For close to a year and a half I've been working with sourdough. At first my loaves were consistent failures. Disappointingly they wouldn't rise in bulk fermentation nor would I see any oven spring. My starter seemed plenty active and well fed but, something in my recipe formula or process was killing my chances of a decent loaf. Another challenge is working with high hydration doughs.
Nowadays I rarely have a failed loaf. As my starter gets older it has become robust and the flavor more pronounced. I've baked loaves in CI cookware and on a stone. I find it more challenging on the stone. I bake in the LG & MM and even in the oven when the BGE isn't a feasible option when I'm in a time crunch. I definitely prefer baking in the egg for several reasons. Note: I don't have a dedicated baking egg. Nor do I do clean burns and personally see no real purpose, based on my cooking regime, to do so. That being said I wouldn't advise smoking a brisket and then immediately baking bread in it for obvious reasons.

I've posted a few loaves on here.
So, how many here toy with sourdough and other bread types in their eggs? Do you change your approach when using the egg comparatively to a conventional or convection oven. Even though the egg is moisture rich it's conducive to add moisture or steam the first 15-20 minutes to get maximum oven spring. I have my ways. How are you adding moisture for steam?
LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
Comments
One trick to try for getting a good oven spring is to put the loaf in a cold oven. Adjust the timing to allow for the time it takes your oven to preheat.
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself.
I simply spray the hot stone with a little water.
Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
While I have been baking a bit, aside from pizza, its all been in the oven. While I now use the dutch oven approach for the moisture element, I previously ised a baking dish w water in it below the baking stone. It gave me mixed results w a pretty consistently underdone bottom (steam cooling the stone). I suspect that would be a similar effect to a water pan under a pizza stone on the BGE.
I'd love to see some of your egg bakes, as that'll be my next leap.
Joule SV
GE induction stove
Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location
I've been using a 75% hydration dough for bread and 65% for pizzas.
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
@jtcBoynton I've done your method in my oven twice but, the spring isn't quite as pronounced. Pretty loaf nonetheless. I'd like the steam generator setting...although you'll usually only find that an option on commercial ovens.
@20stone Interesting. I guess it's possible the sudden rise in moisture could've been almost injected into your stone giving that sort of result. Maybe because it was directly below the stone. Hmmm.
@SciAggie I've been cold bulk fermenting and cold proofing which allows for deeper flavor and more importantly controls the time factor for me. I've grown fond of higher hydration 80%-95+%. But, 67% and so forth have their place too.
@20stone Just a few my most recent loaves.
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
I haven't made bread on the grill yet. Here are two of my better looking loaves. The slash pattern on the second is a little ugly:
Minneapolis, MN
I still fight with the higher hydration doughs. It was much easier with lower hydration regular yeast dough. Timing and results were predictable.
NPHusker, your loaves look good too. They weren't posted yest when I started my last message.
Minneapolis, MN
Took me quite awhile to figure I was over proofing, and the dough was not quite hydrated enough. Was using a 40-60 blend of semolina and Pillsbury better for bread. I suppose the semolina needed a bit more water. Got pretty good at handling wet dough. Made ciabatta a couple of times.
I did several on the Egg. Worked well enough. Liked the mild smoke flavor. Eventually I bought a ceramic cloche, which made the bread self steamed. Used the kitchen oven preheated w. a large pizza stone in it.
But when my last kid moved out, between my wife and I a single loaf would last 2 weeks, and I was mostly just feeding the starter, not using it. So I stopped. when I couldn't find the recipe, oh well...
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself.
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
scott
Greenville Tx
@texaswig For sure man.
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself.
A couple of recent ones that I baked for friends.
Joule SV
GE induction stove
Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
When in doubt Accelerate....