Been looking for a 6 qt oval Dutch Oven. Readily available, but a bit pricey.
Just happened to find a used flea-market "vintage" roasting pot (w/cover) made of heavy cast-aluminum. Probably dates from 1940's. Measures 9"x12" at rim; about 4,5" high. Cover adds another inch to height. Cost me only a couple of bucks. Worth a try.
Will use this for Dutch Oven bread-baking? Would have preferred (Lodge) cast iron but perhaps this will be fine in a convection oven which evenly distributes the heat.
Your thoughts?
I have an old one like you described and it bakes beautifully. they thing I like about it is that the sides are more steep and makes a nicer looking loaf I think, Def more height to it than my standard D O
Will be looking for your photos from it
Dave
Assuming dimensions are as above, how large a loaf will this DO bake? Weight of flour + water + starter ?
and say 750g. I usually don't make loaves bigger than that. the alum pot I am talking about is from my great grandmother who only used it to boil potatoes I am told I used it maybe 4 times for bread and the high heat was turning it dark so I stopped using it. but the loaves it made were nice......more round than anything
I have an aluminum covered Dutch Oven also. I removed the synthetic knob on the top and filled the hole with a screw and nut. It bakes as well as the cast iron DO.
Got to thinking on just how important a heavy cast metal (iron or aluminum) pot might be for Dutch Oven bread baking. Can see the value when using a heat source with uneven distribution (ie outdoor cooking), but I bake in a convection oven where the heat is fairly even.
So, is thick-walled cast DO really needed?
I think the greatest value of a DO is it’s steam holding ability. I often use light weight graniteware to accomplish the same thing. A cover inverted over the top of the dough and on a stone also produces good results.
Even a light weight disposable aluminum roasting pan on top of a stone will work.
Try to keep the steam close to the dough for the first 20 minutes or so of the bake.
Dan
I have a question about using my mother's old cast aluminum DO for baking bread. It seems that it's safe to bake in but is it safe to preheat it to 450 degrees, without anything in the pan?
I never thought to consider that. I bake regularly @ 500F with aluminum roasters and have had no problems at all. They are preheated in the oven before baking begins. I do know that direct heat from a burner will melt the very same pot if it is placed empty on the burner. No problems n the oven though.
Aluminum gets hot faster than Cast Iron. It also cools faster when removing from the oven. I like the material for bread baking.
Danny