Burned a batch of sourdough because I trusted my timer instead of my nose

I was at my kitchen counter in Portland last Thursday, setting a timer for 45 minutes while my loaf was baking, and got distracted by a phone call that ran long. When I pulled it out, the bottom was completely charred and the inside was still gummy - totally ruined $8 worth of flour and starter. Has anyone else had better luck using visual cues over timers for their sourdough?

2 comments

2 Comments

joelsanchez4d ago

Yo that's a brutal loss, I've been there with a loaf that cost me way more than $8 in time and flour. But here's what gets me - how do you actually tell when the smell changes from "bready" to "done" without burning it first? Like with my oven, the first time I tried going by nose I pulled it out at 35 minutes and it was still pale on top and raw inside. Did you have to ruin a few loaves to learn that smell difference or is there some trick to it?

palmer.henry4d ago

Ditched my timer years ago after it failed me on a similar batch. Now I just stick my head in the oven every 10 minutes to check color and listen for the crust crackling. Smell is the real deal though, if your kitchen starts smelling like toast twice as fast as usual, that loaf is done.