Your cast iron skillet is fine for crusty bread

Yes, absolutely — but you’ll need to create steam yourself.

A Dutch oven works because it traps the moisture from the dough, creating a steamy environment that keeps the crust soft long enough for the bread to spring, then crisps up as the moisture cooks off. A skillet is open, so that steam escapes immediately.

The fix: preheat the skillet in the oven, carefully place your dough in it, then add a few ice cubes or pour a splash of hot water into the pan (watch out for steam burns). Immediately cover with a metal bowl, another inverted skillet, or a sheet pan. Remove the cover after 20 minutes to finish browning.

If you have a lidded cast iron skillet, even better — just leave the lid cracked for the last 15 minutes.

Not quite as foolproof as a Dutch oven, but close enough.