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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)

#91

Post by saalweachter »

dlubarov wrote: post #73
jrochkind1 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, I haven't noticed these sold but I haven't been looking. You buy at an ordinary grocery store? National brands? In the freezer section?

I'm not sure what the quality is like, but Target sells some "take and bake" breads (at least in my area): https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=take+and+bake Trader Joe's also used to sell "half baked" breads, but I think those might have been discontinued?

You will also see this referred to as "parbaked", which I am assuming is a contraction of "part baked".

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

#93

Post by Falkon1313 »

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.

My sister froze bread, but it always came out soggy and gross from condensation. Maybe it was the type of freezers we have in the U.S., but whenever you thaw things there's going to be condensation and that doesn't work well with bread.

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

#94

Post by lostlogin »

ycombinete wrote: post #10
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’m very similar, even my toaster method! I bake bread for the household once a week. 1 kilo of flour, 2 loaves. Sliced up and frozen within an hour or so of coming out of the oven. I don’t understand how a sourdoughs starter could go stale though, as it’s a liquid, not bread? My starter recently got the orange streak of doom, and I’m back to an overnight biga artisan bread. I avoid the fridge as it definitely stales…

It’s interesting how different breads made at home go stale. Sourdough does lasts a few days. Focaccia ages terribly and is stale after a day. Ciabatta ages really well and is still good days later. The ciabatta is made with tipo 00 flour.

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

#95

Post by andimm »

My trick, is to keep the bread in the oven. It's almost air tight and I have the feeling that a bread stays fresh a couple of days longer than by any other method. Normally my oven is empty so I have some room there for free. And when I use the oven to heat i.e. a pizza I hope any fungi are killed.

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

#96

Post by zajio1am »

mumblemumble wrote: post #15

So, there's been a lot of reacting to this article on the level of bread preservation, and that's definitely some useful life knowledge, but don't miss the subtext: This article is using a debate about bread as the object of a lesson in the importance of precise communication. I've seen this argument happen before. It was once a source of much debate within my extended family. And, like the article describes, the bas…

> For example, open source and copyleft tend to be using different working definitions of "free"

Not really. Both proponents of open source (OSI) and proponents of copyleft (FSF) use mostly interchangeable definitions of 'free'. Both copyleft (GPL) and permissive (e.g. BSD licences) are considered free by both sides.

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

#97

Post by wrycoder »

Moru wrote: post #79
washadjeffmad wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 doug…

In case you don't have a bread box: After bringing home the bread in a paper bag, put it on a cutting board with the cut side down. Pull over the paper bag. This is offcourse for real bakery bread, not the industry rubber bread that comes presliced.

^this

I don’t bother with the bag, just keep the cut sides down. When you slice the loaf, start in the middle and work towards the ends. That way, the halves don’t fall over.

The bread remains edible for two days, especially sourdough. (I’m talking about homemade bread here, not the white fluff.)

Slice any remainder before it gets too stiff. Turn a few slices into croutons.

Fry the slices and croutons in olive oil on the following two days.

You also generate crumbs for breading: just use a rolling pin or bottle on the dried bread.

This way, plan on baking twice a week. It’s also possible to make up a batch of dough once a week and freeze half.

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

#98

Post by a1369209993 »

Falkon1313 wrote: post #93
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.

My sister froze bread, but it always came out soggy and gross from condensation. Maybe it was the type of freezers we have in the U.S., but whenever you thaw things there's going to be condensation and that doesn't work well with bread.

Might be a stupid question, but you are heating it all the way to toasting temperature, right? (Whether or not it stays there long enough to toast.) Because (at least IME) if you only heat it to room temperature, it definitely will end up soggy.

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

#99

Post by gnicholas »

I live in Palo Alto and buy sourdough bread from Costco. If I don't put the loaves in the fridge immediately, they mold. Sometimes it happens in 36 hours, in an air-conditioned home, in an unopened bag. I don't know if this is specific to sourdough bread, but it is super frustrating because two Costco-sized loaves take up quite a bit of space in the fridge!

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

#100

Post by zajio1am »

zajio1am wrote: post #96
mumblemumble wrote: post #15

So, there's been a lot of reacting to this article on the level of bread preservation, and that's definitely some useful life knowledge, but don't miss the subtext: This article is using a debate about bread as the object of a lesson in the importance of precise communication. I've seen this argument happen before. It was once a source of much debate within my extended family. And, like the article describes, the bas…

> For example, open source and copyleft tend to be using different working definitions of "free" Not really. Both proponents of open source (OSI) and proponents of copyleft (FSF) use mostly interchangeable definitions of 'free'. Both copyleft (GPL) and permissive (e.g. BSD licences) are considered free by both sides.

Also, framing the question as 'open source vs copyleft' does not make sense, as these are really two questions 'open source vs free software' and 'permissive vs copyleft'. The first question is mainly about branding of free/open-source software, whether emphasise pragmatic aspects, or idealistic aspects (user freedom). OSI is AFAIK agnostic on 'permissive vs copyleft' question.
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