Introduction
Baking bread in a home BBQ is a great way to get a crispy crust and a chewy interior. It's also a fun challenge to use your BBQ during the summer months.
In this article, we will show you how to bake bread in a home BBQ. We will provide you our simple recipe for Abigail's Oven Country Loaf and some tips for getting the best results to beat the heat in your kitchen.
Abigail's Oven Sourdough Country Loaf Recipe

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 g) active sourdough starter
- 1 1/3 cups + 2 tablespoons (350 g) water
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) whole wheat flour
- 3 ¾ cups (450 g) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) fine sea salt
Instructions:
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Stretch and Fold ![]() Stretch and fold is a simple technique that can be used to develop dough strength and that helps to develop the gluten network. Gluten is the protein that gives bread its structure and elasticity. To stretch and fold sourdough, you will need a bowl of dough and a second bowl of water to dip your hands into.
You can repeat the stretch and fold process 2-3 more times, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. |
Using the BBQ to Bake Bread
- Preheat the BBQ and your Dutch(s) ovens to 450°F (230°C) for about 10 minutes
- Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the barbecue, but quickly recover the lid to keep as much in in the BBQ as possible.
- Remove the dough from your proofing basket, and place it on a sheet of parchment.
- Score the bread with a sharp knife or lame and lower dough into the hol Dutch oven using the parchment as a sling to prevent burning your hands.
- Place the Dutch oven back in the barbecue and bake for 30-40 minutes, at 400°F [205°C] if you can control the heat for 45-55 minutes.
Otherwise, bake it indirectly on an unheated side of your gas grill.
Either way the bread should be baked until the internal temperature reaches 200°F [95°C] and it turns a golden brown.
It should also sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. - Let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving.

Here are some tips for baking sourdough bread on your barbecue:
- Use a cast iron Dutch oven to help to create a nice crust and prevent the bread from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- If you don't have a cast iron skillet or baking sheet, you can place the dough directly on the grill grates. Just be sure to preheat the grill grates for 5-10 minutes before placing the dough on them and lower the heat when baking.
- Preheat your barbecue will help to ensure that your bread bakes evenly.
- If you're using a gas barbeque, you can use a two-zone cooking setup. This means that you'll want to heat one side of the barbeque to high heat and the other side to low heat. Place the dough on the low heat side of the barbeque.
- Be careful when removing the Dutch oven from the barbecue. The handle will be hot!
- Score the top of the bread with a sharp knife before baking. This will help the bread to rise evenly and prevent it from cracking.
- Bake the bread for 30-40 minutes, or until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. But be sure to monitor the bread while it's baking. If the crust is browning too quickly, you can tent the bread with foil.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving.
Conclusion
Baking bread in a home BBQ is a fun and easy way to enjoy fresh bread during the summer months. With a little practice, you'll be able to bake delicious bread that your family and friends will love.
2 comments
Ian, the idea of making it without a lid will work. All you have to do is add some ice cubes around the bread, but the pan should be preheated. Also, you can prevent burning by barbecuing on a lower heat for longer or by placing a metal dinner plate upside down in the bottom of the Dutch oven before placing the bread in the oven.
Hi Abigail, we are traveling for 6 months and we have a small single zone bbq and my dutch oven stops the bbq lid from closing. There is a gap of about 4 inches at the front and I cant get the heat above 380-400 F. So I was thinking of just using the dutch oven lid with legs and cook it under the bbq lid, but I am concerned about getting enough steam for the spring. I have also had trouble burning the bottom, any suggestions?