Storing Home Made Bread?

[WVsmoke]

I enjoy making homemade bread or purchasing bread at a good bakery. I am searching for the best way to store the bread and prolong it’s life before the crust gets too hard on mold spots appear. Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

[bbqLuv]

add preservatives. Natural, organic preservatives of course.

[rickgregory]

You can freeze it. Also, here's an excellent article on the topic of storing bread:

https://www.theperfectloaf.com/the-b...o-store-bread/

[Donw]

+1 Freezing is the hands down winner of every method we’ve tried.

[rickgregory]

Slice before freezing if you're going to use for toast.

Also, if you're close to the end of a loaf but you're afraid it will spoil before you finish it... make croutons. Dice up the loaf, toss with olive oil and, optionally, some herbs, bake on a sheet pan at 325 for ~20 mins.

[jfmorris]

I've found its key the day you bake the bread to leave it out until its fully cooled, or put in a brown paper bag or wrap in paper if you need to wrap it. After I know its cooled for hours, I'll store it in a zip lock bag, but wrapped in paper, to prevent any condensation from occurring on the plastic once you cut the bread.

I routinely keep bread for 4-5 days, but home made bread is not good past that unless you do freeze it. Toasting helps as it gets older too.

[MBMorgan]

I'm shamelessly repeating some advice I see that you've already received. It's pretty simple, really ... and there are many opinions. For me:

• Leave it out until it is fully cooled ... even overnight.
• Don't slice it until it's time to eat. Cut bread won't store quite as well.
• When it's time, try to slice it so you can keep the cut side of the loaf at least relatively sealed with an end piece.
• For short term "active" storage, I use a brown paper bag, lightly sealed.
• For longer term, a plastic ziplock bag in the fridge works fine. You may optionally wrap the loaf in paper first ... but I rarely do.
• For longest storage, wrap it in paper, ziplock it, evacuate ALL the air you can, and put it in the freezer.

Be aware that some recipes/formulas keep better than others. Japanese milk bread keeps well. "Plain" sourdough, not so much.

Bottom Line: Condensation is bread's biggest enemy ... followed by drying out when overly exposed to air.

When all else fails, make croutons.

[rickgregory]

One more thing - I just made some toast from a wheat loaf that's a week or so old. It's fine. But I don't know how much longer it will last... so only make what you think you'll eat within 5-7 days OR simply freeze some of it, sliced, for use as toast later.

[texastweeter]

I bake, cool completely, then into a breadbox. When cut, I always set it cut side down in my breadbox. For sandwich loaves, I slice completely, and store in bags I get from a local bakery. All I make is sourdough. Here is one that is currently cooling. It will get sliced tonight on my deli slicer.

[Texas Larry]

We usually slice and then freeze after a day or so. I have found that adding a little honey to the dough helps it last longer. I dunno why exactly except that honey is hydroscopic. Can’t taste the honey.

[HawkerXP]

I slice against the grain and only slice when about to serve........... wurt? oh, bread..

[Attjack]

Here's a good tip. You can refresh old bread. This works especially well with crusty bread. Preheat oven to 300f. Run the bread under cold water from the faucet but don't get the cut end wet. Wrap it in foil and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes for baguettes and 30 for bigger loaves.

[WillTravelForFood]

Store the bread in a plastic baggie on the back deck of your car as you drive around town.

[RonB]

When you make bread at home, make meal sized or day sized boules, batards, or loaves. That way you can freeze whatever amount you want. Just pull it out of the freezer the day you want to eat it so it can thaw. I like to heat in a 350° until the crust just starts to darken and serve, (for crusty breads). For soft crust breads, heating in the microwave works for me.

When I make sandwich bread, I let it cool then I slice and freeze.

[scottranda]

I make croutons (as said above). My kids absolutely love the homemade croutons, but I may love croutons more than them.

Cut into pieces. Dry overnight. Ghee and/or olive oil plus some spices, maybe some Parmesan cheese. Put on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. I bake for 14 minutes at 375. But maybe I should try a lower temp for a longer time. Two times ago, I burned them just a touch.