Easy Bread

[Tom Trostel]

EASY BREAD

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
4 tablespoons sugar
12 oz. beer (may substitute milk)

Combine flour and sugar. Mix in beer. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Raise temperature to 375 degrees and bake 10 additional minutes. Cool and serve. I'm sure this recipe will also work in a camp Dutch oven.
Tom Trostel

[Bigfoot Mike]

What beer do you use, would you recommend?

[jrnutpaul]

I made this about a year ago using a dark German beer "Optimator Spaten" The bread was fantastic....But it only lasted ten minutes before disappearing. Maybe this bread has magical properties?

[Tom Trostel]

I used the cheapest I can find. Milwaukee's Best gives a nice, faint hint of beer flavor. As Pat & Paul mentioned a dark might be nice for adding a different flavor. Tom Trostel

[Bill Rogers]

Don't like the taste of beer, can you use anything else?

[Bill Abbay]

Don't like the taste of beer, can you use anything else?

Substitute 12 oz of Jim Beam. It won't taste very good but you won't care.

[Bill Rogers]

Can you add soft drink or juices?

[Mike-B]

My recipe calls for lite beer. Never tried it with regular beer. I think you need to use the beer because the yeast in the beer is what causes the bread to rise. Also at the time you raise the temp, brush the top of loaf with butter for a nice golden top(taste fine too). Mike B

[Tom Trostel]

Bill,
Self-rising flour is flour + salt + baking powder. This recipe is essentially a giant bisquit and any liquid will work (I think ). I'll try milk next time to check out this theory.
Tom Trostel

[Bill Rogers]

Tom,

Thank you. I will be looking for your results. My family and I do not drink alcohol, so would have to substitute something for the beer.

Thanks again,

Bill

[jrnutpaul]

By the time it is cooked, the alcohol content is 0. It only taste like beer.

[Tom Trostel]

I made the recipe with milk rather than beer. Works fine, though I prefer the taste of the bread made with beer. I editted my original recipe to reflect a choice of liquids. Tom Trostel

[Bill Rogers]

Thank you Tom.

We just don't like the taste of beer.

[Normand Choiniere]

You can make it malso with 12 ozs of yougurt.

This is an old receipe, basically the "Irish" bread.

[Bigfoot Mike]

Thank you Tom.

We just don't like the taste of beer.

Of coarse I’m on a diet and can only dream of eating Lori’s Home Made Dutch Oven bread again.

This topic caught my eye and so I been Googling. Found this site and thought you may like it.

Traditional Soda Bread
http://www.bookguy.com/cooking/SodabreadRecipes.htm

Dutch Oven Tips
http://www.bookguy.com/cooking/SodabreadBastible.htm

[Rick]

I made this bread tonight (thanks Tom). As I could not find a regular loaf pan (men eh?) I used the Dutch Oven I got from Mike and Lori. It worked great! Same temps as Tom suggested only I made the mistake of covering it for the first 30 and then went to 425 to brown it (uncovered) on the last 10 plus 5 more. Worked like a charm.

Thanks for the recipe.

Next time though - I'll use Heineken - Coors Light is not even good for baking!

[Gigi]

Ummm, this looks great, Tom! It does look like the bread one can buy in Ireland. Their bread usually has a dusting of flour on the top, do you do this?

I'd like to give this a go this weekend in the DO.

I'm guessing here: 11 coals on the bottom, 11 on the top and then...

Would one add extra coals on the top to get it browned?

Can't wait for the weekend and the cooking and the painting!!!

[Tom Trostel]

Gigi,
My guess would be 10 briquets on the bottom and 20 on the top of a 12" D.O. Let us know how it comes out. Tom Trostel

[Gigi]

Tom, even the birds wouldn't eat my bread! I don't know what I did, but, this just didn't turn out well as all. It didn't raise, was too sweet, and was a bit rubbery.

I used 12 on top and 12 on the bottom for briquettes, obviously not correct.

I'll try it again, but, I will cut back on the sugar and perhaps try the yogurt. I'm usually a good cook, but, I really blew this one!

[Bigfoot Mike]

Tom, even the birds wouldn't eat my bread! I don't know what I did, but, this just didn't turn out well as all. It didn't raise, was too sweet, and was a bit rubbery.

I used 12 on top and 12 on the bottom for briquettes, obviously not correct.

I'll try it again, but, I will cut back on the sugar and perhaps try the yogurt. I'm usually a good cook, but, I really blew this one!

For a 12” dutch oven, a good rule of thumb is to use 24 Briquettes. 1/4th under the dutch oven and 3/4ths on top, spread out evenly. What makes it an OVEN is the heat comes from the TOP. If there is little to no wind, this will give you about 350° in the oven.

I hope this helps.

PS: POTS have their heat come from the bottom. (ie coffee pot)