Thanksgiving Bread (aka my almost no knead artisan bread)

3 cups All purpose or Bread flour

1.5 teaspoons kosher or coarse salt

1 teaspoon dry yeast

1.5 cups hot water

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and fluff with a fork. Add water and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. (It will be sticky and lumpy and messy. Embrace that.)

Cover with plastic wrap and sit on the counter for 8-12 hours.

After the proofing time, heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a large cast iron Dutch oven with lid in the oven to heat for 30 minutes.

While that’s heating, take your dough out of the bowl and roll on a counter into a ball (this is a no knead bread so you don’t have to work it too much).

Take the HOT Dutch oven out of the oven and remove lid. Place the bread ball into the Dutch oven and return to oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes remove lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature with herbed olive oil.

That’s it! This is the easiest bread I’ve ever made. We have Thanksgiving lunch so I start my bread at night and let it proof until morning. If you want more of a flattened loaf than the ball just punch it down more.

I’ve also prepared this bread with rosemary and garlic, which is delish! But I also did focaccia for the meal so wanted a plain bread for those pickier eaters. Also I have used gluten free flour and it worked well.

Truly this bread is so easy and you cannot mess it up. Unless you don’t allow it to proof. But that’s it! This is the best first bread recipe I’ve ever seen. So if you’re hesitant about being a baker or if you’re curious but don’t know where to start, this is it! You don’t have to do any fancy kneading or let the yeast sit and develop. Just stir, dump and bake.

I do always use Lodge products and have several Dutch ovens. They are amazing and I love them! I highly highly recommend them.

Enjoy every bite! Please post pictures on social media and tag us! I wanna see your creations!