astrid of Paul Chen's Food Blog, is another no-knead bread.

I actually saw this recipe and video on Breadtopia many months ago when I made my first No-Knead Bread. And my friend Linda made it and gave it a thumbs up too! So I was thrilled to the see the BBD Theme of "Oats"....thanks Astrid!

I have such good luck with the no-knead breads that I fear I am getting into a rut. But they're so good and bake so beautifully that I just keep trying new ones and experimenting on T&T recipes!

I just sliced the Sourdough Oat Bread and OMG....it's got to be one of the best breads I've made. It is just delicious! And I think I will have another slice before it's all gone.



No-Knead Sourdough Oat Bread
Recipe adapted from Breadtopia
(makes 1 loaf)

It's amazing what the addition of a mere half cup of steel cut oats can do to enhance and vary the quality of a basic loaf of no knead bread. During the long fermentation period, the grains soften and swell to give the bread a wholesome and satisfying flavor and texture.

Simple enough to whip together in a heartbeat and interesting enough to become a regular in your no knead rotation.

3/4 cup (3 oz.) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (3 oz.) steel cut oats
2 1/4 cups (10 oz.) bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup firm sourdough starter (I used 1/2 c. of starter)

1. Combine the flours and salt
2. Mix the starter into the water until mostly dissolved
3. Mix the water/starter solution into the dry ingredients
4. Mix in the oats
5. Cover bowl with plastic at let sit at room temperature for 18 hours
6. After 18 hours turn dough onto well floured surface and gently flatten enough to fold dough back onto itself a couple times to form a roundish blob. Note: This folding stage can be accomplished within the bowl, speeding up the process even further and leaving less of a cleanup.
***7. Cover blob with plastic and let rest 15 minutes. During this rest period, coat a proofing basket or towel lined bowl with bran flakes. Gently and quickly shape blob into an approximate ball and place in proofing basket or bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1-2 hours depending on room temperature.
8. As gently as possible, flip the dough into a Dutch oven or ceramic (e.g. La Cloche) baker preheated to 500F degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes at 450 degrees.
9. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing and eating. Warning: this most difficult step requires superhuman discipline and restraint.

***This is where my method for baking No-knead bread differs from the norm. I bake my bread in a raw clay chicken roaster and it works out beautifully.

7. Take a sheet of parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray like Pam. Place dough in the middle of the sheet of parchment. The dough will "rest" while the oven is preheating in Step 8.

8. Turn the oven on 500 degrees and place the baking vessel on a low rack. When the oven reaches 500 degrees remove baking vessel and turn down oven to 450 degrees.


9. And using the parchment as a sling, gently lower the sling containing the dough into the preheated baker. Careful to not touch the baker as it is very hot!

10. Place the lid on the baker and put the baker into the oven.

11. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the crust is a nice golden brown.


12. Remove the vessel from oven. The bread will still bake if left in the hot pot. So very carefully lift out the bread and cool on a rack for about 2 hours.


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