When you think of a neighborhood grill-out, burgers and hot dogs usually take center stage. But at the peak of summer—when tomatoes are nice and ripe and your garden is bursting with fresh basil—it’s the perfect time to make room for a BLT. Ours starts with a hearty, easy-to-make artisan bread made from our premium Artisan Bread Flour, trusted by professional and home bakers alike for its beautiful rise and crisp crust. Toast it right on the grill beside those burgers, and you've got a simple summer pleasure that's easy to love and even easier to share.
When you think of a neighborhood grill-out, burgers and hot dogs usually take center stage. But at the peak of summer—when tomatoes are nice and ripe and your garden is bursting with fresh basil—it’s the perfect time to make room for a BLT. Ours starts with a hearty, easy-to-make artisan bread made from our premium Artisan Bread Flour, trusted by professional and home bakers alike for its beautiful rise and crisp crust. Toast it right on the grill beside those burgers, and you've got a simple summer pleasure that's easy to love and even easier to share.
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add flour and salt, and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for about 10 hours, until the dough has grown in size and is bubbly.
Alternative schedule: Let rise at room temperature for 3–5 hours, then refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days). Remove from the fridge 1 hour before shaping and preheating the oven.
Place a 4 or 6-quart Dutch oven without the lid in a cold oven and preheat to 450°F for 30–40 minutes.
To shape the dough, wet your hands and gently stretch and fold one side of the dough toward the center. Repeat the stretch and folds 7–8 times, going all the way around the sides of the dough to help shape and strengthen it.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball. Place it on an 8 x 8-inch piece of parchment paper and cover with a bowl or towel. Let rest while the Dutch oven finishes preheating (about 30 minutes).
Carefully transfer the dough (with the parchment) into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove lid and bake for an additional 10–12 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Lightly spread the outer sides of the bread with soft butter, mayonnaise or a drizzle of olive oil. Toast in a grill pan or directly on a grill until golden and crisp.
Spread mayonnaise on the inner sides of the toasted bread. Layer with crispy lettuce, thick-cut bacon, heirloom tomato slices and fresh basil.
Slice in half and enjoy immediately, while the bread is crisp and the tomatoes are juicy.
