Cast iron or clay baker?

Great, thanks! I think the combo cooker is going to be at the top of my birthday present list.

1 Like

I have many covered bakers … I don’t use cast iron because of its weight. I have a spun steel cloche (Breadtopia carries) and various clay bakers. They all work just fine. I almost always put my covered bakers in the cold oven and let them heat up with the oven. It adds to a great crust AND you avoid the loaf sticking to the baker.

Hi, Linda, thanks for the feedback! I have lusted after that spun iron cloche, it’s a thing of beauty! But alas out of my budget. I just recently discovered what happens when you put cold dough in a cold clay baker into a preheated oven - I had to chisel the bread out.

I too am looking into a different baker. I have the Breadtopia Oval Clay Baker. I think I am one of very few whose clay baker’s top wobbles. I discovered this 2 months later so too late for any kind of exchange. Also I am not sure if the wobble developed over use. After noticing the wobble, I also noticed that my crust does not seem as “crisp” as I remembered it could be. I also have an Emile Henry Italian Loaf Baker, and though the top does NOT wobble, when I examine closely the side is not perfectly straight so there is a small gap on one side. So I suppose steam will leak on my Emile Henry baker as well. I think this is the characteristic of clay bakers. That is, there is no way to get a perfect seal with a clay baker. Just wanted to share an argument for why NOT to get a clay baker.

Thanks for your input, Spiderpeck! That’s something that hadn’t occurred to me. Do you use parchment paper with your clay baker? I wonder if using it under the dough with the edges of the paper draped outside the baker between the top and bottom would help to seal it?

I never used parchment paper with my clay baker. Only when I use the dutch oven. Just yesterday, AFTER I’ve already “gifted” my clay baker to my sis-in-law I saw a post in this forum where this person suggested fixing the wobbly top with aluminum foil. So similar concept to what you are thinking of doing with the parchment paper. Here’s a link to his suggestion: Preventing Steam from Leaking on Clay Baker

Yes, aluminum foil seems like an even better idea - it would conform and keep it’s shape better than paper. Oh, no, so sorry to hear that you gave yours away! I found my oval clay baker at a thrift shop in case that’s an option for you and you still want one.

I have an oblong clay baker that I use regularly. I’ve never had trouble with steam escaping (except the one time I accidentally left the lid ajar :unamused:). I usually use a parchment sling to transfer the dough, draping the parchment over the sides which results in a nice, tight feel when putting the lid on. But even without parchment, it works well.

Thanks for your input, Arlo48!

I don’t have photos of both Clay and cast but I’ve compared two cast irons as an FYI: Staub & Le Creuset. Though I prefer Staub for regular cooking, I have had the best results with my old Le Creuset for bread (tho you need to upgrade the lid knob to their metal option). The white interior seems to delay any possible burning over the Staub’s black enamel interior — my Staub bread had a darker bottom in a simultaneous bake.

Also, I get great crackly crusts with cast iron and I never need ice to produce it. The lid creates the closed environment and necessary moisture w/o all that extra effort. My two boule pans are not huge though — seems like I get the best results from a “cocotte” (9” across) that’s only slightly larger than the size of my bannetons (8”). Concentrates the steam and prevents spread with slacker doughs. Plus I can fit two side by side in my smallish oven.

Check out Ken Forkish’ demos on youtube with Emile Henry loaf sized clay bakers. You can fit 2 in at once side by side just like the 9” Le Creuset, and you still get great steam action. The clay bakers are also quite a bit less $$ than Le Creuset cast iron…

Finally, I cannot live w/o the soft white heat proof gloves available here at Breadtopia to allow me to gently and slowly lower the loaves into the pan without messing around w/parchment — completely removes the worry of burning my hands. Essential equipment!

image|640x480

Thanks for all the great input, hransom, especially your comments about the size of your “cocotte”. I usually bake a small loaf, 300g flour, so I’m looking for just such a smaller size baker which was what interested me in the Lodge Combo-cooker. It’s 10" across the top of the pot and 8" at the base which would be just about perfect for me.

I love using Emile Henry Burgundy clay bakers. You can preheat and bake in high temperatures. The covers provide the perfect environment without any need for water-filled pans or baking stones. They have beautiful high-fired glazed exteriors in various colors and shapes.

1 Like

Thanks for your reply, Carole! The baker is almost as beautiful as you bread!

1 Like

@hransom I agree those gloves are an ABSOLUTE must-have! I use them every time I bake bread. I swear they have saved my hands and made the job of transferring dough so much easier. Though I do use parchment paper to aid in the transfer of dough, because I find it easier, it works for me and does keep dough from sticking to the bottom of my clay baker. There is no real “wrong” way to transfer dough, IMHO. Every baker has a method that works best for them so that makes their particular method the right one for them.

Leah

I’ve baked a few boules so far in my new Lodge combo dutch oven, which I got for practicality’s sake after lusting, like wendyk320, over the spun steel cloche. I just baked my first loaf in the inverted pot–using the lid as the base. Do you have a sense of whether there’s a difference in results–in crustiness, bloom, length of time for baking–when using the pot upside down vs right side up? The loaf I produced looks beautiful, if a little over-caramelized on top (what my chef DH likes to call what others might call “scorched”). Some variables: no parchment paper or foil; instead of using an ice cube underneath the loaf I sprayed the top with water after scoring. The loaf stuck a little to the base but it didn’t take much to get it unstuck. Thanks!

That’s interesting, Elizabeth. I was wondering if “scorching” might be an issue with the Combo Cooker since it’s not as deep as many Dutch ovens or a domed cloche. How large (grams of flour) was the loaf that you made in it?

Thanks! I made the Breadtopia khorasan sourdough recipe with 60/40 bread flour to khorasan, and a total of 500g flour. Now that I’ve tasted it, I can report that the slight scorch on the bottom and top crusts added to the flavor, so no complaints. The Lodge dutch oven is 5 qts–pretty roomy. I’ll try lining with parchment next time.

This recipe made an amazingly tasty loaf: I will make it again and again.

Thanks, Elizabeth!

I use the lodge combo cooker as well and always place the dough in the “pan” just because it is so much easier than lowering the dough into a deep 500F pot. I always use parchment paper as the lodge does not have a very smooth surface and wet doughs do tend to stick.

I think 500g of flour is probably a bit large for the Lodge. I use 400g. That might help with the scorching issue as well. Or you can just remove the top earlier in the bake.

1 Like

Thanks, SingKevin! That’s what I was hoping. I usually made small 300g loaves, so it sounds like the Combo Cooker would work great for me.