Overnight No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread (62°F Kitchen)
A lean no-knead loaf timed for a cold kitchen. At 62°F, 2 g of instant yeast doubles 400 g of flour in about 11 hours, so you mix at 8 p.m. and bake at 8:30 a.m. A preheated cast-iron Dutch oven gives a deep brown, crackly crust. Four ingredients, one bowl, no kneading. The schedule comes from The 2026 Cold-Kitchen No-Knead Test.
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups 400 g bread flour
- 1 1/4 tsp 8 g fine salt
- a scant 3/4 tsp 2 g instant yeast
- 1 1/4 cups 300 g cool tap water
Instructions
- 8:00 p.m.: Stir the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and mix until no dry flour remains, about 1 minute.3 1/3 cups 400 g bread flour, 1 1/4 tsp 8 g fine salt, a scant 3/4 tsp, 1 1/4 cups 300 g cool tap water
- 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.: Cover and leave on the counter at 62°F until doubled and bubbly, about 11 hours.
- 7:00 a.m.: Turn the dough onto a floured counter. Fold it over itself 4 times and shape a tight round on parchment.
- 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.: Cover loosely and let it rise about 1 1/2 hours.
- 8:00 a.m.: Put the covered Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 450°F for 30 minutes.
- 8:30 a.m.: Lower the loaf on its parchment into the pot. Cover and bake 30 minutes.
- 9:00 a.m.: Uncover and bake 15 minutes more, until deep brown and the center reads at least 190°F.
- 9:15 a.m.: Cool on a rack for 1 hour before slicing.
Nathan's Tips
Keep this dough lean. Never add milk, eggs or butter to a dough that rises overnight on the counter.
Warmer kitchen? At 66°F, shape after about 9 hours. At 70°F, shape after about 7.5 hours.
The wet dough spreads. Shape a tight round and keep the parchment under it all the way into the pot.
Warmer kitchen? At 66°F, shape after about 9 hours. At 70°F, shape after about 7.5 hours.
The wet dough spreads. Shape a tight round and keep the parchment under it all the way into the pot.
