Question about my sourdough crust going from tough to perfect

My starter is about 4 months old now. First loaves had a crust like shoe leather, honestly. Started using a Dutch oven and spraying water inside before baking. Crust went from rock hard to crisp and crackly in maybe 6 weeks. Debate is, was it the tool or the technique that fixed it? Some friends say the pot is the only way. Others say it's all in the steam timing. What's your biggest crust fix?

3 comments

3 Comments

vera_lewis28d ago

Oh man, it's the steam. That spray bottle trick is a total game changer (the pot just traps it).

ellis.faith8d ago

Could the real fix be your starter finally maturing enough?

spencer_coleman8d ago

Doubt it. My starter's been stable for months and the bread still comes out dense sometimes. The real issue was my oven's temperature being way off, not the culture. Fixed that with a cheap thermometer and the loaves improved immediately.