Hi Jerry, do you normally take the lid off your Dutch oven about halfway through the bake? Leaving the lid on during the entire bake won't allow the bread to release moisture properly during the final portion of the bake. When to remove the lid depends on whether or not you preheat your pot empty. When preheating empty, it's generally recommended that you remove the lid after 20 minutes. Baking time with the lid on will be a bit longer when you don't preheat the pot, but you'll still want to finish the final part of the bake without the lid. 

If this doesn't sound like what's happening to you, then it's also possible that your dough is a little over-fermented. As dough ferments enzyme activity gradually causes the gluten structure to breakdown, and in dough that is over-fermented this can result in a dense, gummy (too moist) interior structure. This type of result is especially likely if you happen to leave your dough in the refrigerator for several days, or out at room temperature for an extended time. 

If you have an instant read thermometer, look to see that the interior temperature of your baked loaf is at least 190F, and you can go a bit higher than that (up to 205F) if the dough is particularly dense. For more help troubleshooting your no-knead bread, please don't hesitate to call our Baker's Hotline at 855-371-2253. We're here M-F from 9am-9pm EST, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am-5pm EST. 

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