My sister's comment about my sourdough crust changed everything

She said my loaves looked like they were kissed by a sunburned angel, too pale and tough. I started blasting the oven at 500 for the first 15 minutes with a cast iron pan of water underneath and now I get that crackly, dark crust every single time. Anyone else had a family member's blunt critique turn out to be the best baking advice?

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the_sandra4d ago

Did your sister also happen to call your first few tries "ugly bread that tastes like a tire"? Because my brother told me my pizza crust looked like a sad wet sock, and I got so mad I started experimenting. Turns out, he was right about the moisture issue. I do the same trick with a pan of water, plus I preheat my Dutch oven for a full hour before the dough even goes in. The steam plus the crazy heat gives me that deep brown, crackly shell that sounds like a drum when you tap it. Now I honestly thank him every time I slice into a loaf, even though it kills me a little to admit it.