First Sourdough Loaf

Pretty excited for how my first boule came out! I used a stiff starter to bake this bread and I think as a beginner using a stiff starter is extremely helpful. I still got a nice tang in my bread as well regardless. I baked this in my home oven on a sheet pan at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. I poured water into a cast iron pan on a separate rack to steam initially as well. Nothing too fancy. I think next time I’ll bake just a bit longer, and also proof a bit longer as well.

This bulk fermented on my counter for 8 hours at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The initial dough temp was 75 degrees. It was then shaped into a round a placed in my refrigerator to proof for roughly 14 hours. Before baking I let the dough come up to room temp. A quick score and right in the oven after that. I steamed a few times in the cast iron pan within the first 30 mins of baking. After 30 mins I briefly opened my oven door to completely vent the moisture out to build the crust and continued to bake until I achieved the desired color. This cooled on my rack for a minimum of an hour before taking a small slice to check the crumb.