The Magic of Beer Bread
This bread uses a cup of mild lager. That might sound funny. But it is the secret. The beer makes the bread light and airy inside. It gives it a cozy, nutty taste too. I love that little trick.
You don’t taste the beer in the final loaf. It bakes right out. What’s left is a wonderful flavor. Doesn’t that smell amazing when it bakes? This matters because good bread should have a soul. Simple ingredients can create magic.
A Story of Three Meats
My grandson calls this “pizza bread.” He’s not wrong! We use prosciutto, pepperoni, and capicola. That’s just fancy talk for three tasty cured meats. I cut them into little pieces. They look like confetti.
I remember the first time I made it. My husband kept sneaking pieces of pepperoni from the bowl. I still laugh at that. Now, I always buy a little extra. Do you have a favorite cured meat you’d try in this?
Why Patience is an Ingredient
This dough needs two rises. You must let it rest. It feels like a long time. But it is so important. The yeast is alive. It needs time to grow and make the bread fluffy.
I use this time to clean up. Or I just sit with a cup of tea. This matters because cooking teaches us to slow down. Good things come to those who wait. What do you like to do while you wait for dough to rise?
The Fun of Shaping Loaves
Shaping the loaves is my favorite part. You press the dough into a rectangle. Then you fold it like a letter. Finally, you roll it into a fat, happy loaf. It feels like playing with clay.
*Fun fact: The slash on top isn’t just pretty. It lets the bread expand in the oven. It’s called “scoring.” If you don’t slash it, your bread might tear open somewhere else!
Make It Ahead for Flavor
The recipe has a “make ahead” tip. You can let the dough rest in the fridge overnight. This is a wonderful trick. That long, cold rest makes the flavor even deeper and richer.
It means you can mix the dough one evening. Then bake fresh bread the next day for lunch. Your house will smell incredible. Do you prefer baking all at once, or splitting it over two days?
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 3 cups (16 ½ ounces/468 grams) | |
| Instant or rapid-rise yeast | 1 ½ teaspoons | |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon | |
| Mild lager | 1 cup | room temperature |
| Water | 6 tablespoons | room temperature |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 3 tablespoons | |
| Prosciutto (¼-inch-thick) | 3 ounces (85 grams) | cut into ½-inch pieces |
| Pepperoni (¼-inch-thick) | 3 ounces (85 grams) | cut into ½-inch pieces |
| Capicola (¼-inch-thick) | 3 ounces (85 grams) | cut into ½-inch pieces |
| Pepper | 1 ½ teaspoons | coarsely ground |
| Cornmeal | for dusting |
A Loaf Full of Stories
Hello, my dear. Come sit. Let’s bake some bread. This is no ordinary loaf. It is a story. It holds salty prosciutto, spicy pepperoni, and rich capicola. I first made this for my grandsons. They called it “pizza bread.” I still laugh at that. The secret is a cup of mild lager. It gives the bread a wonderful, soft heart. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Baking fills the house with warmth. Let’s begin our story, step by step.
Step 1: Grab your big mixing bowl. Whisk the flour, yeast, and salt together. In another jug, mix the beer, water, and olive oil. It will look a little foamy. That’s the beer saying hello. (A hard-learned tip: Use room-temperature liquids. Cold ones make the yeast sleepy and slow.)
Step 2: Fit your mixer with the dough hook. Pour the beer mix into the flour on low speed. Let it become a shaggy dough. Then turn the speed to medium. Let the machine knead for eight minutes. The dough will become smooth and pull away from the bowl. It’s like watching a baby blanket being knitted.
Step 3: Now for the fun part. Turn the mixer to low. Add all the chopped meats and the pepper. Let it mix for two minutes. Some meat will hide outside the dough. That’s okay. Dump it all onto a floured counter. Use your hands to knead the meats in. Feel the dough come alive with bits of flavor.
Step 4: Form the dough into a smooth ball. Place it in a greased bowl, seam-side down. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let it rest in a warm spot. It needs to double in size. This takes about an hour and a half. What do you think the yeast is eating to grow so big? Share below!
Step 5: Line a baking sheet with parchment. Dust it with cornmeal. Gently press the risen dough to deflate it. Divide it into two even pieces. Press each into a small rectangle. Fold the top down, then the bottom up, and pinch it sealed. Roll it into a 12-inch loaf with tapered ends. Place both loaves on the sheet, a few inches apart.
Step 6: Cover the loaves with greased plastic. Let them rise again until puffy. This takes about 45 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees. Just before baking, make one swift slash down each loaf with a sharp knife. This lets the bread expand beautifully in the oven. It’s giving it a little smile.
Step 7: Bake the loaves for 22 to 25 minutes. They should sound hollow when tapped. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. I know, waiting is the hardest part. But slicing warm bread makes it gummy. Trust me. The wait is worth it.
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 4–5 hours (plus cooling)
Yield: 2 loaves
Category: Bread, Appetizer
Your Creative Twist
This bread is a wonderful canvas. You can paint it with your own favorite flavors. Here are three ideas that make my mouth water. Which one would you try first? Comment below!
The Picnic Loaf: Swap the meats for a cup of shredded cheddar and fresh chives. It’s perfect with tomato soup.
The Spicy ‘Nduja Dream: Replace the meats with a few spoonfuls of soft ‘nduja sausage. It will be fiery and fantastic.
The Autumn Harvest: Use crispy, chopped bacon and a handful of golden raisins. Sweet and salty is a classic pair.
Serving It With Style
Imagine a thick slice, maybe toasted. What goes with it? For a simple lunch, I love it with a bowl of creamy tomato basil soup. For a party, slice it thin and serve with olives and marinated mozzarella balls. A drizzle of good olive oil on top never hurts. For a drink, a crisp Italian red wine is lovely for the grown-ups. For everyone, a fizzy lemonade with a sprig of rosemary is just right. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Savory Loaf Fresh
Let’s talk about keeping your bread. Cool it completely first. A warm loaf will get soggy in a bag. I wrap mine tightly in foil. Then I tuck it into a plastic bag.
It freezes beautifully for a month. Slice it before you freeze it. That way, you can toast a slice anytime. I once forgot a loaf on the counter for days. It became the best croutons I ever had!
To reheat, use your oven. Warm slices at 350 degrees for ten minutes. This brings back the crispy crust. Batch cooking matters for busy families. Having a loaf ready is a gift to your future self.
Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Bread Troubles
Is your dough not rising? Check your yeast date. Your kitchen might be too cold. Place the bowl in a warm spot. I remember when my dough just sat there. My kitchen was drafty that day!
Is the crust too pale or soft? Your oven might need more heat. An oven thermometer helps a lot. Is the meat not mixing in? Knead it by hand at the end. This ensures every bite has flavor.
Fixing small issues builds your cooking confidence. A good rise and bake create amazing texture. Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Quick Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
A: Try a 1-to-1 gluten-free bread flour blend. Results will be a bit denser.
Q: Can I really make it ahead?
A: Yes! The fridge slow-rise in step 8 adds wonderful flavor.
Q: I don’t have capicola. What can I use?
A: More pepperoni or prosciutto works fine. Use what you love.
Q: Can I make one big loaf?
A: You can, but bake it a little longer. Watch the internal temperature.
Q: Any optional tips?
A: Brush the hot loaf with a little butter. It gives a lovely sheen. *Fun fact: The beer in the dough helps create a tender crumb and golden crust.*
Which tip will you try first?
From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope you enjoy making this special bread. The smell in your kitchen will be wonderful. It reminds me of big family Sunday dinners. I love knowing you are baking too.
Please tell me all about your adventure. Your stories are my favorite thing to read. Have you tried this recipe? Share your experience in the comments!
Happy cooking!
—Grace Ellington.
Savory Prosciutto Infused Loaf
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk beer, room-temperature water, and oil together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
- Fit mixer with dough hook. Mix flour mixture on low speed while slowly adding beer mixture until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low and add prosciutto, pepperoni, capicola, and pepper. Continue to knead until combined, about 2 minutes longer (some meats may not be fully incorporated into dough at this point; this is OK). Transfer dough and any errant pieces of meats to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to evenly incorporate meats into dough, about 1 minute.
- Form dough into smooth, round ball and place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with cornmeal. Turn out dough onto counter and gently press down to deflate any large air pockets. Cut dough into 2 even pieces. Press each piece of dough into 8 by 5-inch rectangle with long side parallel to counter’s edge.
- Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, fold top edge of rectangle down to midline, pressing to seal. Fold bottom edge of rectangle up to midline and pinch to seal. Flip dough seam side down and gently roll into 12-inch loaf with tapered ends. Transfer loaf to 1 side of prepared sheet. Repeat shaping with second piece of dough and place loaf about 3 inches from first loaf on sheet. Cover with greased plastic and let rise at room temperature until puffy and dough springs back slowly when pressed lightly with your finger, about 45 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using sharp paring knife in swift, fluid motion, make ½-inch-deep lengthwise slash along top of each loaf, starting and stopping about 1½ inches from ends. Bake until loaves register 205 to 210 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire rack and let cool completely, about 3 hours. Serve.
- Make Ahead: Make dough through step 3, form into ball, and place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 16 hours or up to 24 hours. Let dough come to room temperature, about 3 hours, before proceeding with step 5.
Notes
- For best flavor and texture, allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. The bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for longer storage.