Hi Larry, are you cutting into your bread before it has cooled completely? The internal structure is not fully set until the loaf has cooled completely and released excess moisture, so cutting into a warm loaf will often reveal a damp, gummy structure. You might want to try baking at 450F instead of 500F, at least after you remove the lid. And if you are preheating your Dutch oven empty, I would remove the lid after 20 minutes instead of 30. Baking at a cooler temperature for the later part of the bake may allow you to bake a little longer without the outer crust getting overly dark. 

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