I need some help/tips/advice.
I haven't had an oven for a couple of years and just got my hands on a small gas oven. It heats from the bottom only. No temp gauge, but I got a seperate oven thermometer, so that's not a problem.
I made my sourdough, proofed etc etc.
Pre-heated 2 cast iron pots with lid and put the bread inside. Baked for about 30 minutes in the middle of the oven (can't go higher due to the height of the pots), then baked uncovered for 10.
No browning on the top at all!
I took the breads out of the oven and out of the pots. Then tried browning them like that. It sort of works, but there got to be an easier way.
The breads are tasty though.
Should I remove the lids sooner? Or basically how long should the bread be at high humidity?
Should I turn the pot around? Dough on the lid, pot upside down on top? Maybe then after removing the pot, I can get the bread higher in the oven?
Or forget about the cast iron pots and just bake top level in the oven (on oizza stone or cast iron)
Or other clever ideas/hints/tips/advice/experiences?
any photos? im the opposite of u, mine browns too much cause its too near the heating element
Trying to get the hang of posting pictures.
Bear with me, if it goes wrong...
That's the oven, now for the bread.
I tried 2 pics in one post, but failed
what do they look like? Q...which of these two ovens are you using for the bread?
My first suggestion would be to use a diffuser under the lower pot, between the heat source and the bake to difuse heat away from the bottom of the loaf a wee bit so you can bake longer getting more heat to the top of the oven. You might be able to then turn up the flame a wee bit.
There are difusers on the market but you can also make one or use a reflecting screen or small sheet, pizza or cake pan. You can also scrunch up some alufoil and then un-scrunch and press flat with your pan on a flat surface down to about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness to make a flat mat the size of the bottom of the baking pan.
Another thought would be to leave the lid on, only removing it for ten seconds to let the steam out. You could then flip the whole pot with lid upside down. That would be, with no diffuser. Just let the steam out so the crust can brown and flip the whole thing upside down putting it back into the oven.
Compared to the new modern oven I have now I regret not having it to bake bread in. I did a blog here about it last summer.
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/68698/tales-other-dark-side
Maybe you can find something more helpful in all the gibberish but a stone and a granite ware roasting lid worked for me.
Remp, btw, like the Ooni. I used to have a Koda 16. I think in the baguette community bake they found that steam for the first 1/3 of the bake was helpful, so I would try changing your timing to 1/3 with the lid on and 2/3 with the lid off. If the loaf is still not brown enough, try increasing the oven temp the next time around. If you find that the bottoms are turning too brown, try using the DO at room temp ( meaning don't preheat ) many have reported success with that method.
Bit late, but some feedback
I am getting better! But still a lot to try out.
I've used the cold pot/cold oven method and that seems to work. I also place diffusers under the pot and take the lid of earlier.
And used a more active starter, even though I don't think that has a major influence on the browning.
Thanks for all advice and options. I will keep experimenting
I'm getting better.
Happy with the colour
Now getting proofing and slashing right (sourdough bread by the way. Uncovered bake on quarry tiles)
It's easily to see you're getting the hang of this bread thingy. Nice loaf. :)
Thanks ;)
Yeah, real happy!