Cloche Loaf Dutch Oven, Pre-Seasoned, 9.5QT, 13 LBS Heavy Duty, Non-Stick, Large Bread Loaf Pan, Oval Cast Iron Bread Pan With Lid, Cloche Homemade Loaf Pan, Sourdough Artisan Bread Baking Pan

I like baking sourdough, but I could never overcome the price charged for a product like the Challenger bread pans, or worse some of the French products.This probably isn't as thick as the Challenger but it's thick enough to keep the bread from burning on the bottom and large enough to be worth the upgrade from my Dutch oven, just so I can make larger loaves if I wish.If you can find it in stock it's worth the purchase IMO if you make crusty bread frequently.

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This cast iron bread pan is comparable to a Challenger Bread Pan at a third the price.The finish is nice, and it came with an initial seasoning. It is heavy duty and should last a lifetime with proper care.All the product pictures and the company video seem to be using this bread pan upside down.I was excited to get this pan because both halves are flat bottomed. This means you can use the shallow piece as a platter for laying on loaves, roasting a chicken, or for pizza. The deeper half is great for stews or anything you would traditionally use a dutch oven for.I suggest you take my advice and cook bread on the shallow side. The handles on the deeper side are already slanted in a manner that makes removing this half easy while leaving it in the oven and while wearing gloves.Placing the loaf on the shallow half allows the deeper half to work as a dome. This allows the air to circulate inside the dome.It also leaves the loaf open on all sides for the final few minutes of cook time when you remove the dome.Placing loaves on the shallow side also makes it far easier to get the loaf onto the pan. And the edge keeps the deeper half from slipping off the edge when you place it over the loaf.If you find your loaf is getting too brown on the bottom, then a trick is to turn the top half (deeper half) upside down and place the shallow half with the loaf still on it on top. This gives an insulated air pocket on the bottom of your loaf pan that stops the bottom from getting so hot. This wouldn't work near as well if you were cooking the loaf in the deeper half.Give it a try. Put your loaf on the shallower half and place the deeper half as a dome over your loaf. You won't regret it!I will get many years of fantastic bread making from this heavy-duty, versatile pan.The 5-year warranty is a plus.

Review of Cast Iron Bread Pan With Lid ,Replace challenger Bread Pan, Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Bread Oven, Bread Cast Iron Dutch Oven, Cast Iron Loaf Pan,Sourdough Bread Baking Pan Five Year Free ReplacementQuality: Good. There are no flaws. It's nicely cast and machined. There are no rough edges or defects. The surface is a little rough but no worse than you'd see in other brands.Impressions: This thing is a beast. It's thicker and heavier that one would think, even for cast iron. It would hold a *very* large chicken or a small turkey if you truss it right. A large loaf of bread would be a breeze. The domed lid gives you extra space.The seasoning is adequate for an off-the-shelf roaster. Of course you'll want to season it again (and again and again...) until you get it to your preferred stage but it's fine to use as received. By that I mean wash and dry thoroughly, give it a quick swipe with a high temperature oil and a couple of hours in a slow oven before first use.One particularly nice feature is the casting of the handles. The roaster and lid handles are angled away from one another so when you take it out of the oven there's enough space to get a gloved hand in between to lift the lid safely. That is one of those pure genius ideas that seems like a small thing at first but in practice makes a huge difference.It's marketed for bread baking and I'm sure it's fantastic for that. It's not my thing so I'll be using mine as a roaster most of the time. The lid is deep enough to be used alone for roasting veg.Cast iron is a near-perfect material for cookware. When properly seasoned and cared for, you can do about anything in it. It's heavy and brittle so you need to exercise some care but it's suitable for gas or electric burners and ovens or induction. Gradual heating on a burner prevents warping or damage. This roaster is thick so starting slow is a good idea. The nice part about the thickness is it evens out the heat so you don't get hot spots.Keep it seasoned and give it care and this roaster will be something your grandchildren will love.

Very well made, heavy duty cast iron. Love it - I have a lot of cast iron pots and pans but never had a bread pan before. Works well - recommended.

shipping was ok. The bread pan arrived with no issues. Good cast iron can be a challenge to find, this item is excellent for making larger loaves of bread which is excellent if you prefer to cook your own bread, have roommates, or several people in your residence. This is also good to help prepare for large events or gatherings to make larger loaves of bread. While the oven does come pre-seasoned you are also able to view how to season cast iron on youtube as needed. Overall good item that is excellent for baking larger loaves of bread.

I'm just getting into sourdough and this was absolutely perfect! It worked great, heated up evently, and my first loaf came out beautiful!

I was making my bread in an enamel cast iron dutch oven and completely ruined it. This bread pan is so much better! It has been completely non-stick with just a little cornmeal on the bottom of the pan. It heats up evenly and is so much easier to work with than a dutch oven. My bread comes out evenly baked every time.