Are you storing your sourdough bread right? | Foodgeek Baking

I am testing four different ways of storing your sourdough bread, to find out what the best way is. Join me in this very interesting experiment.
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#sourdoughbread #howtostoreyourbread #artisanbread

[@HarmonyInspired]

I'm amazed...only one person mentioned parchment paper and that was just for freezing. I wrap my loaves in parchment paper and leave them in an open bowl or basket on the counter. The crust stays crunchy and the insides stay soft. Unlike brown paper bags, the parchment does not absorb any grease or moisture; and it is completely re-usable. In between uses, just fold nicely and tuck it away. It's not any more expensive to replace than plastic zip bags. Buy the widest roll and tear to a big enough piece to completely wrap your bread. I didn't like plastic because the crust got soft. Sune, I hope you will try this and let us know what you think. I did thoroughly enjoy your experiment!

[@lssian]

wonderful tip

[@stephm69mtl]

Since I mainly use my bread in the toaster, when the bread is out of the oven, I let it cool complitely, then I slice it, and put the slices, staggered, in a freezer bag then freeze them. When needed, I put the frozen slice directly in the toaster. I find that it preserve the taste and texture of the crum very well. I do the same things with my baguettes, freezing them in half then thawing at room temperature when neede.

[@garthwunsch]

Any full or half loaves I freeze are always allowed to thaw in the plastic bag so much of the lost moisture returns into the loaf.

[@stevencea6761]

I usually make two loaves. One goes in the freezer or to a friend. The other I eat as much as I can fresh and put the rest on the fridge in a plastic bag. It keeps for a good week. The crust is soft but I toast it. If very stale I wet it with a little with water and toast. It crisps up nicely. Thanks for the video.

[@wlhlmknrd6456]

I would actually not recommend to put the bread in the fridge - the cold temperature accelerates the cristalization of the starch molecules which is what makes the bread stale (aside from drying out, though that shouldn‘t be a problem if stored in a plastic bag).

[@wildkeith]

Freeze it instead of fridge. Toasts up like new

[@theinvisiblewoman5709]

I also store mines in the fridge for 2-4 days after baking since I can often finish it before the week is out. But any longer input in the freezer, that doesn’t happen often though

[@KathyHolden]

I also make 2 loaves at a time. One goes in the freezer and one to eat. I use Cotton or Linen bags and then tuck them in an open plastic ziplock bag. We generally go through a loaf in 3- 4 days and then pull the one from the freezer. The crust does soften, but any other way I was finding the bread itself got too hard.

[@aviationchannel6204]

I've never stored my bread for over 2 days and this is so fascinating to see how it changes over the days. Usually when my homemade sourdough bread goes a bit stale (after 1-2 days), I toast it in a pan with butter and eat it with scrambled eggs and occasionally some other stuff.

[@kgeorg1979]

I wrap it in a cloth towel after it's cooled, then put it in the bread box. This doesn't maintain the crispy crust, but it remains perfectly good for close to a week. My bread box is made of wood and NOT airtight.

[@justachipn3039]

Yup... I cut my bread the next day after sitting out on cutting board then bag n freeze 😜👍 Thx for your work 👍

[@tommul6078]

Snap, bring out to warm up and fresh slices :-)

[@nancypahl7755]

When I freeze bread and waffles, I always place interfold dry wax paper between the slices to prevent them sticking together. Get pre-cut sheets at Amazon.

[@hilloz8519]

Ty for the summery

[@johnc3826]

As always, thank you for your very logical side by side tests. We find great results with the plastic food storage bag, but we add a layer of cling wrap first. Wrap from under the loaf going tightly over the cut end and then continue back around to the bottom to completely encase the loaf. Using this approach, we can still make toast 1 week after the first cut.

[@ceruleanwaterlilly]

I have an old wooden bread box, which gives very different results than yours. I usually put mine in a cotton bag inside of that. It keeps pretty well, it does get stale eventually, but never moldy.

[@gioiamt1]

Thank you! I have some of those silicon lids that stretch over different sized bowls. I'll take one and fold it in half and press it up against the cut edge while I wrap the loaf in a cotton dish towel and keep it on the counter. Seems to work quite well.

[@symetryrtemys2101]

The best way is to eat it in one sitting.

[@HardmanKnott]

🤣👍

[@alef218]

Amazing video! Great info! I didn’t expected that!

[@paulychannel7914]

as a baker the best way to store sourdough bread is to wrap in plastic & freeze it once it has cooled. Simply defrost at room temperature spray with water & bake at 200 degrees celsius for 10- 15 minutes & voila just as good as freshly baked bread!

[@Foodgeek]

I personally slice my bread and take the needed slices and defrost in my toaster. Works perfectly :)

[@lenamahayni6216]

Thai is what I do

[@MJ-fb2zq]

Love all your experiments, very informative thank you

[@russf6572]

There's another way Sune. Freezing solid _(sliced or unsliced)_ and then vacuum packing until 95% of air is removed. Because we don't eat a large amount of bread here, I've found this to be a great way to keep it fresh, thawing as we need and re-vacuum packing the balance.

[@startledemu]

We slice and freeze our sourdough at the end of the day it’s made - after enjoying slices with butter - and use mostly but not always for toast - with butter - did I say butter? Hmm butter!

[@ronjenkins4257]

First time I have seen this rather important topic. AS far as bread boxes go, they exist to prevent mice getting to the bread. That's their main value.

[@geof900]

Beeswax bread bags or wraps deserve consideration.

[@Foodgeek]

It's not something I've ever seen in Denmark :)

[@doloresfernandez5462]

Thank you again and have a beautiful day

[@michaelplaysbass]

This is true; I've been using one now for 3-4 months. It's similar to the cloth bag, but I'd say so far it's been a little better on the staling. I can probably get to 7-8 days before it's beyond redemption (at dough hydration of 75-80%)

[@andreaself5545]

I’ve also used the bees wax wrap and find that the crust stays crisp a little longer, definitely my preferred method.

[@voidremoved]

@@Foodgeek make your own, you can use pieces of cloth too and use it like plastic free cling wrap. Make sure no bees were harmed to get your wax off

[@Qaeter]

I do the plastic bag + toasting strategy🙂 highly recommended 😋

[@voidremoved]

Toasters cause global warming, you should try to avoid using a toaster.

[@bigbrain296]

I use it too because ultimately you'll need to toast the slice to bring back the crust anyway so i don't mind the crust getting soft. I just want to preserve the moisture.

[@mattymattffs]

Absolutely! Keeps the longest for sure

[@snowbird6855]

@@voidremoved Simple solution;. Go back to living in trees and cook your freshly hunted animals over a wood fire.. that you started manually.

[@primitivedaisy]

I usually let my bread cool over night, then slice it, wrap the whole loaves in plastic wrap, then put it in a plastic bread bag. Then I store it in the freezer. It never gets stale and you can pick as many slices as you want at any time. Your sourdough bread looks amazing! I have the Challenger bread pan and it has made baking good bread so much easier and satisfying! Thank you for doing this experiment. 😊

[@lovecookingwithlibby8206]

When cutting bread, especially stale bread, near the end of the loaf, I turn it cut side down and cut across. I can safely cut slices of any thickness all the way to the end.

[@amyhehn3903]

Great video, always enjoy your experiments. We use the Bake With Jack method of simply placing the loaf cut side down inside a cupboard. It works well. Towards the end we just slice and freeze. Keep up the great work!

[@diegopinheiro2611]

Great work! Super informative

[@karlboman]

I wrap the loaf in three cotton bread towels and keep it in a kitchen cabinet. Works great overall - I try not to bake too large loaves, so the bread doesn't really have time to go bad before it's finished off. Any leftovers and the odd white bread loaf are are sliced up and frozen for toasting later.

[@alphastarcar]

Great test and information, thank you!

[@babsoneverything3060]

I've always been curious how the bread would store in a paper bag. I suppose it would be similar to the cloth bag. Absolutely love your channel. Thank you!

[@katherinemaas6712]

Thanks for doing this! This info is really useful as like to share my bread with friends, and now I have tested storage methods I csn share with them, too. Freezing works well for my little family, but if I were still feeding teenagers, I think the cloth bag would be better.

[@tyleranderson9190]

Fresh bread never lasts long enough to go stale at my house!

[@evelynwald9132]

Really enjoyed this experiment as I have wondered about a bread box. My technique is to cut my bread in half after it has cooled down from the initial bake. Each half is wrapped in plastic wrap and put into separate ziploc bags. One bag stays on the kitchen counter, the other half goes into the freezer after I have sucked out the air to form a "vacuum seal" using a straw. When I have about 2 slices left on my counter bread, I remove the bread from the freezer and put it into the refrigerator to thaw slowly overnight so that the moisture can be absorbed evenly by the bread. Once thawed, it stays on my counter, still using the plastic wrap & storing in the ziploc bag. As I use the bread, I notice that the first 2 days, the bread has that squishy feel when the bread is being cut. By the third day, the bread is slightly drier, but evenly dry, from the middle to the outer crust and slices beautifully. I always toast the bread. Since I have been purging my house, I found a pretty casserole dish with a lid where I now put my bread, (in its ziploc bag, with plastic wrap) so I don’t have to see that ugly plastic bag on my counter and my kitchen looks so much neater. The casserole dish is significantly smaller than a bread box. The only time I have run into a mold issue is in the summer when it’s very hot & humid outside. Thanks for doing this video and sharing your findings - you confirmed my technique for me.😊

[@GinaG56883]

Thank you for sharing this experiment. Something that may be of value to consider: Dough mass. The smaller the mass, the more rapid the staling process.

[@adaclemons5305]

Thank You for this video!

[@kennykennington5876]

Just switched to a cloth bag, but that is also kept in a Bread Tin (Old school bread box). Storing in plastic bags works well, but do change the bag you use if mould does start to appear, as it can affect the next bread, as the plastic holds the mould spores!! Excellent tutorial and glad you still have all your fingers :-)

[@chicamepa]

Thanks!!! & awesome music-work combination!

[@madeline6663]

Hey Sune! I love your videos, man. I aways learn a lot with them and my bread making process is aways improving. Just wish your videos were a bit shorter, maybe you should try to do some kind of voice over with the images of you making the bread, then we wouldn’t lose information and the videos would be shorter. I understand though that this is your way of making things, kinda like a scientific report lol continue the great work, man! ❤️

[@edithharmer1326]

Excellent Tutorial! Thank.you.for sharing! Greetings from Singapore! 🇸🇬⚘⚘⚘ Edith

[@michaeldekel9765]

I have found tin foil on the open end kept on the cutting board holds up for up to a week. Keeps the moisture in the crumb without the crust going too soft. Ultimately a quick toast always perks up the crust and crumb.

[@snowbird6855]

I never put aluminum foil directly on food because of the Alzheimer's connection. If I need to I use parchment first and foil on top.

[@alexandrecarmenadrianoeant4384]

Excelent methodology and results

[@gaianeg7927]

Wow! Looks so good.

[@saracampbell7134]

Thank you - great information!

[@amhm8664]

Thanks again!! Awesome channel! Thank you very much

[@corteltube]

Thanks for the experiment...😊good to know.

[@iamthealphacat]

Best use of stale bread for me is cutting into croutons and toasting in the oven w a little seasoning and oil☺️

[@vincebabkirk2893]

We use a Romertopf and are happy with the results. We start to get a little staling around day 5. That's also the longest time we've ever had a loaf last.

[@lolam.9291]

I live in a warm climate. I store my sourdough breads in cotton/linen bag and place in a ziploc bag then refrigerate. The bread dries out slightly but I am good with it. This method gives my breads a longer shelf life.

[@zyx1024]

Thanks a lot for you experiments :):):))))

[@KyleJMoore]

Great test. Another option, which I use after a day, is to store it in a plastic bag but just fold it over and don't seal it. As you can imagine, it keeps the crust a little bit crispier than sealing it but the crumb dries out a bit more.

[@samclements8246]

This is what we do as well.

I do a mix to store the bread. I have a cloth bag but I put the bread in a non-sealable plastic bag with no other way of sealing it (no knot, no rubber band, no clip), just putting the bread inside the plastic bag and wrapping it with the bag. This method keeps a bit longer the crispness of the crust while preventing a stale band from forming so fast. It is kind of a good compromise (at least for me) between just the plastic bag and just the cloth bag.

[@billabrams4271]

I currently use linen bag with bread pieces wrapped in wax paper or parchment paper....maybe small edge...but may try a plastic bag(the ones I use for my banneton's in CF) instead of the wax paper and see how that works. Thanks for the experiments Sune

[@SupportWeThePeopleKB]

Wonderful experiment! Thanks. My preference is to keep the bread crispy as long as possible. I use my grandmother's earthenware bread bowl as a nostalgic storage container. I intended to make a cloth "shower cap" for it, but took the lazy, and yet pretty method of covering the bread: I wrap the bread in a large, soft linen table napkin. I launder the napkin each week and clean the bowl to prevent inviting mold spores. A French friend taught me to resurrect a hardened baguette by splashing it with water, wrapping it in aluminum foil, and baking it at 350˚ for several minutes. Presto! Back to like new. I have found I can skip the aluminum foil and get the same result. I liked Food Geek's comment about the danger of cutting bread. The perfect crust is also sharp! I use a pair of protective metal gloves when cutting my extra crispy bread.

[@martymctry20]

@foodgeek, hi and thanks for your very useful experiments! How long did you let the breads cool down before beginning?

[@snowbird6855]

Probably 2 hours

[@ipedros7]

Great video comparing options. I store my breads in a cloth bag for first 2 days. If any still left, after breakfast I transfer remaining to a plastic bag. Usually I bake 2 loaves at a time. The second loaf goes as is to to freezer. Rarely I bother to slice and freeze as we're a family. If it was just me or two of us, then I'd see that as a more useful option to use. Super.

[@ipedros7]

I've got to add, on a 3rd or even 4th day, properly stored bread will be serviceable for adding to a plate and serving a stew on top.

[@doloresfernandez5462]

Thank you so much for sharing , very informative , where can I purchase the bread bag

[@nanaimosteve5952]

I slice the bread then I put a small piece of parchment paper between each piece. Then I put it in a ziploc bag and freeze it.

[@themagiceye6723]

Unfortunately the landfill per loaf you describe there is rather depressing.

[@nanaimosteve5952]

@@themagiceye6723 The landfill? Ziploc bags are reusable. 1 large bag for a loaf of bread.

[@voidremoved]

Guess what? You are INSANE!

[@voidremoved]

@@nanaimosteve5952 I mean, you got to open and close your freezer every time you want a slice of bread. Depending on what "parchment paper" is to you, many of these have some kind of plastic coating. The paper has to be manufactured. Someone has to drive to work, in a car, cut trees down, process it in to paper. Box it up, drive it to walmart so you can buy it... zip lock are reusable but do begin to break down and wear out and release microplastics in to the environment... This is the world we live in.

[@themagiceye6723]

@@nanaimosteve5952 I was referring to the non-biodegradable baking paper you use with every slice of bread you consume. It makes me shudder to think about, but trying to be happy that it works for you.

[@PaulaThomasPhotography]

Surprised the one in the plastic bag didn't mold sooner. I started out using a plastic bag to store but I've switched to a bread bag because it molded too quickly in the bag for me. Mine isn't the same material as the cloth one you have but it's kind of similar and is breathable.

[@robind.5370]

Thank you for this. Very informative. Wondering if a hybrid is best. Cloth bag for two or three days and then switch to plastic.

[@jimdog]

We bought a cake stand, but we use it for our bread. Basically a prettier version of a bread box. In our house the bread is usually gone in 3 - 4 days anyway, but on the rare occasion that there is a slice or two left on day 5, I have seen mold starting to form. Which pretty much matches this test. 👍

[@snowbird6855]

I wonder how much mold is there that you can't see yet on day four?

[@DREXELENG2015]

I store mine inside of a Vacuvita, I don't know if you can buy them anymore though. It pumps air out of a rigid chamber, and is perfect for bread storage. My sourdough tastes exactly the same and retains the same texture as when I first cut into it, for about one week, but if I leave it out, or put it in a bag, the texture starts to become stale in about 12 hours.

[@WholeBibleBelieverWoman]

I live in a high-humidity town and what has worked best for me is a wooden bread box. My bread box was well made, but the maker did not drill in any air holes at all, so I do put something between the lid and box to keep it open just a wee bit during the days (and let it close all the way at night, when there may be a bug trying to get in -- as suggested by someone who teaches about sourdough from Australia where they have mucho bugs). I just cut the load and set it cut-side-down onto the wood inside the bread box. My box is a fairly good size so that if I wanted ot needed to I could fit up to three loaves in it like that -- but I only want one at a time so I have room in there for different things, like maybe an avocado I am waiting for to ripen, etc.

[@hopegardens]

I have become a bread snob. After a couple of days if I still have bread it becomes bread crumbs, croutons, cheesy pizza bread, french toast, pet training snacks, compost..... LOL. But the information is great. Thank you.

[@ParadisePI]

Greetings from a fellow dane, Tele player, and newbie soudough baker.

[@kerncountyrd5263]

Love the cloth bags! I don't see them on the list of items in the video. Are you able to provide that? Thanks

[@PaoloGiannandrea]

Hey Sune, how was the bread placed in the cloth bag? Was it always facing the opposite side?

[@MattDidg]

Freezing slices for the win!

[@MCNMN]

I put my loaves in a plastic ziploc, but I don't seal the bag all the way closed. It lets the moisture escape a little and keeps some air flow to keep the mold away longer.

[@clkbunny6766]

I use a plastic bag but also wrap the cut end with a paper towel and then store in the refrigerator. I do not seal the end of the plastic bag. I found sealing the bag created condensation. I live in an American southern state so molding occurs quickly here. The bread will store nicely for almost 2 weeks.

[@juliakramarhammarlund9303]

Did you try to kerp the bread in Römertopf for bread storage? It woud be intresting to make a test.

[@candibrinson5069]

Sune, the bread in the plastic bag might have lasted till completely eaten if you had used a straw in the corner of the opening and sucked all the air out while sealing it shut then placing it in fridge. The only thing you lose is the crispiness. Do you have Press & Seal in your stores? You can seal all the air out with that wrap, then place in plastic bag. I find both these methods keep the bread from becoming stale or moldy before I finish the loaf.

[@gooffie29]

I do the bee's wax which I think it give the same effect as using ziplock i.e. the crust get softer. If I will finish them in 2-3 days, I will put the cut side down on the cupboard to maintain the crust.

[@sharonvaliontis]

Great video

[@guynakash]

I wrap it in a big kitchen towel and place it inside the dutch oven, survives up to 5 days in a very warm and dry environment.

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Love your t-shirts. Where do you get them?

[@Foodgeek]

This one is one of my own creations, but otherwise I purchase other youtuber's t-shirts, some from Amazon and lately BustedTees :)

[@barrychambers4047]

We use a bee's waxed thin cotton towel that works well, but, I have to say we never let our loaf last for more than 3 days.

[@patlong4807]

You must have some very happy well fed birds in your neighborhood! Great seeing tests though. Thanks!

[@locoloca6434]

Hahahah all my leftover bread surely goes to the birds

[@jennifersmith3671]

Thank you, thank you and thank you

[@chr0m389]

I made porridge bread at 90% hydration, with 90% porridge. Was a very flat loaf, but was still not stale after 2 weeks. Mold started after 2 weeks.

[@craigatkinson420]

I eat mine so I don't have storage issues. Even after 4 - 5 days yes it's not as soft but it makes great toast.

[@robertklaers25]

I store mine in an unsealed plastic bag. I take the cut end and face it towards the back of the bag, this helps prevent the soft crust and the crumb from drying out..

[@bubbleobill267]

Bake, cool, slice then into a vacuum bag just sealed no vacuum, freezer. Works a treat. But honestly once a loaf pops out the oven and cools a teeny, weeny bit it’s sliced and drowned in butter....... Definitely the way to go!.

[@Paulsapartment]

I keep my bread the cloth bag for the first day or two and if there is any leftover after that, I use a sealed plastic bag.

[@mark98070]

I keep mine in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, but before sealing the bag I push out excess air. Seems to last about a week which is how long it takes to eat it. Also I always put slices in the toaster for 30-45 seconds and it helps with crispness

[@thomaskauffman983]

I have found that a lose non sealed plastic bag works best if you keep the cut side against the work surface. Nothing beast fresh bread of course.

[@montv291]

I've been doing cut side down on cutting board for a day or so, then move to a plastic bag. I prefer to toast mine anyway, so the softening actually benefits me.

[@alejandropetkof]

you the real MVP

[@fibromyalgia09]

Your bread looks gorgeous

[@hotwireman49]

you mean food and guitar geek. My man!!

[@kdstoffel7574]

I prefer cloth bag for the first couple days then into plastic bag till finished. My wife’s arthritis dictates that I slice up the whole loaf and plastic wrap into a freezer bag and freeze. She can pull out slices as desired. Overall, my favorite solution is to make smaller, more readily consumable loaves for both freshness and variety.

[@SerrinTheElf]

The problem is, the bread is already moldy before you see it on the outside. I wonder how long it's actually safe to keep in a plastic bag / airtight box.

[@sonshineandsong]

I have a lot of trouble with mold on my breads, so I always use plastic bags and store in fridge. Toast it and it last a couple weeks.

[@manuellambasmartin2113]

Nice. I use pizza stone instead if dutch oven. I would love to see other techinques to create steam without dutch oven.

[@lovecookingwithlibby8206]

please compare frozen verses fridge and possibly ways to refresh bread after storage. thanks for all your good work. My bread is pretty good now and I love your bread calculators. How about a phone app?

[@joanne4514]

Hi Libby, for your sourdough bread, when it gets too dry, take your slice and wrap it in damp cloth or paper towel and microwave for 5 secs...brand new!! :)

[@KatMa664]

We let our bread cool completely, and put it in a plastic bag or container in the refrigerator and it lasts a couple of weeks. If the crust gets a little soft, we just pop it in the toaster oven and it comes right back to crunchy again. It never molds. If I make a very large loaf, I will slice it. Let it cool. Put it in a container and freeze it. Then take it out when the first half of the loaf is eaten. It tastes completely fresh after it’s defrosted. So, this way works best for us. I never have to throw any bread out.

[@lapismosi8065]

You don't mention where you live but humidity or the lack of it will have everything to do with keeping bread. Having said that, artisanal bread is not expected to be kept more than two days; three is really pushing it.The French used linen bread bags before plastic was invented as most avid bread makers and/or bread buyers know. I purchase linen tea towels and make my own bread bags. They are somewhat more expensive than cotton tea towels (which are also good); they are easy to use, washable, last a long time and work really well. I also use beeswax food wraps which I buy in rolls and cut to size as needed for bread or smaller items. It is reusable, washable, and eco-friendly. It is a bit pricy but lasts a long time. You can certainly spritz a dry slice with water and toast it with great results or make bread crumbs in a food processor. I give older bread to my chickens and dogs and they love me for it. The birds will also thank you!💜🩵🧡

[@Foodgeek]

This bread was to test the extremes. I keep my bread in the freezer and thaw a couple of slices at a time, or mostly just toast it :) I live in a temperate environment, which means, not super hot, not super cold, not exteremly dry, not extremely humid :) I'm sure in very humid places it can be hard to keep the bread crispy. Staling I believe happens at the same rate as long as the temperature is above freezing.

[@GarryFunk]

I'm thinking cotton bag in the fridge (4 C) might be the next best solution. We'll be trying that ourselves.

[@natalienickals3676]

My bread always molds in plastic bags, I live in a super humid environment. Linen bag with beeswax wrap over the end works best I’ve found so far.

[@ronb5949]

I leave mine in the oven for a few hours then to a paper bag on the counter. I slice it late at night and freeze it. Since my girlfriend likes it toasted in the morning there is no problem with that method. For myself, I take the bread out of the freezer, put it in a sandwich bag (which I reuse) and then sit it in the microwave to defrost. The microwave light that lights the stove beneath it stays warm and defrosts the bread in about 5 to 10 mins. Just enough time to get my meal together.

[@ingridkarm8922]

I wonder how beeswax wraps would work - somewhere between a cloth and plastic bag maybe?

[@105cathy]

Happy to know the plastic bag (which I use) is a good choice!

[@MariaHelena-ho5ik]

I store my bread just like you.

[@joycegillett5985]

Where do you get the cute bread bag

[@simkui]

You forgot to test pottery bread boxes, also called bread crocks.

[@ichorousmedia]

I know this is slightly off topic, but this is why I immediately put my loaves in the freezer once they are cooled down, nothing I can't stand more than hard, chewy bread that I spent hours making