diff --git a/cauldron/sterilizer.py b/cauldron/sterilizer.py
index f1554eb..1a9cc0e 100644
--- a/cauldron/sterilizer.py
+++ b/cauldron/sterilizer.py
@@ -533,12 +533,28 @@ class Sterilizer:
                 prompt=prompt,
                 model=self.model,
                 system=self._system_prompt(),
-                timeout_secs=180,
+                timeout_secs=300,
             )
         except ForgeError as e:
             raise RuntimeError(f"clawdforge failed: {e}") from e
 
         result = resp.get("result")
+        # Sonnet sometimes returns the JSON as a string rather than a parsed
+        # dict (depends on output size + clawdforge's parsing). Defensively
+        # parse if so, mirroring forge._extract_food_info's pattern.
+        if isinstance(result, str):
+            try:
+                stripped = result.strip()
+                # Strip optional code fences
+                if stripped.startswith("```"):
+                    import re as _re
+                    stripped = _re.sub(r"^```(?:json)?\s*", "", stripped)
+                    stripped = _re.sub(r"\s*```$", "", stripped)
+                result = json.loads(stripped)
+            except Exception:
+                # Fall through to the shape-check below; will raise with
+                # the (truncated) original string for debugging
+                pass
         if not isinstance(result, dict) or "parses" not in result:
             raise RuntimeError(f"unexpected response shape: {str(result)[:200]}")