Sourdough - proofing issue?

[Piper2024]

I followed the country loaf recipe in Tartine to the letter, but the results have been dense crumb, gummy center, and essentially no oven spring. I am using an old, large dutch oven if that matters.

Thank you for advice!

 

[retired baker]

it looks good , did you let it go cold before cutting?
oven warm bread is like eating a wet sock.

 

[Piper2024]

I did- left at room temperature for 4 hours before cutting.

 

[retired baker]

The best thing with sourdough is to keep making it, successive batches will improve as you make slight adjustments and the starter grows in strength.

I worked in a bakery on the overnite shift baking sourdough, it took 2 weeks to get the best results, doing nothing too different from one batch to the next, I put it down to building virility in the starter with daily feeding.