No Dutch Oven? 5 Alternatives That Still Produce Great Sourdough

When I wrote my Dutch oven buying guide, the most common response was not "which one should I buy?" It was "do I really need one?" The honest answer is no. A Dutch oven is the easiest and most reliable way to create the steam environment that produces great sourdough crust, but it is not the only way. Here are five alternatives that work, ranked from best to most creative.

Why Steam Matters

Before we get into alternatives, it helps to understand why steam is important in the first place. During the first 15-20 minutes of baking, steam keeps the surface of the dough moist and pliable. This allows the bread to expand freely (oven spring) before the crust sets. Without steam, the crust forms too early, restricts expansion, and you end up with a dense loaf with a pale, thick crust. My crusty crust guide covers the science in detail.

A Dutch oven traps steam released by the dough itself, creating a self-contained steam environment. Any alternative needs to achieve the same thing: keep moisture around the bread during those critical first minutes of baking.

Alternative 1: Inverted Stock Pot or Roasting Pan

This is the closest substitute to a Dutch oven and produces nearly identical results. Place your dough on a preheated baking sheet or pizza stone, then cover it with a large inverted stock pot, stainless steel mixing bowl, or roasting pan. The cover traps steam exactly like a Dutch oven lid.

The pot or bowl needs to be oven-safe to at least 475°F (245°C) and large enough to fit over the dough with clearance. An 8-quart stock pot works perfectly for a standard boule. Remove the cover after 20 minutes and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes to develop color.

Alternative 2: Combo Cooker (Shallow Skillet + Lid)

A Lodge combo cooker (cast iron skillet with a deep lid) is actually my preferred vessel, even over a traditional Dutch oven. You bake the bread in the shallow skillet with the deep lid inverted on top. This is much safer than lowering dough into a screaming-hot deep pot, which is how most Dutch oven burns happen. The shallow base makes loading and scoring easy, and the deep lid provides ample steam space.

Alternative 3: Baking Stone + Steam Tray

Place a baking stone or steel on the middle rack and an empty metal tray (a cast iron skillet or old sheet pan) on the rack below. Preheat both. When you load the bread onto the stone, pour one cup of boiling water into the tray below and quickly close the oven door. The water flashes into steam and fills the oven.

This method works well but is less consistent than an enclosed vessel because steam escapes through the oven vent. Some bakers add lava rocks or chain links to the tray to increase surface area and produce more steam. Remove the steam tray after 15-20 minutes.

Alternative 4: Clay Pot (Cloche)

An unglazed clay pot or baker's cloche works beautifully for sourdough. Soak the clay dome in water for 15 minutes before baking. The absorbed water releases steam gradually during baking, creating a consistently moist environment. Clay also retains heat well and bakes the crust more evenly than metal.

The main drawback is fragility. Clay cracks if heated too quickly or dropped, and most clay bakers recommend starting in a cold oven rather than preheating, which changes your timing. But if you have one, the results are excellent, and many bakers swear the crust quality surpasses even a cast iron Dutch oven.

Alternative 5: Two Sheet Pans (Makeshift Cloche)

This is the true no-equipment-needed method. Place your dough on an inverted parchment-lined sheet pan (bottom side up for a flat surface). Cover it with a second sheet pan, inverted to create a dome. Clip the edges together with binder clips or oven-safe metal clips.

This method is the least effective of the five because the seal is not tight and the pans are thin, so heat distribution is uneven. But it does trap some steam and is vastly better than baking completely uncovered. If you are just getting started and want to test sourdough before investing in equipment, this gets the job done.