Should I preheat my bread baking containers?
I have read that artisan breads turn out better when they are baked in a container that can trap the steam. Examples I have read are baking bread in a dutch oven, a ceramic, lidded bowl, or even a covered roasting pan.
The instructions that I have read for baking bread on a stone always call for the stone to be preheated with the oven to maximize the oven spring when the bread is introduced.
Should I do the same with other containers and preheat them with the oven? If so are there any tricks to getting the dough into the container without burning myself?
Best Answer
If you are using a additional containers or surfaces in the oven for baking, you should absolutely pre-heat it with the oven. Use an IR thermometer to measure the actual temperature of the container - a dutch oven or heavy stone will take longer to come up to temperature than the air in the oven will, so the oven will claim to be preheated sooner than it is actually ready.
Remember that temperature and heat are two different things - one of the benefits of using a baking stone or dutch oven or other "heavy" thing is that it stores a lot of HEAT. Air at 450F and Cast Iron at 450F contain very different amounts of heat, and it is heat that will bake your bread. You can tell that they have soaked up as much heat as they can when their temperature is close to your oven set-point, which will take a while.
The only possible exception to this would be if you are just using a thin sheet metal steam tray to cover your pizza stone to trap steam, since it has so little thermal mass. A thin tray could probably be put over the bread without preheating the tray since it won't absorb or store much thermal energy.
To prevent burning, choose containers with a good, solid handle, and get quality oven mitts, preferably with long-ish sleeves to protect your forearms.
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Quick Answer about "Should I preheat my bread baking containers?"
If you are using a additional containers or surfaces in the oven for baking, you should absolutely pre-heat it with the oven.Should you preheat bread pan?
We have done the research and have found the best way of cooking bread in a Dutch oven. You should preheat the Dutch oven before cooking your bread. Placing the dough in a scorching hot pan with the lid on top will provide the best environment for your bread to achieve a beautiful rise and that glorious crackly crust.Can I preheat a baking tray?
'Every oven is different and has hot spots, which are areas that heat up faster than others', she explains. 'To prevent the hot spots from unevenly cooking your food, you should always preheat the pan or baking tray'.Should the oven be preheated before baking bread?
Unless you are baking bread or pizza, you only need to preheat until the oven reaches the set temperature. This takes 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven and the intended temperature (read more about the particularities of ovens on this Hotline thread.How long should you preheat the oven before baking bread?
There are two methods of baking the bread; you can preheat the oven for 15 minutes to 475 degrees Fahrenheit or place the dough directly into the oven without preheating. If you are preheating the oven, ensure you create steam by placing a pan filled with water and leave it to heat at that temperature (475).47: How hot to bake your bread - Bake with Jack
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