Dutch Oven Irish Soda Bread

Step 1

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.

Step 2

Grate cold or frozen butter into the flour mixture. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to crumble butter into flour until it resembles large peas.

Step 3

Make an indention in the flour mixture. Add buttermilk and mix until just blended. The dough should be sticky, but not too wet. If it's too dry, the loaf will fall apart. If needed, add a little more buttermilk or flour depending on the texture.

Step 4

Pat dough into a ball and knead a few times to bring the dough together. You don't need to do much kneading. Just use your hands to shape it into a small mound.

Step 5

Lightly flour your work surface. Place mound of dough onto surface and pat with flour until it is in a shape that will fit into your pot.

Step 6

Grease and flour dutch oven. Place mound of dough inside. Score a deep X in the center of the dough with a sharp knife.

Step 7

Bake bread in an UNCOVERED dutch oven at 425ºF for 30 minutes, or until dough reaches 190ºF with an instant-read thermometer.

Step 8

The top of the loaf should be golden brown. If not, spray loaf with cooking spray or brush with a little butter, and broil for a few minutes until the top of the bread is golden.

Step 9

Transfer loaf to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. It should pop out of the pot easily.

Step 10

Slice loaf with a serrated knife and enjoy with a dollop of butter such as Kerrygold.