Hi Laura, we're so glad to hear that your sourdough bread turned out well! I can totally understand your reluctance to mess around with steam; it can be a little scary. When baking in a Dutch oven with a cold start I would recommend putting the almost risen loaf and pot in the oven and waiting about 30 minutes before you remove the lid. Once the lid is removed it will take varying amounts of time for the loaf to finish baking, depending on the recipe and the size of the loaf, but I would guess it's going to be another 20-25 minutes or so. Look for a rich golden brown color, firm crust, and when you tap the loaf on the bottom it sounds hollow. Barb

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