No Knead Dutch Oven Yeast Bread

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Give it a quick stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes. You don't need the water to be hot, just comfortably warm to the touch. Add the flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until everything comes together into a shaggy, sticky dough. Don't worry about kneading it or trying to make it smooth. That's the beauty of this bread.

2. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel and leave it at room temperature for 8–12 hours. Overnight works especially well. As it rests, the yeast will slowly develop the dough's flavor and structure for you. By morning, it should look noticeably larger, puffy, and dotted with bubbles.

3. Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it. It will be soft and sticky, so a little flour on your hands can make things easier. Gently pull the edges of the dough toward the center, folding it over itself a few times. Turn it over and gently shape it into a round loaf. There's no need to knead it—just give it enough folds to create a smooth, supported shape.

4. Place the shaped dough seam-side down on a piece of parchment paper. Cover it loosely with a clean towel and let it rest for 30–45 minutes while you heat the oven. This gives the dough one last chance to relax and become light and airy before it goes into the Dutch oven.

5. Place your 5-quart Dutch oven and its lid in the oven and preheat to 450°F. Let the Dutch oven heat for about 30 minutes. Getting the pot thoroughly hot is important, it helps the dough immediately begin forming that beautiful crust when it hits the pan.

6. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Using the parchment as a sling, lower the dough into the pot. With a sharp knife or bread lame, make a shallow cut across the top of the loaf. This gives the bread room to expand as it bakes. Cover with the lid and place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. The covered pot traps steam, which is what helps give the loaf its crisp, golden crust.

7. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 15–20 minutes, until the bread is deeply golden brown and the crust feels firm. If you like a darker, more rustic crust, let it go for the full 20 minutes.

8. Carefully lift the loaf from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack. As tempting as it is to cut into it immediately, give it at least 1 hour to cool. The inside is still finishing its cooking as it cools, and waiting will give you a much better crumb. Once it's ready, slice it thick and serve with plenty of butter.