Scoring sounds simple but it isn’t always. I’ve found that wetting the razor blade helps it glide through the dough. For a detailed article on sourdough check out my guide. It goes into detail and is always being updated.

I baked it before I saw your reply. I did heat the cast iron skillet in a hot oven but not the lid (a big metal pan). I need to invest in something better for scoring the dough. My score didn’t really come through. The bread was OK but the Dutch oven loaf came out much puffier and fuller. I’ll try sealing it next time, or I’ll invest in another Dutch oven and a scoring device!

Hi, Kerry! Congratulations on your sourdough journey! Actually, I wouldn’t change the temperature but check them sooner after you’ve removed the lid (10 to 15 min) and check the temperature with an instant read thermometer – the bread is finished when it hits an internal temperature of 205°F to 210°F. Using a cast iron skillet will work. A few tips to make it work well:
1. Make it as tight as possible. The more steam that stays in, the better. If your covering pan is wobbly or has gaps, you can tent some foil around the edges to help seal it.
2. Preheat the skillet too, just like you would a Dutch oven, so the bottom of the bread gets a nice crust right away.The whole point of using a dutch oven is to catch steam so you’ll want to make sure that your cast iron skillets seam together tightly. if steam escapes a lot, your crust might not be as crackly and the loaf might spread out a bit more than it would in a Dutch oven. But the bread will still taste amazing!
Lastly, you can always bake them separately using the same dutch oven.

Hope this helps! Stop back and let me know how it goes.

Thank you

Hi, Lou! Preheat the oven to 240/250C and reduce to 425 °F 220C when you put the bread into the oven. It will explain it in the recipe card but please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you Elizabeth! I love that you stopped to say hello!

I love your recipes,I live in Australia

I love hearing that, Sam! Question. did you let it rest overnight at room temp or in the refrigerator? I’ve got readers that are doing both so want to share their experiences. Thanks!