Bread Care 101

Caring for your Bread

It is important to know your bread you just purchased needs a little extra care. Below is some information on how I recommend you store your bread to enjoy thoroughly.

If you plan to serve the bread whole the next day, keep it wrapped in the paper bag. The next day, preheat the oven to 325 and place on a rack in the middle of the oven for 7-10 minutes. 

Once the loaf is cut into it will keep for 3-5 days on your counter. It is best left on the counter in the paper bag it came in or in a linen bread bag for it to breathe. You can loosely wrap the cut end with beeswax wrap or plastic wrap. You can also store it my favorite way, cut side down on a cutting board letting the crust be exposed to the air which will keep it crusty.

If you prefer a softer crust the bread can be wrapped in beeswax wrap, kept under a cake dome, put in a bread box, or placed into a reusable plastic bag where it will stay fresh for 7-10 days. It is important to note that if you plan to store your bread in a reusable plastic bag to make sure the bread is cool before hand to prevent any condensation forming inside the bag. I never recommend storing your bread in the refrigerator.

FREEZING AND THAWING BREAD 

I prefer to slice my bread before freezing that way I can pull out a piece at a time to reheat. To prevent freezer burn on your bread we recommend you wrap the bread with foil first, then store it in a freezer safe plastic bag. 

If you sliced the bread you can take a piece out and toast it right away. 

If you froze the loaf whole, unwrap the bread from the foil and sit on the counter to defrost for about 45min-1hr. Preheat the oven to 325. When the oven comes up to temp, re-wrap the bread in the foil and place the bread in the oven for 20-30 minutes. The foil will help steam the bread. I do not recommend refreezing. 

STALE BREAD

Okay, so let’s face it that one of these days you just aren’t going to eat all of your bread and maybe you forgot about it sitting there on your counter, and ten days later you have stale bread on your hands. This is a perfect opportunity to get creative by trying out French toast, a Panzanella salad, bread pudding, or make some homemade breadcrumbs and croutons. Waste not, want not!