How To Bake within the RackMaster Bread Oven

I’ve been utilizing UK-based RackMaster bespoke baking instruments for years. It began with their unbelievable bench scraper (the identical one I nonetheless use to today), then their loaf pans, and finally, this RackMaster RM2020 Brick Oven. After I heard they have been releasing this business electrical oven, I knew at some point I’d have it right here in my baking area, able to churn out loaf after loaf of sourdough bread.

It’s uncommon to obtain a chunk of kit that not solely meets your expectations, however surpasses them. The development of this bread oven is considerate and to very excessive requirements: Each hinge, clasp, seal, and button is strictly what it needs to be. 

What’s extra, the oven is extremely easy. When you might have gear that will get used closely every day, easy is strictly what you need—as a result of simplicity ensures reliability, sturdiness, and ease of use.

Be aware that Nice Hill Grain gave me a reduction on the RackMaster bread oven, however with no expectation for this information. I create these guides as a method to assist different bakers who may additionally have—or are contemplating buying—this gear and wish a quickstart information. As all the time, the opinions and knowledge at The Good Loaf are my very own.

Maybe an important consideration when investing in a brand new piece of kit is the way it’ll impression your day-to-day workflow. It’s paramount to keep away from introducing extra potential factors of failure or additional time for unexpected upkeep and operation. Something new ought to match into your present setup comparatively seamlessly. Merely put, the RackMaster bread oven is a workhorse that’s easy to function and requires little or no upkeep. 

That’s precisely what I search for in my bread-making gear. 

On this information, I’ll go into what makes the RackMaster Bread Oven an amazing funding for any bread baker and present you ways I take advantage of it right here in my baking.

(Press play above to see me utilizing the RackMaster oven.)

What’s a RackMaster Bread Oven?

The RackMaster RM2020 Brick Oven, additionally referred to as the RM2020, is a business electrical bread oven made within the UK by RackMaster. It’s a fully-welded three-deck (shelf) oven designed particularly for baking bread dough (and nice for a lot of different issues, too). It has easy dial controls for managing warmth, a big viewing window that allows you to see every deck, and a stable positive-latch closing mechanism that’s easy to make use of and very strong.

Actual Fast: Do I Advocate The RackMaster Bread Oven?

After utilizing the RackMaster bread oven for a lot of months and numerous bakes, I can extremely advocate it to any baker. The excessive stage of construct high quality, useless easy operation, reliability, and baking amount flexibility (one can bake as few as two loaves or as many as 18 without delay) make this oven good for house and business bakers alike.

Learn on for a way I personally use the oven right here at house.

RackMaster Options (and How It’s Helped Me In My Baking)

The RackMaster could be very thoughtfully designed. Each element is well-engineered and strong, from the hinges that seem like they belong on an plane to the positive-latch locking mechanism with an outsized deal with (it’s so good!). Every element was designed with longevity and ease of use in thoughts.

The bread oven is straightforward to function with no fiddly, costly electronics (that’ll definitely break or fail over time) to get in the way in which. Analog flip dials management how scorching the oven will get, a satisfying sliding shutter vents the oven of steam, and a giant window lets you verify in in your baking bread.

Let’s have a look at my favourite options of this oven and the way they’ve helped me bake sourdough bread in my kitchen.

The RackMaster 2020 bread oven:

• Is dependable. Easy controls with no electronics imply straightforward operation and fewer components that break over time
• Has stable building. Totally welded oven chamber traps steam successfully, that means much less time manually spraying steam into the oven
• Has ample baking area. Three 18 x 24-inch baking decks can maintain as much as six 600g freeform loaves per deck
• Can do small or massive bakes. Every deck can be utilized independently for small bakes (simply two loaves) or absolutely loaded (I’ve finished as much as 18 loaves!)
• Has lively help and a neighborhood. RackMaster has a really lively neighborhood of fellow oven homeowners, together with Campbell McFarlane, the oven producer himself, on Fb and WhatsApp, the place homeowners can ask questions if assist is required

What Type of Energy Does the RackMaster Require?

The RackMaster runs off typical 220V AC single-phase energy (NEMA 6-20P twine plug and 6-20R receptacle), just like bigger family home equipment within the USA and Europe, comparable to garments driers. (In case you have a Rofco bread oven, it makes use of the identical energy connections.)

RackMaster Buttons, Dials, Heating Components, and Lights

The RM2020 has 4 temperature dials, a inexperienced button to regulate the lights contained in the oven, and a sliding steam vent shutter.

Temperature Dials and Heating Components

The analog temperature dials are in Celcius and could be set to 0°C (off), all the way in which as much as 300°C (572°F). When the sunshine above the dial is illuminated, the heating aspect is lively—that is vital as a result of it has implications for a way I take advantage of the oven. Extra on this later.

Every dial corresponds to at least one heating aspect (metallic coil) contained in the oven, from prime to backside. In different phrases, the highest temperature dial controls the highest heating aspect, the second from the highest controls the heating aspect beneath the primary deck, the third controls the heating aspect beneath the second deck, and the fourth controls the underside heating aspect beneath the third deck.

Inexperienced Mild Button

In earlier variations of the oven, the inexperienced button turned on the primary energy to the oven, however this has since been modified to easily turning the lights on and off contained in the oven.

Steam Vent Shutter

The metallic steam vent shutter is a sliding gap cowl. After baking bread for a while (normally 20 minutes), it’s vital to vent the oven of steam so the crust can harden and shade (just like how I vent steam when baking bread in my house oven).

Baking Boards, Sheets, and Trays Included with the RackMaster

The RackMaster comes with a number of objects packaged inside to assist with baking.

Three reusable nonstick baking sheets

Just like silicone sheets, these are skinny, reusable sheets that assist maintain the oven stones clear.  I all the time—all the time!—bake my bread dough on these sheets within the oven. Utilizing these sheets helps maintain the stones clear in case your dough has gooey inclusion, like with my Jalapeño-Cheddar sourdough bread.

These reusable nonstick baking sheets could be washed gently within the sink with soapy water.

Three skinny wood peels (boards)

These wood boards are helpful for sliding dough on prime of the reusable nonstick baking sheets into the oven.

Three uncoated aluminum baking trays

Three uncoated aluminum peeled lip trays are included with the RM2020. These trays are helpful when baking buns, rolls, or pan loaves. When baking buns or rolls, use the included silicone baking sheets on the aluminum trays to create a nonstick floor that is straightforward to scrub up when you’re finished baking. When baking any sort of enriched dough on the trays, I wish to set the trays on wire racks within the oven to forestall the underside of the bread from getting too darkish. To save lots of time when baking pan loaves, load your loaf pans onto the aluminum trays so you possibly can slide a number of out and in of the oven without delay.

Can I Bake With Different Baking Sheets or Loaf Pans?

Sure, you should use conventional baking sheets or any loaf pan (on prime of the supplied metallic trays) within the RackMaster oven.

How Do I Preheat The Complete RackMaster Bread Oven?

The steps to preheating your entire RackMaster oven (all three decks) are easy:

1. Slide the steam vent to the left so it’s closed
2. Flip all temperature dials to 250°C (see beneath in case you solely use among the decks)
3. Permit the empty oven to warmth for two hours
4. Push the inexperienced button to show the lights on inside (elective)

You’ll know the oven is correctly preheated when the heating components flip off (the sunshine above the dial turns off, indicating this). To confirm, use an IR thermometer to verify the temperature of the highest of the stone.

Understand that the heating components on the underside of a deck (those proper beneath a stone) are used to warmth not solely the stone itself (and due to this fact no matter is baking on prime of it) but additionally to supply prime warmth to what’s baking on the deck beneath.

Do I Should Use All Three Decks When Baking?

No, you don’t all the time have to make use of all three decks. It’s potential to make use of every independently, and you may bake on one, two, or all three decks. As an example, if baking solely two loaves of bread, I’ll preheat solely the highest deck (turning on dials 1 and a pair of as described above). Nonetheless, if I’ve a bigger bake, I can preheat the highest two decks, and to completely max out the oven, preheat all three.

See the preheating desk above for directions on heating one, two, or all three decks.

How To Finest Orient Bread Dough For Baking

Every RackMaster deck measures 18 x 24 inches, which implies they’re rectangular. This enables for a lot of completely different orientations for putting dough, and finally, is dependent upon the dough weight and form of every piece.

When baking solely two loaves of bread, I take advantage of the highest deck solely and place the dough aspect by aspect (an  “11” form). If baking 4 loaves, which is my typical bigger amount, I’ll use deck one and deck two, with the dough, once more, positioned aspect by aspect on every deck.

If baking smaller boules, you possibly can match many extra on every deck, and I’ve finished as much as six smaller items of dough.

Finally, you need to maximize deck actual property to bake as many loaves as potential with out them touching throughout baking (which is able to trigger the dough to have pale, comfortable spots on the level of contact).

In case you have the custom-made RackMaster focaccia/pizza trays, English muffin/buns rings, or different equipment, they’re reduce to suit completely on every deck.

When (and How) to Steam the RackMaster Bread Oven

When baking a completely loaded oven, with dough (particularly high-hydration dough) on each deck, it will not be essential to introduce extra steam with a sprayer. Baking dough releases moisture through the baking course of, and with sufficient moisture contained in the absolutely welded and tightly sealed oven, the oven will primarily steam itself.

Nonetheless, when baking lower than six loaves of dough, I add steam into the oven to make sure the bread has a skinny crust that’s crisp and glossy.

Steaming is easy: After loading your dough (sliding it on prime of the nonstick sheets into the oven), use a pressurized water sprayer to spray water mist onto the dough and the far proper wall of the oven. I spray water on every deck for 8 seconds, then rapidly shut the oven.

When steaming the oven, don’t spray water on the sunshine housing on the left aspect, which can crack.

It’s regular to see a little bit steam escaping from the oven throughout baking, and also you would possibly even see some very minimal condensation or dripping across the edges of the oven. I merely wipe this occasionally.

How one can Vent Steam When Baking Bread

The RackMaster bread oven could be vented by merely sliding—with gloves, it’s scorching!—the vent knob on the prime center of the oven. Doing so will permit the steam contained in the oven to flee. That is important as soon as the baking dough has had sufficient time to broaden absolutely, and must harden off and type a crunchy crust. Usually, that is after about 20 minutes of baking.

Be aware {that a} absolutely loaded oven may have considerably extra steam trapped contained in the chamber than an oven with only some items of dough inside. It is because with extra dough comes extra water trapped inside. As baking progresses, the moisture migrates outdoors of the dough and helps steam the oven itself. Due to this fact, the extra dough baked contained in the oven, the extra vital it’s to vent the steam when vital (once more, for me, that is normally 20 minutes into baking).

How one can Bake Sourdough Bread within the RackMaster Oven: Begin To End

As is the case in any oven, completely different baked items require completely different baking temperatures and occasions. Within the sections beneath, I’ll talk about baking the three frequent varieties of bread: Giant fireside loaves, enriched buns, and pan loaves.

Under is a fast reference desk for a way I bake these various kinds of bread within the RackMaster oven. Be aware that these temperatures and baking durations might differ barely based mostly on the burden of the bread being baked, the pan used, and your baking altitude.

Subsequent, let’s go into element on bake every kind.

How one can Bake Giant Fireplace Loaves

There are various methods to bake fireside loaves within the RackMaster oven, and this method is just like how I used my Rofco bread oven. Giant fireside loaves require a comparatively excessive temperature for a prolonged interval to make sure the loaf caramelizes on the outside and absolutely bakes by to the center.

These are the steps I comply with when baking sourdough fireside loaves within the RackMaster 2020 Bread Oven:

1. Preheat oven (door closed, vent shutter closed) to 250°C for two hours
2. As soon as the stones are at 240 to 250°C, slide the dough into the oven on reusable baking sheets, and steam the oven
3. Shut the door, flip the temperature dials to 150°C, and bake for 20 minutes
4. Vent steam (open vent shutter or open and shut door rapidly), flip dials as much as 200°C and bake for 10 minutes
5. Flip oven to 150°C and bake for 20 to half-hour till well-colored and a delicate squeeze (sporting oven gloves) reveals a crunchy crust

When the loaves are absolutely baked, take away them and the reusable baking sheets with a peel and let the bread cool on wire racks. If baking extra bread, flip the dials again as much as 250°C, shut the steam vent, and let the oven return to temperature when you put together extra dough for baking.

This methodology works as a result of I see the dials as on/off switches for the heating components. I toggle them on and off relying on whether or not I actively need warmth utilized to the dough.

To forestall hardening the dough’s prime and hindering its rise, I preheat the oven, then decrease the temperature to 150°C (turning off the heating components) after including the dough. After 20 minutes, after I vent the steam and permit the dough to broaden, I enhance the warmth to 200°C to set the crust and add shade.

How one can Bake Enriched Buns or Rolls

Enriched (dough with fat, sugars, and eggs) buns and rolls require quicker, hotter bakes to make sure they don’t dry out however nonetheless obtain a well-colored—and skinny—crust.

Within the RackMaster, I bake buns on the supplied metallic trays or sheet pans. To make sure the underside of the buns don’t burn, I’ll place a metallic cooling rack on the oven deck and bake with the pan on prime.

Listed below are the steps to bake enriched buns or rolls within the RackMaster:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C for two hours
2. As soon as the stones are at temperature, slide in a metallic cooling rack on prime after which the dough on prime of the rack
3. If utilizing an egg wash on the buns or rolls, steaming is pointless; if not, steam the oven
4. Shut the door and bake for 25 to 35 minutes till the rolls are well-colored and the inner temperature is round 93 to 95°C (200 to 204°F)

How one can Bake Pan Loaves

Pan loaves have to be baked at a decrease temperature for longer to make sure they absolutely bake by with out burning on the highest.

Listed below are the steps to bake pan loaves within the RackMaster:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C for two hours
2. As soon as the stones are at temperature, slide within the pan loaves on prime of the supplied metallic trays or on baking sheets
3. If utilizing an egg wash on the pan loaves, steaming is pointless; if not, steam the oven
4. Shut the door and bake for 35 to 45 minutes till the inner temperature is round 95°C (204°F)

The Backside of My Bread is Burning within the RackMaster Bread Oven

When you discover the underside of your loaves are too darkish, preheat the deck to a decrease temperature, comparable to 230°C. 

You would possibly see this occur to dough baking on Deck 3 (the underside deck) as a result of the oven chamber and the stone enclose the heating aspect. On this case, when preheating, flip the underside dial to 230°C as a substitute of 250°C.

Different Helpful Instruments For The RackMaster Bread Oven

RackMaster Metal Cart

When buying the RackMaster bread oven, I extremely advocate buying the custom-made metal cart that matches the bottom completely. It has casters, which makes transferring the oven round very straightforward. It additionally has a built-in velocity rack for holding the oven loading boards and different baking gear (like Rackmaster baking trays for sourdough focaccia or rectangular pizza).

To get the cart when shopping for the RackMaster from Nice Hill Grain, choose the Oven + Cart possibility.

Excessive-Strain Water Sprayer

I’ve used this German-made water sprayer for years to steam my bread oven when baking bread, and it nonetheless appears model new.

Implausible Oven Gloves

These LANON liquid silicone gloves have been advisable within the TPL Membership chat, and as soon as I received them, I spotted why all of the bakers have them. They supply superb warmth insulation whereas nonetheless permitting for optimum dexterity.

Campbell’s (RackMaster) Nonstick Trays and Rings Equipment

These trays are custom-made for the RackMaster and are good for baking something that wants structural help, like focaccia or pizza. The rings are sensible for English muffins (recipe for these in my cookbook!), buns, and rolls. 

Get Campbell’s Trays and Rings Equipment at Nice Hill Grain.

Baking Bread within the RackMaster Bread Oven Suggestions and Tips

After Baking, Dry Your Proofing Baskets

After you unload your dough and place it within the oven to bake, put your used proofing baskets on prime of the oven. The residual warmth from the oven will dry the hampers, making certain they don’t mould.

The highest of the oven doesn’t get excessively scorching, so there’s no fear about scorching the hampers, however in case you’re involved, place a metallic cooling rack on prime of the oven to carry your drying baskets or bannetons.

What’s The Distinction Between the RackMaster and Rofco Bread Oven?

The Rofco B40 is a Belgian-made electrical oven that’s been out for a few years with little (to no) modifications. It’s a implausible oven with a small footprint and might dutifully bake bread with little concern. I’ve had one for years, and performs extremely effectively.

The RackMaster 2020 Bread Oven is a bigger UK-made electrical oven that’s comparatively new, has bigger baking surfaces, strong working elements, and supportive WhatsApp teams with the producer and clients from around the globe.

The desk beneath outlines the important thing variations and similarities between these ovens.

Be aware: There are smaller Rofco ovens, and the B40 is the biggest of their choices.

Oven lighting

One vital distinction between the RackMaster and the Rofco is that the RackMaster has a light-weight for each deck within the oven versus the one gentle on the prime with the Rofco. Whereas it could not appear vital, having a devoted gentle per deck that is protected and sturdy is a giant step up from the Rofco’s single, uncovered gentle on the prime of the oven.

Ought to I Purchase the RackMaster or Rofco B40 Bread Oven?

Each the Rofco and RackMaster are implausible bread ovens. They’re constructed with the baker in thoughts and can enable you to bake bread at house, in a small business kitchen, and even bigger scale with a number of ovens. 

After all, it’s potential to make implausible bread in a house oven—I’ve made fantastic bread for a few years this fashion!—however the RackMaster and Rofco make it simpler to steam, and supply constant, intense warmth for optimum rise. 

Moreover, these ovens are capable of bake extra effectively as a result of they’re particularly geared towards bread-making. Moreover, as a result of warmth retention of their stones, you possibly can bake bigger portions of bread with little reheating time between batches.

In the long run, shopping for a RackMaster over the Rofco is dependent upon whether or not you might have the necessity, the area, and the finances. In case you have each area and finances, I’d advocate the RackMaster over the Rofco. In case your area is small and/or your finances tight, the Rofco will nonetheless serve you effectively.

RackMaster Bread Oven FAQs

What’s Subsequent?

Merely put, the RackMaster has been a recreation changer for me in my kitchen. The impeccable construct high quality, considerate design, and useless easy use make it a no brainer to advocate to any critical bread baker—when you have the area and the finances.

I’m wanting ahead to years of continued use with this oven and I do know it’ll be greater than as much as the duty.

When you’re on the lookout for a smaller business oven, make sure you learn by my information to baking within the Rofco B40, and with both of those, my Newbie’s Sourdough Bread Recipe would be the good first loaf!

Thank You

Because of Campbell McFarlane and RackMaster for making this unbelievable oven and offering help. Moreover, because of the North American RackMaster WhatsApp group and Facebook group for a lot of conversations about instruments, and bake occasions, and for serving to me put collectively this information.