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What is No-Knead Bread?

Mary McMahon
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Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 16,301
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No-knead bread is bread which is produced without kneading, as the name implies. Various cultures have a tradition of making bread without kneading which dates back for centuries, although the French probably have the most refined tradition of no-knead bread. New York Times columnist Mark Bittman popularized the concept of no-knead bread in the United States, attracting a great deal of attention and a furor of commentary on the recipe.

Bread is kneaded for one reason: to encourage the gluten in the flour to elasticize, developing long chains instead of lounging about, pell-mell, inside the dough. As the dough is kneaded, it works the gluten, pulling into the desired chains and generating a dough with a springy texture which will develop into a springy loaf. However, the same goal can be accomplished by whisking the ingredients in bread together and allowing them to sit, undisturbed, for eight to 14 hours.

Many bakers are familiar with the trick of cutting down kneading time and lengthening rising time if they don't feel like kneading for the recommended 20 minutes, but with no-knead bread, no kneading at all needs to be performed. The ingredients are mixed to make a sloppy dough which is covered and allowed to rest until it develops a bubbly surface, before being turned out, shaped into a loaf, dumped into a loaf pan, allowed to rise for another three to four hours, and then baked.

The ingredients in basic no-knead bread are: three cups (400 grams) flour, one and a half teaspoons (7 grams) salt, one quarter teaspoon (one gram) instant yeast, and one and one half cups (375 milliliters) water. If instant yeast is not available, regular active dry yeast can be used, although many people recommend proofing it in a small amount of water with a pinch of sugar first. The ingredients should be stirred together to create a loose dough which can be transferred to an oiled bowl and covered with a damp towel or a sheet of plastic for the resting process.

No-knead bread is baked in a 450 degree Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius) oven until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, which can take 30 to 45 minutes. Many people recommend using a pre-heated and oiled heavy baking pan for no-knead bread, and covering the pan for the first half of the baking to encourage the development of a dense, chewy crust, creating a more rustic bread loaf.

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Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGeek researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

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Discussion Comments
By honeybees — On May 15, 2011

@LisaLou - I don't know why a higher oven temperature is recommended. I made a loaf of no-knead wheat bread a few weeks ago, and was pleasantly surprised the way it turned out. The texture was good and I did cover the pan for the first half of baking. If you like a chewy crust it is really delicious!

I enjoy a slice of warm, homemade bread with some honey or some homemade strawberry jam - a real treat any time of the day!

By LisaLou — On May 12, 2011

I enjoy grinding my own grain and making fresh bread, but I have not heard of no-knead bread and found this article so interesting! It sounds like you need to allow a little bit more time for the entire process, but also sounds quite easy!

I have been looking for different gluten free bread recipes to try and this might be a good way to experiment with them. I am curious why it is baked at a higher temperature than what you usually bake bread at?

By anon158304 — On Mar 06, 2011

I've started making the no-knead bread from Jim Lahey's My Bread, which is where Mark Bittman got his recipe. The bread has a great crust and crumb, but the taste is a bit one dimensional.

I think using a bread starter would yield a more complex and interesting loaf. Have you ever tried this? Any thoughts on how to use a bread starter with this recipe?

Thanks, Michael

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

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