(Dutch Oven) Beer Bread

Today while reading Mother Earth News, I came across a recipe for Beer Bread baked in a dutch oven.  Bread made with beer sounded interesting, but what really got me was the simplicity of the recipe.  It has three ingredients and requires no kneading or rising.  I was out of fresh bread, so no excuse was needed to whip up a loaf and see what it tasted like.  Since I didn't have the self-rising flour called for in the recipe, I did a little digging around and found a similar recipe using regular flour, baking soda and salt in place of the self-rising flour.  I ended up doing a combination of the two recipes (used all-purpose, instead of mix of wheat and white), using some Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.  I cooked it in my dutch oven, rather than in a loaf pan.  The end result was super tasty with a wonderful crunchy crust on the outside and an almost scone-like consistency on the inside.  I think I ate half the loaf as soon as it came out of the oven.  It did end up being a bit on the flat side - I suspect that a smaller dutch oven or a loaf pan would help it go up rather than out, but it was good nonetheless.

 

Highly recommended!!  Would be great with soup, salad, really anything that beer would go with (as the beer flavor does subtly come through).  Not recommended with butter and jam - although I did it anyway, as I can't resist putting butter and jam on fresh bread (especially since I'd just acquired a jar of lemon curd - boy have I been missing the boat all these years not knowing what that tasted like!!).