Challenger Bread Pan VS Dutch Oven
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- Опубликовано: 22 июл 2024
- In this video, I put the Challenger Bread Pan to the test against my trusty Dutch Oven, baking the same sourdough loaf in the two different pans back-to-back. Watch to the end of the video to see how the loaves turn out and to see some differences you have to consider when baking with each pan. #challengerbreadpan #dutchoven
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:59 - Baking in the Lodge Dutch Oven
03:30 - Baking in the Challenger Bread Pan
05:30 - Comparing the Bread : Dutch Oven vs. Challenger Bread Pan
Full comparison on my website: grantbakes.com/challenger-bre...
Check out each pan here:
➡️ The Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven: amzn.to/39IQQ4x
➡️ The Challenger Bread Pan: challengerbreadware.com/produ...
✏️ The recipe that I used for each loaf:
Bread Flour................................................360g
Whole Wheat Flour....................................60g
Whole Grain Rye Flour...............................30g
Water.........................................................300g
Sourdough Starter (100% hydration)......100g
Salt.............................................................10g
Final dough weight comes out to 860g per loaf. When I made each loaf for this video I scaled them out to be 845g each, so I must have lost a little mass along the way through mixing and shaping. Stuff happens!
If you want to learn how to make great bread, sourdough, and pizza at home, hit the SUBSCRIBE button ✅ and click the notification bell 🔔 so you won't miss any of the weekly videos. Subscribe: ruclips.net/user/grantbakes?sub_con....
Then, check out these other videos from my channel:
👂🏼 How to Get an EAR on Sourdough Bread - • How to Get an EAR on S...
🍞 Baking in the Challenger Bread Pan - • Baking in the Challeng...
🍞 Jim Lahey's No-Knead Bread - • Jim Lahey's No Knead B...
🍞 Tartine Country Bread (Sourdough Tutorial) - • How to Make Tartine "C...
Visit my website:
🔗 Website - grantbakes.com
Affiliate Disclosure:
Grant Bakes is a participant in affiliate advertising programs which allow me to earn fees by linking to products on various websites. This does not affect the cost of a product for you, and I only recommend products that I believe will help you make better bread, sourdough, and pizza at home. The products I link to are usually the same products I own or similar versions (or sometimes products I really wish I did own because they're way better than the thing I actually bought.)
Public Service Announcement: I did clean my Lodge Dutch Oven post this video. Thanks for your concern 😂
Link to Challenger Bread Pan: tinyurl.com/grantbakeschallenger
Link to my Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven: amzn.to/39IQQ4x
(both affiliate links)
Well the truth of the matter is that whatever was baked on was inert--so why so many felt the need to comment on it. I would need to do an EPA cleanup prior to making any videos of my kitchen 'things'.
One thing I would recommend is to spray your parchment paper with water before you place your bread dough on it. Then immediately use the parchment paper as a sling to transfer your dough into your Dutch oven or challenger. The wet parchment paper will produce more steam while your bread is being baked. This may also prevent the bottom of your bread from burning. I have never had a loaf burn.
Great recommendation!
Hi good tip about wetting the parchment paper. Something new and good.
Interesting , I've been having nothing but problems with the bottoms burning and I've tried so many things such as using two baking pans on the rack below the dutch oven for the second half, taking the bread out of the dutch oven and baking it on the metal wire rack, using parchment paper, still burns on the bottom. Will try this for sure!
@@thepiecesfit5049trivet! Never a burnt bottom
Great that you just cut to the test without 5 mins of waffle. Like it.
Thanks!
Very nice results. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!
Thank you for doing such a clear & objective comparison. From your video, I am sold on it and will get one
Thanks, Anna!
Drop you temperature to 450 from 500. Your crust is burning too much on both the top and bottom. You might enjoy a more moist crumb as well.
A baking sheet or foil placed on the bottom rack will prevent scorching of the bread you bake on the second rack. It won't adversely affect your overall bake it's just to prevent scorching. Guaranteed.
Great video, Grant! and great bakes too!
Thanks so much!
Man thanks for the video👍👍 I have that exact DO, I need to start using it for bread again.
Absolutely! Happy baking 👍🏻
Good video, I like the way you describe both cooking vessel, plain and simple
Thanks!
Just beautiful bread … learning so much from you!
Thanks for the video and also a thank you for all who left comments. I picked up some good ideas re burning on bottom. I bake my sour dough in antique cast iron dutch oven..no enamel. I have both a round and oval one. My loaves turn out the same color as the challenger and wondering it is because of the” purity” of the cast iron. My only problem is slight burning on the bottom. I am going to try spraying parchment … and/or rice flour on bottom to prevent. I can’t raise the rack as 1938 wedge wood oven.
I use a thin flat metal baking sheet it is about 1/8" (I originally bought it for biscotti) and really has helped keep my loaves from burning. I use an LC dutch oven and clay bakers. When I 1st started I found them burning but after slipping the metal sheet under stopped it, I found the trick when I was using loaf pans and I just kept doing it. Your oven sounds awesome 😊
Just found your vids which I will review but I like this one, very informative and not overly wordy and "cute" with obnoxious production values. Good vid. I bake two loaves per week; one in a Le Creuset and one in a Staub Dutch oven. I like them and get good results. I use the parchment paper idea for the same reason you mentioned but I trim the paper into rounds with 'wings' using a plate for a pattern to allow safely placing loaves into the preheated pots. A suggestion if I may about the 'burnt' bottoms; I bought a baking steel for making home made pizza a while back and I leave it in the oven on the bottom shelf (first level) all the time. This seems to even out the heat and prevents the bottom from getting too dark on my loaves. BTW, very nice oven spring.
Hey, thanks for the comment! I love that you use a pizza steel under your Dutch ovens. You'll see in some of my other videos that I also usually have a pizza steel living in my oven 😄🍔 I usually place the dutch oven and/or Challenger right on top of that, but for the testing purposes of this video, I kept the pizza steel out and just tested each baking vessel on its own. Happy baking!
Old comment I know, but why not just bake directly on the baking steel. Like this video: ruclips.net/video/dkTxc2RQK0Q/видео.html. The heat on the baking steel should provide really good, maybe even superior oven spring
Challenger has a video where the guy put 2 ice cubes on the hot cast iron to create more steam to trap. Also they show that after you take the lid off, if you invert it and put the base plate on top with the bread it really helps to mitigate the excessively dark crust. Was just curious if you have tried doing either and if you noticed any difference doing so.
I use an oval shaped Dutch oven and love it! Great video...thanks!
Best of both worlds!
Hi Diane Which oval Dutch over do you use ? I’m looking for one. Really I’d like one with a flat exterior top ( no knob ) so I can use it upside down in oven. I did find one, but sadly it has a nonstick coating, and I want plain bare cast iron ~ though enamel coated cast iron might be ok. Anyway, please share any suggestions you might have. Thanks 😊
@@carpenterfamily6198 hi… I have a Great Jones Dutch oven and use it for sourdough bread, soups, stews, roasts and even have baked brownies in it.
This is an excellent video. It might also be a good idea to tell viewers the price of the Challenger Pan while showing it. It looks and bakes beautifully and I like the shallow base. It's quite expensive. It's over 200 DOLLARS. If I was a professional, showing off my bread skills, it might be worth the price, but I cook a few loaves per week, so the stone brick works well enough for a Batard...which is my preferred shape because it is easier for me to shape one. Boules are a little more difficult for me.
I am fortunate enough to have an oven with a steam function which I didn't even know it had it when I bought it. I wasn't baking bread yet, but I am using that function now for brick baking.
What does amaze me during this time of sourdough baking, is that the Cast Iron Lodge Company didn't come up with this pan themselves. It is "in their Wheelhouse", I would think. A Sourdough baker did design it, and he did an awesome job.
I love my two Dutch ovens, so will stick with those. It was great to see that a Batard shape can fit into a dutch oven. I never dared to try it. I love the pot method so will try a Batard shape in it for the next bake. Thank you so much for this video.
Grant, Benito from TFL here. You could consider heating your dutch oven and your challenger bread pans in the oven with the lids off on the rack next to the bases. That way when you’re ready to place the dough into the base, you just take the base out and the cover stays in the oven retaining maximum heat. When ready, put the base with dough in it onto your stovetop, take the lid out of the oven and place onto the base.
That's an awesome idea, Benito. Thanks for the comment!
No problems with burning if you use parchment paper AND a peel! ( I use the bottom part of a tart pan and just slide the dough in! ) I haven’t burned yet!
Good idea!
I use a small pizza screen under the parchment in my DO as an "air cushion" to prevent bottom burning. works great.
Great setup!
I bake with a Lodge combo cooker, you have the advantage of the low sides. I can fit two of them in my oven at once and they're only $40.
Nice!
I couldn't agree with you more! Lodge is a fantastic product, not only is it fantastic, but it is also very affordable, you can get them at lodge.com, Walmart, Amazon (prime free shipping). With the combo cookers or the double dutch oven, I own two of them and bake two loaves at a time. The beginner or the expert should not dismiss this product. You do not need to spend $$$ of money to make fantastic bread and many artisan bread bakers don't even use pans, I do because I'm a hobbyist baker and I can get the same results time after time.
@@jpeood32 yes huge time saver baking two loaves at once.
@@garykramer8028 The only thing with the lodges of any sort is that you are kind of restricted to making boules - i haven't seen any oval products? I have a round dutch oven (it is an ancient solid cast iron le creuset - no enamel) It is fabulous but i can't do a batard in it. For that i have been using my 38 year old oval le creuset - works great but there is some controversy about preheating the enamelled pots empty. Sigh. Le creuset recommends that you don"t do it. This leaves me with looking at this challenger pan as it bakes all shapes ...nice to see how well it works!
@@handsonthewheel I bake my batards In the combo cooker no problem. My loafs are about 900 grams
If you use a baking stone in the rack below the Dutch oven it will even out the heat. You also won’t over bake the bottom of the bread. If you spray the top of the bread with a spray bottle of water prior to baking it will create more heat and give a nice crust.
Thank you for the video..... I may purchase one of these now
Thanks, Gianni 👍🏻
Thanks for the comparison, been debating whether to get one. I love making bread
It's definitely worth it if it's in your budget! Do you usually use a dutch oven?
@@GrantBakes I do, my 3.5 qt. I’d like this one because I could also do the demi baguettes and fuccasia on it (may have spelled that wrong)
OK Grant. First of all, use the top of the Challenger to put on the bottom to prevent burning the bottom of the loaf in step two of oven baking.. Next try to put a few ice cubes in the first oven step to encourage oven spring. Finally, do not score and dust the Challenger loaf in the pan. All that should be done before transfer...which can still be done on parchment paper. Good luck implementing these improvements.
Thanks for your thoughts, Edward.
Ya he didn’t follow directions! It gave me anxiety 🤣
Can you please tell me the size of your lodge cocotte? I want to get an idea of how much shaped dough I can stick in it. Thanks much
It's 6 quarts I believe. Here's a link to my website that shows the Dutch oven I use Https://grantbakes.com/recommended-baking-tools
Just ordered a Challenger tonight. Already have a Dutch oven but upping my game.
Nice!! You won't regret it.
I second wanting to see inside. Where did you get those oven "mitts"? They are awesome and protect your forearms too!
I can't find the same mitts but here is a very similar one that I found: amzn.to/3bdxF3S
Hello, great video by the way. How do you get the bread to stay so compact when you dropped in on the pot. I've been hand kneading for 15 min ( after a 30 min rest ) plus after first rise preshape, bench rest, shape and then fridge for second rise but the dough expands a bit when I drop it into the pot. Also ( even though it comes quite delicious) the crust is a bit thinner that I would like. Any ideas ( I was thinking I'm using a high hidration dough or not kneading enough).
Try following my main recipe and video here: grantbakes.com/good-sourdough-bread.
Your dough is probably high hydration if it's spreading out after the fridge. Try my recipe, it's 70% hydration and you don't need to hand knead! 😊
Are you sure you are kneading enough at the beginning? I had a similar problem, I had to knead for twice as long. Even though I use a stand mixer to knead, I had to leave it in there for 10-15 min. Try resting your dough 15 min instead of 30, before you begin the initial kneading.
You didn't mention and stretch or folds... After the kneading, then do some stretch and fold every 30 min... you do this? after 3-4 stretch and fold I really feel and see the dough getting strong, it really holds its shape
Use less water at first, then slowly add more water as you mix... I usually measure out 10-20 grams of water and keep it aside, then dribble it in as I mix... The dough seems really dry but its incredible what a few drops of water can do...
Hello, thank you for taking the tip. I think the problem is over proofing as sometimes I leave the dough to rise all night during the first rise. And I have been leaving the dough to rest for more than 30 min after mixing. I will follow your instructions and see what happens ( I also bought a stand mixer so I'm excited to see the results). Thank you again for sharing
I wonder if the colour of the loaf in the Challenger is due to heat circulating around the loaf better allowing for better moisture loss than with the load in the Dutch oven where the higher walls keep some moisture in because the heat can’t move around as effectively. Just a thought.
Thanks for the video. I’ll stick with my Dutch oven but solely because I don’t need yet another large pot taking up space in my kitchen.
Yeah, that's exactly my thought too! Very likely that's the reason.
When baking the bread in a Dutch oven, I line it with Aluminum foil and then I put it on an inverted cookie sheet in the oven. It made a big difference.
Hmmm interesting! I've never heard that idea before.
@Sylvia Carlson same as teflon & other non - stick surfaces, alu foil can leech chemichals during the cooking process.
Great video! A more complete comparison would have included images of the crumb of these 2 loaves.
Totally agree! At the time I didn't think the pan vs. Dutch oven would make much a difference in the crumb. But, a future comparison video should definitely show the crumb and the resulting slices of bread. 👍🏻
I love your dog!
What size is the dutch oven?
Your loaves look great. One question: how is the darkness of the loaf from the Challenger pan a function of the pan itself? When you took the lid off, the Challenger bread looked as pale as the Dutch oven one... so isn’t the darkness just because you kept it in the oven longer?
I'm honestly not sure why it was darker, because I baked them for the same amount of time. Could be that the oven was unintentionally a little hotter at that point, I'm not sure. Could also be due to better heat transfer in the black cast iron pan. I'd have to do some more testing. Usually though, when I'm not "testing" something, I'll just take the bread out when it's as dark as I like it.
Good video, Grant. What is the reason for going from the fridge directly to the oven, as opposed to allowing one final rise at room temp and then baking? Thank you.
Hey, honesty, it's just what I've learned and what I've always done and it seems to work! Even though the dough doesn't puff up to double in size inside the fridge overnight, it still does go through a long cold fermentation process, so straight from the fridge to the oven has always worked great for me 👍🏻 it's also easier to score straight from the fridge. That being said, it would be interesting to try baking one straight from the fridge and letting one proof for a few hours after the fridge at room temperature to see what difference it makes. Thanks for commenting!
@@GrantBakes Thanks for the quick reply. I am going to try your method. How long in the refrigerator?
@@michoutdoors5629 Awesome! Thanks for trying it out. Overnight in the fridge always works for me. At least 8 hours is a good bet. You can follow my full tutorial video called "Good Sourdough Bread" here or on my blog - grantbakes.com/good-sourdough-bread
@@michoutdoors5629 Overnight always works for me! grantbakes.com/good-sourdough-bread
What size is the Dutch oven
Have you used parchment paper with the challenger to see if it lighter on the bottom?
Yes, sometimes I do that. Mostly I just put a barrier (like my baking steel or a baking sheet) on the rack below the challenger or Dutch oven. It seems to help a lot.
How long after out of the fridge can you bake the loaves..is it straight away or do you have to wait until the loaves get to room temperature before baking ????
You can bake straight from the fridge.
While I came for the pan comparison, I'd love to know where you purchased that pot holder that you are using? Thx
I think I found it! Here's the link to the same type of pot holder on Amazon: amzn.to/3bdxF3S
@@GrantBakes thank you!
How are they proofed loaves out if the fridge b4 you can bake them???
They do a slow cold proof in the fridge overnight.
If you have a Lodge Double Dutch Oven, invert it and it will function like the Challenger
What do you bake your bread in - a dutch oven? The Challenger? Something else? Let me know in the comments!
@@JacklynDougherty Great choice!
Emile Henry bread cloche has the lid like the Dutch oven and the base like the Challenger. Win. Win.
@@jactilak7845 that's cool!
Lodge combo cooker...
Inexpensive unenameled Lodge Dutch ovens, but they limit the shape of the loaves to boules, so there is a certain amount of lust for an oval pan.
What about the taste? Any difference?
Can you put parchment in Challenger?
Yes! I do that most of the time nowadays.
Do you have to put some flour or parchment paper in the dutch oven or stone or challenger or i can put the bread directly ?
For the Challenger I usual don't use parchment paper, but for the Dutch oven I do use it. 👍🏻 I had the bread stick to my dutch oven a few times early on so now I almost always use parchment paper to help with non-stick. But the Challenger seems to do fine without parchment paper as long as you preheat it before baking!
And as for flour, I usually like to sprinkle a little course flour on the surface if I'm not using parchment paper.
Thank you so much.
@@Rye_d_baker You got it!
I have baked enough Sourdough Bread to say I’m very happy with my $60.00 Dutch Oven. I don’t see any reason to spend $200.00 plus dollars on the challenger. Yes the Challenger may have a couple designs for easier access but not $150.00 more. Great video… I was actually expecting a significant difference between loaves using the Challenger.
Thanks for the comment!
I have that same Lodge and I started making bread with it since the spring (like everybody). It comes out great, and this Thanksgiving I learned the hard way not to forget to use pot holder on that lid. I set the lid down on the counter and took my turkey out of the dutch oven (Turkey en Cocotte) and then grabbed the lid without thinking...OUCH! %@!$... I hope that's the last time i forget to do that. BTW, I highly recommend doing a turkey breats in the dutch oven. If you eat Turkey, it's amazing.
I have to say I've done that before too! Ouch. Turkey in the Dutch oven sounds interesting. I'll have to give it a try.
I always keep my pot holder on my Dutch Oven handle to serve as a reminder that it’s HOT…
@@davidlatif7829 Yes, Exactly! I now do that, even if I put the lid in the sink. Hard lesson learned.
What size is your Lodge Dutch oven? 8 qt?
Hmm that sounds about right, but I'm actually not sure. There's a link in the vodeo description that'll take you to the exact one I use on Amazon. It should say how many quarts it holds.
Only considering buying this so I can throw in some ice cubes for more oven spring since the lodge I have doesn’t have enough room for ice cubes. Wish you threw in some ices cubes in the challenger so we can see its full potential.
I only started doing that lately. It really helps when I do baguettes in the Challenger!
But really, you won't regret the Challenger. It's sooo nice.
I don't bake in that high temp, I'm heating my Duch oven to 500 deg load the dough in and reduce temp to 480 deg and after removing the lid I drop it to 460 deg and bake for up to 25 minutes. In the same time I put the cookie sheet under the DO to prevent burning; bottom is not even black. Biggest difference is if I forget to spray the dough with water and oven spring is a little less, Thanks for this comparison.
Do you think the Challenger is heavier?
Just realized I have a black lodge cast iron dutch oven with no handle on too I can use upside down. It will basically be just like the challenger.
Yes! Some of the older Dutch ovens and even pyrex dishes have a top with no handle. Those are perfect for baking bread, and they're similar to the Challenger in that regard. Very cool.
I’ve tried both my la Creuset Dutch oven and the open baking sheet over a shallow pan of water method for sourdough. I’ve decided that I get a better , sliceable crust with the baking sheet. Just don’t use the convection oven setting...that removes all of the moisture in the air.
@@truthseeker9688 have you tried instead of a pan of water keeping a hot iron skillet in it and spritzing intermittently? I do that with french bread.
Have you ever tried to clean the Lodge Dutch oven? Is that what mine is destined to look like?
Is it so discolored because you use it for baking?
Haha it is clean now. It just needed a good cleaning after having been used so many times. I should have cleaned it before the video 🤦🏻♂️
Can you bake 2 boules in the challenger at one time?
Haven't tried that one yet, but they'd have to be rather small boules.
What about the inside f the bread, I always a gummy crumb, cause the bread gets steamed like a dumpling.when I bake in my enamel Dutch oven.Iwant a light velvety soft dry crumb.
Might have more to do with the recipe than the Dutch oven. Try out my master recipe if you want. Should be a better crumb! ruclips.net/video/-Kstk0C3m8M/видео.html
First time hearing about the challenger pan, I think you could get the same results for far cheaper from a Lodge Camp Dutch Oven upside down.
@madgethornpoole explain to me how it would be false? How would it be any more unsafe then the fancy cast iron pan besides being heavier?
At 5.53. Surely the bread baked the challenger is darker because the challenger does not have sides, so more heat gets to the loaf than in the Lodge bread oven with sides,
liked the video; however, I was waiting for cutting the loaves to see how the inside turned out.
Thank! I know, I should’ve done a crumb shot for you. I didn’t think the type of Dutch oven should have much effect on the crumb so I didn’t think to add that part.
Spray your dutch oven with Easy Off oven cleaner (the yellow version) and let it sit an hour or two, and it'll come out looking brand new.
Thanks for this great tip! I'll literally be ordering some Easy Off right away 😄
@@GrantBakes if your pot it hot, it works even better. Do it outside. It smells horrible.
I just boil some baking soda, then scrub with baking soda and it works amazingly.
Isn’t easy off toxic?
@@LM-fw1jj Only if you eat it. You spray it on the pot (outside preferably), let it dissolve the burnt on gunk, and then rinse it off. It's like new.
The heat scorches the enamel on the Dutch oven. I can see so does he. Anyone else get this reaction?
Do you mean on the outside or the inside? The inside is fine now after a good cleaning but the outside definitely has changed over time (and many many loaves of bread.)
So it looks like you're shaping your boules with just a plain bowl and what appears to be a cheap cotton towel. How do you get your dough not to stick to the towel? I've flowered towels - textured and flat - and still the dough sticks.
Normally I recommend using a banneton basket, but if you use a bowl and a towel, the trick is to put A LOT of flour on towel so the dough doesn't stick. Using a mix of rice flour and bread flour is even better.
if you use some rice flour on the bottom of the bread it will prevent the bread from burning
That's a great idea, I'll have to try that. I usually dust my banneton baskets with rice flour so I'll give it a try.
The Challenger is nice but I don't see $300 nice compared to your Lodge DO in your video. The Lodge 3.2qt ComboCooker, while round and smaller, offers the same loading and dark cast iron advantages as the Challenger. But it's only $49. ALSO...placing a cookie sheet or a pizza stone/steel in that empty rack below the rack you used to support you cookers will shield the bottom of your bread from scorching. Most people have a cookie sheet so it's a free fix! Thanks for the video Grant!
FYI i got a round bake rack 9 inches and put that in my dutch oven and bread with parchment on top, Waaaahla, no burnt bottom.
Cool! Did you put the bread on it the whole time or only during the second half of the bake?
Not sure why parchment paper wasn't used in the challenger since you're trying to show the difference between the Lodge/Challenger in identical cooking environments? Even though it's easier to place the dough in the Challenger you shouldn't skip a step as this might change things like air flow to me
Good point!
The top of the Challenger is meant to flip upside down and the bottom pan placed on top of the inverted lid.... :)
Yeah, I've seen them recommend that. I think it's a lot to do with a hot pan to be honest, so I'm not a big fan of doing that. I have found that putting a sheet pan or baking stone on the lower rack underneath the Challenger or Dutch oven almost always does the trick. So that's what I've been doing now for years.
@GrantBakes ok cool! Yea I just did that putting the top underneath right now and crust had black on it, I'm putting a pizza stone under for next loaf! Thanx for the tip!
GREAT Review!! I was looking for a comparison like what you just presented!1 Well done, Sir Grant!! Thank you!! For the money, there is no doubt that I will stick with the regular Dutch oven!! (A 'Misner-combination' in fact, as it will serve other cooking purposes as well!)...and the combo unit has an ADDITIONAL shallow base-plate (that is part of the Misner purchase price) that can be used for baking.
Thanks!
I couldn’t believe you didn’t slice both breads after they cooled to show us the inside texture… and even taste both to report if there was a difference in flavor!!
The inventor of the Challenger suggested that when you take the cover off, it is placed under the bottom, and thus, you do NOT burn the bottom as you see. See Edward G's comments below. Yes, put in two ice cubes.
Grant the dutchie is cast iron too. Just an fyi if you didn’t know
Yes, enameled cast iron.
Whah? No crumb shot?
Not that time. Sorry!
even with the price drop, its too expensive
.
I get that, Vicky. It's definitely a luxury item!
I can get 3 lodge fer dat $
Roscoe!
The dog made his first video appearance :)
$50 for a Dutch Oven compared to $200+ for the Challenger is a huge point you left out of the comparison. 4-5x the price is a big factor.
True, my comparison was more about how the two pans perform in bread making. I do mention the cost factor at the end of the video without mentioning exact numbers. It's also why I only recommend the Challenger if you're REALLY into baking sourdough bread and you are able to spoil yourself on a nice "toy."
Compare the cost too. Lodge wins hands down.
Thanks for the comment. I definitely understand that cost is a big differentiator in these two pans. My main goal with this video was to see if the different designs have any effect on the actual bread. Turns out, it's pretty similar but with some small differences. The pros and cons definitely need to be considered before actually purchasing one of these items, which is why in my recommendation at the end I suggest only buying the Challenger if you are VERY interested in sourdough bread and have some extra money to spend (the cost definitely puts it in that kind of "luxury" category). For some people, the Lodge would even be considered too expensive because there are quite a few cheaper Dutch oven options out there. Just depends what you want to spend or can spend on your kitchen.
First off, great test, But man you need to clean that Dutch Oven, I'd be afraid to eat the bread that came out of it!!!
I've heard that before 😂 don't worry, it's clean now.
I have both. Apart from
Size, the challenger is no better whatsoever than a regular (not even as costly as lodge) regular cheapie cast iron pant.
To expensive for germany. More than 300$. The most important thing is your perfect DOUGH. !!!
You're right that well fermented dough is the true star!
Thanks for sliding the oven rack out. I see so many people on youtube who leave the oven racks in and just reach way in to put things in and out of the oven... It annoys me. I still think the challenger is a bit over priced tho, especially with shipping and exchange rate its got to be over $300 and I could buy 4 dutch ovens for that price
Haha you're welcome! I didn't know that anyone would notice or care about pulling out the oven racks :)
Buy the Lodge Combo Cooker for 40% of the Challenger price and forget about it!
What ya been doing with that Lodge? Looks like draining the oil out of your car!
Maybe
Dutch oven. Funny term for a simple cast iron pot. And probably a marketing stunt
Marketing term from 1707, apparently. kanalifestyle.com/blogs/tips-tricks/why-is-it-called-a-dutch-oven#:~:text=It%20arrived%20in%20Europe%20about,detailed%20designs%20at%20less%20expense.
I burned myself one too many times with my Lodge dutch oven until one day I said the heck with this and I turned it upside down. Placing the loaf in the preheated lid is burn-proof and I put the pot upside down on top, making sure the pot handles are turned perpendicular to the lid, for easy removal after 20 minutes. Haven't burned myself yet and I love Lodge, so...I think I solved my problem and my budget. :-) As far as making other things like batards and such, well it's just not that important (to me). I'm also not chuffed at the idea of 22 pounds of blazing hot cast iron; don't think I could lift that.
Exactly, do what works! That sounds like you have a good set up.
Vos pains ne doivent pas être à l'air libre avant cuisson !, cela ce voit lors de la 2ème cuisson ou votre touché du doigt montre le manque de souplesse de la pâte, dommage de ne pas montrer les 2 pains tranchés cela permettrait de voir les "alvéoles" et constater la préparation imparfaite !.
Who hurt you, Francis?
Oh my god. Dude you need to clean your blue pot
Sounds good 👍🏻
Your dough already formed a skin, it would be best if you can prevent that from happening. Please buy a cheese cloth or something proper so you won’t be using your hand towel for the dough. Ugh. Hard to clean. And pls clean your enameled dutch oven. Maybe you intentionally do it, maybe its seasoning, but man, it’s disturbing to see a dirty cooking vessel. Your bread looks ok save for the burnt tips.
Anything else?
That Lodge DO hasn't been cared for at all. Terrible condition. It looks like your oven was too hot and over cooked your bread.
I wish you the best in making your own delicious bread, JT!