Good morning everyone. I am new to the forum and have been an avid BBQ enthusiast over the past 4 years. There is a trend going on that has connected me to baking recently. I have caught the bug and I am baking up a storm over the past month.
I am just into bread making and learning a lot from a book by Josey Baker. I have a few more books that I have purchased but think the Josey Baker Bread Book is an excellent starting point. I have had great success with my loaves and I am learning the fundamentals before I transfer this to the Kamado BBQ.
I purchased 2 9" rounds after searching this great forum and joined to be a member as a result. So first of all thanks for the great advice so far!
My question is, I am looking at adding a second set of baskets. A search on the forum recommended the 10.5" oval basket. I then stumbled into 12" and 13" oblong baskets. Now I am lost as I can't find much information on what the two baskets produce. I am looking for something more in relation to bread loaves and I think that will be the oblong?
Can someone please help me clarify that point. My sourdough starter is almost ready and I am looking forward to trying out sourdough bread for the first time. I am still using pre-ferment to make my breads and things have been progressing well.
Thanks so much for all of the great info here, I hope to be able to contribute once I get a better understanding and knowledge base.
I think what you get is really a matter of personal taste - and what final shape you want your bread to be... I've baked free-form boulles, bloomers, etc. as well as breads in bannetons in my Kamado Joe in the past. All good stuff - however I don't go for high hydrations at all - even with sourdoughs - about 65% is the highest I regularly go and that will stand on its own during proofing - usually. My daily bannetons are round and oval shaped - I also use linen lined baskets which are also round.
However - wondering what your interpretation of 'oblong' is - for me (in the UK) it is just another name for rectangle, but I've just checked and it seems some people refer to it as more of a rectangle with rounded ends - oval is more egg or ellipse shaped to me rather than have parallel lines.
And if you want something "loaf" shaped, then you can always use a tin - you don't have to use a basket, etc. Bread is bread - shape it the way you want it.
I did this last year: http://moorbakes.co.uk/kamadojoe-sourdough-and-lunch/ and the weather is improving now - time to give it a clean and fire it up again...
(And as you see - that was done in a round basket, but I slashed it to come out more oval shaped, so there is plenty of scope).
Happy BBQ baking!
-Gordon
Thanks for the reply. I just checked out your KJ setup and very impressive set up. If I could offer a setup suggestion to avoid cracking your firebox for one and two preventing over heating of your pisa stone.
First of allput your grills back on and rest the deflectors on top of the grills. This allows for more heat escape and preventing of the dreaded firebox crack. Second place four copper T plumbing fittings at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock position on top of the deflectors and place the baking stone on top of the T pipes. This creates a much needed air gap that allows the stone to heat but not over heat. this avoids the bottom being finished before the top.
here are a few pictures to help better illustrate it. I have had 6 Kamado Joes over the past few years and have since upgraded to the Komodo Kamado. I absolutely love Kamado cooking and look forward to bread baking on the Kamado in the near future. For now, I need to get better with baking in the oven before I go to the grill.
my first set
then I went to the red setup. I have the jr. for this as well but not in this photo
After really finding a love for Kamado cooking, I went to the Komodo Kamado. This was the best purchase that I have ever made.
the baking stone on the Komodo Kamado is what got me into bread making. This thing is a beast!!
back to baking... I went with the oblong over the oval. I went with the kasskonnen 2 x 9" rounds and 2 x 13" oblong.
Most recipes I will want to bake two at a time. I have been buying up a storm with respect to baking tools and accessories and have acquired a good amount of what I will need.
One question for all of you. What do you use to cover long bread like a 13" rectangle loaf? with the rounds I just use a round dutch oven, however, my oval dutch oven will not fit a 13" oblong. I am considering the purchase of a ceramic cloche, however, not sure thats the best idea for me at this time. I am considering using a turkey roasting pan as the cover for the first half of the bake
for the pizza stone tips, etc. so-far my firebox has been fine - however I don't do that much pizza cooking on it - I have a fornetto pizza oven for that... Not the best thing in the world, but it can do continuous cooking (indirect wood fired). Most so-far in it was 24 pizzas for an event last summer.
I am looking to do some BBQ teaching this year though on the Kamado. I did a lot of work last year to get things right - mostly on the bread side - making pitas and other simple flat breads to go with the food.. Just need some good weather now!
Cheers,
-Gordon