Shepherd's Bread

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine hot water, butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and stir until butter melts and ingredients are well blended.
3. Let cool about 10–15 minutes.
4. Stir in yeast, cover bowl with a dish towel, and set aside in a warm place for about 15 minutes. The mixture should appear bubbly.
5. Blend in about 5 cups of flour to form a thick batter
6. Add about 3½ more cups flour and knead into a stiff dough.
7. Place dough onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 10–20 minutes. If sticky, add a little more flour.
8. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the entire surface of the dough.
9. Cover with a dish towel and let dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1½ hours.
10. Punch down the dough and knead a few minutes on a floured surface to release air bubbles. 
11. Shape dough into a ball.
12. Line the bottom of a heavy, tightly lidded 5-quart cooking pot or Dutch oven with foil.
13. Grease the foil and the underside of the lid with oil.
14. Place dough in pot, and place lid loosely on top.
15. Let rise in a warm place until the dough pushes the lid up slightly, about 1 hour.
16. Bake, covered with lid, in oven for about 12 minutes.
17. Remove lid and continue baking for 30–35 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped with a fork.
18. Remove bread from pot and let cool on a wire rack.
19. Peel away the foil and turn the loaf over.
20. Serve warm with butter.