Beer Bread

Beer bread is yet another one of my mom's famous recipes that I absolutely had to have. Because I cannot live without it. Neither will you, trust me. As an artisan bread, the crust is very chewy, while the inside is moist and full of flavor. Need another reason to make it? Here it is: it's easy. You throw this no-knead dough together and let it sit until you want to bake it. The longer the dough sits, the more the rich flavor develops. You will fall in love with this dense, flavorful bread. Guaranteed. This bread is usually made with a dutch oven, but if you're like me and dutch-oven-less, don't sweat it. My brilliant mother provided me with alternate baking instructions which I will, in turn, share with you.

3 C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, plus additional for dusting work surface
1/4 tsp Instant Yeast
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 C plus 2 T Water, at room temperature
1/4 C plus 2 T Mild-Flavored Lager (I used Budweiser)
1 T White Vinegar

1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add water, beer, and vinegar. Using a rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8-18 hours.

2. Lay 12x18 inch sheet of parchment paper inside a 10 inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10-15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam0side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.

3. About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6-8 qt heavy-bottomed dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using a razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6 inch long, 1/2 inch deep slit along the top of the dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot. Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown, about 20-30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot. Transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

** If you don't have a dutch oven, just form your loaves into rounds after they have been kneaded. Put on a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper that has been lightly greased. Let them rise for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 450. Put an extra pan in the oven for steaming water. After oven reaches temperature, put loaves that have been slashed into the oven along with a cup of hot water. Cook for about 10 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 350. Cook for another 20-30 minutes.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty