Warning: I was about to give up on my sourdough crust

The bottom kept burning before the inside was done. I put a baking sheet on the rack below my dutch oven, and the next loaf was perfect. Anyone else fight this battle with their home oven?

3 comments

3 Comments

henderson.wesley10d ago

That baking sheet trick is a total lifesaver for sure. Honestly though, the rack below the Dutch oven might be a bit too close. I've found putting an empty sheet on the very bottom rack of the oven, all the way down, works even better. It acts like a heat shield for the direct radiant heat coming up from the bottom element. Your loaf gets more even heat that way without just moving the hot spot a little higher.

adam73110d ago

My old oven used to burn everything until I tried that exact trick.

henderson.vera1d ago

Wesley's tip about the sheet pan on the bottom rack is solid for older ovens. My experience is different with modern gas ranges though. The bottom element isn't always the main issue, it's more about blocking direct heat from the broiler in some models. Placing a sheet just under the Dutch oven actually works better in my kitchen because it stops the top from scorching first. You gotta know your own oven's hot spots.