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–+ servings
A loaf of Irish soda bead with a couple of slices cut from it.

Dutch Oven Irish Soda Bread

This homemade Irish soda bread is prepared in your Dutch oven and can be cooked in your oven at home or in a bed of hot coals while camping. It's a great side dish for pairing with soups, stews, and dips.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Irish
Servings 4 servings (1 loaf)
Calories 339 kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven (any size)

Ingredients
  

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups buttermilk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or prepare hot coals or embers in a fire pit.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  • Pour in 1 ¼ cups of buttermilk and fold to combine. Add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a dough that sticks together, but isn't wet.
  • Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and shape into a round ball.
  • Transfer the parchment and dough to the Dutch oven and score a deep X on the loaf with a sharp knife.
  • Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer to the oven or to the fire pit. If cooking in a fire pit, place 9 hot coals or embers underneath the Dutch oven and 18 on top of the lid. (See note below if you are using a small Dutch oven.)
  • If cooking in the oven, bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook until golden brown, about 35 minutes more.
    If cooking in the fire pit, bake the loaf, replenishing coals as needed, until deep golden brown, about 55 minutes.
  • Remove from the Dutch oven and let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • Get ahead--Mix your dry ingredients in a resealable plastic bag before heading out on your camping trip.
  • More crusty bits--If you like lots of crusty craggly bits on the outside of your loaf, don't overwork it when bringing it all together. Stop pressing it together when it still has some loose uneven edges.
  • Smaller Dutch ovens--If you're making your Dutch oven camping bread on a bed of hot embers or coals and are using a smaller Dutch oven (3 to 5 quarts), you can use less coals, but always keep the same ratio of 2:1 coals on top to coals on bottom. I recommend using 8 below and 16 on top for smaller pots.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25loafCalories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 70.4gProtein: 10.1gFat: 1.1gCholesterol: 1mgFiber: 2.4gSugar: 3.8g
Keyword camping bread, homemade bread, soda bread
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