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Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

culinarylore.com

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Re: Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

#31

Post by mikepurvis »

jnellis wrote: post #7

I've been making two loaves a week, sourdough and rye, for over a year now. After they cool overnight they go in the fridge for a couple hours just to make slicing them easier, then they get bagged and go in the freezer. This seems like it maintains 'freshness' the best. The toaster is more or less set to defrost a frozen slice on the first run and toast it on the second. Ironically, the starter mix does live in the…

I have three kids and have been baking bread for over a decade— I do 4-5 loaves at once, and it's a mix of white, wheat, sourdough, and regular yeast. Between toast for breakfast and maybe grilled cheese the next day for lunch, we can wipe out a loaf in 24 hours, so I don't bother with the individual-slice freezing thing and just freeze/defrost whole loaves at once. Once defrosted, it lives in a grocery bag in the fridge so that we get more than a day or two on the off-chance that it is forgotten about.

For any other home bakers out there, definitely grab a set of the Nordic Ware pans— they're worth every penny and so much more a joy to use than other thin-walled ones which rust, peel, and warp.

Re: Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

#32

Post by spaetzleesser »

bitdizzy wrote: post #25
crazygringo wrote: post #24

The article's facts are right, but its conclusion is kinda wrong. Don't put your bread in the fridge -- slice it and put it in the freezer! Because in either case you need to heat it up in the oven/toaster anyways, so you might as well put it somewhere where it will keep for months, rather than weeks.

Microwaving frozen bread slices for 30-60 seconds (depends on how much bread and how powerful your microwave is) works like a charm too.

I think that makes a lot of breads very chewy. In my view best is to let them sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes.

Re: Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

#33

Post by II2II »

crazygringo wrote: post #24

The article's facts are right, but its conclusion is kinda wrong. Don't put your bread in the fridge -- slice it and put it in the freezer! Because in either case you need to heat it up in the oven/toaster anyways, so you might as well put it somewhere where it will keep for months, rather than weeks.

That only works if you have space in the freezer.

Re: Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

#35

Post by imotroubairitz »

Private chef here -

Industrially produced bread: freeze (sliced) and toast when needed or eat fresh. Never fridge. Home baked: eat fresh use the leftovers for puddings, or blend and freeze and use as breadcrumbs for cooking.

https://gailsbread.co.uk/ Gail's bakery is the only place I know in the UK that can mass produce excellent bread. Their book is excellent.

Of course there are many excellent artisan producers everywhere too...

Re: Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

#36

Post by barrkel »

Since the COVID lockdown in February, we've mostly switched over to part-baked bread rolls, individually packaged and baked on demand - 3 minutes to heat the oven, 10 minutes baking, and you've got a fresh warm roll, and most importantly, it has a crisp crust.

It's a low labour medium between baking your own bread and buying bread almost every day, which is what I used to do. In fact I used buying bread as an excuse to get me out of the house when I used to work from home.

Re: Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

#38

Post by washadjeffmad »

egypturnash wrote: post #23

I live in a hot, humid, tropical city. If you leave bread out it will become a mold colony once you've opened the bag. Fresh, room-temperature bread is a luxury only available for sandwiches made immediately after opening the bag. Bread lives in the fridge after that. If you want to revivify your bread when it comes out of the fridge, sprinkle a little water on the underside and put it in the oven on a low temperatur…

You've caught an important detail- that it molds once you've opened the bag- but only if you leave it there in after.

Bread boxes are one of those relics that faded into obscurity after the mid-century in the US, often becoming homes to all the other things you didn't know what to do with on your counters, but they used to serve an important role in keeping bread fresh and protected.

When we switched from formed dough breads to inexpensive batter loaves (the ostensible wonder of "Wonder Bread" was that it didn't have any air pockets... because it was poured into the molds), the lack of hearty crust and reliance on high moisture meant its quality quickly degraded in the open air, making it poorly suited to the former storage. However, if you bake a traditional American sandwich loaf, the best way to keep its texture and preserve it is to leave it only lightly covered so moisture doesn't accumulate and invite mold or make the crust lose its crispness.

So, if you want your bread to last (if indeed it is bread), don't stick it back in the bag to turn into a terrarium. Let it breathe and dehumidify some, and it will last until it dries completely. Better a little dry than moldy, right?

Re: Does storing bread in the fridge make it last longer? (2019)

#39

Post by dredmorbius »

bzb5 wrote: post #26
crazygringo wrote: post #24

The article's facts are right, but its conclusion is kinda wrong. Don't put your bread in the fridge -- slice it and put it in the freezer! Because in either case you need to heat it up in the oven/toaster anyways, so you might as well put it somewhere where it will keep for months, rather than weeks.

After a few weeks in a freezer, the insides of the bread turn white and dry.

Keep the bread fully sealed.

For long-term freezing, a chest freezer with no defrost cycle (which thaws and refreezes contents) is preferable.

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