Before the Pandemic how many of you baked or even had heard of sourdough bread? I’m sorry about the Pandemic but I’m really happy so many people have discovered sourdough and heritage wheat. I can tell that more still are joining the bandwagon.
Recently we have had questions regarding how to store those luscious loaves once they’re baked. There likely are as many methods as there are sourdough bakers but I’ll run through a few that are popular. I will tell you what we do and what we have found but that doesn’t mean it will be best for you. People have different preferences and live in different climates.
Zip-Loc or other plastic bag: I know many of you don’t prefer this method but it’s the one that works best for us.
Reusable Silicone Bags: You can purchase reusable silicone bags if you are not a fan of plastic.
Cling wrap: use 1-2 layers and wrap the loaf securely.
Aluminum foil: use a piece of foil large enough to wrap and tuck in the edges.
Bread Box: we keep our loaf in a plastic bag in a bread box
Paper bag: this is good for an uncut loaf
Tea Towel: this is good for 1-2 days but it will dry out after that. Sometimes a loaf only lasts for 1-2 days if you have bread lovers at your house.
Large Container with a Lid: Darrold has these great big plastic containers with lids that fit a loaf of bread
Freezer: this is a great way to store extra whole loaves or slices. Since we make two loaves at a time and there are just two of us most of the time, we have a freezer full of bread (it’s really great if you need a hostess gift or if someone stops by and you want to give them a gift). We store a whole loaf in a plastic bag. Slices may go in a plastic bag or wrapped in foil.
How to thaw a frozen loaf. We are a house divided. Darrold likes to crisp up the crust by putting it in a 350F oven for a few minutes. I prefer to remove it from its wrapper and set it on the counter. I’ve also found that if I’m in a hurry, my microwave set on pizza defrost for 3-6 minutes works really well.
There probably are many other ways to store your sourdough bread. And if all else fails, a good customer of ours says to just store it on your thighs. Let us know the ones you use if they’re not listed here. I’m always up for learning something new.
Oh, whatever you do, don't put it in the refrigerator. That will dry it out!
All for now,
