Homemade sourdough bread is close to perfection: crunchy and flaky on the outside, soft and springy on the inside. The only downside? It is best the day it is baked; over time, it gradually loses its luster. But if you store sourdough bread in the right way, you can keep it fresh for longer, so that every bite is closer to those tempting first hours.
So what's the best way to store sourdough bread?
First: What kind of sourdough bread did you bake?
The typical sourdough bread that most people envision is a crusty boule or round, marked on top and with an open crumb structure (ie many holes).
But this is not the only type of sourdough – there are many recipes for soft bread, like these soft sourdough dinner rolls AND THIS sourdough sandwich bread. These two types of sourdough bread—crusty versus soft—must be stored differently.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Soft sourdough bread (either a loaf or roll) is best stored in an airtight bag at room temperature. Plastic (or beeswax-coated cotton) will seal in the bread's moisture, keeping it fresh for up to a week at room temperature—though as days go by you may want to cool single servings by baking them briefly.
You may worry that moist, soft bread may begin to mold if kept for more than a few days at room temperature. Fortunately, the pH of sourdough bread helps keep it mold-free for longer days than unleavened bread.
What about storing sourdough bread?
If you bake sourdough baguettesa fat rounDor other artisan-style bread, a bag that doesn't breathe is the last place you'll want to store it; the airtight wrap will soften your bread's crispy crust within hours. Instead, here are the best options for storing sourdough bread – up to a day and longer.
PJ Hamel
How to Store Sourdough Bread for a Day (12 Hours or Less)
Say you baked your sourdough bread in the morning and want to serve it that night for dinner. Place hot bread on a cooling rack and leave uncovered; for best results, let cool completely before slicing. Its crust will soften a bit as the moisture from the inside migrates to the surface and evaporates, but overall, it will remain quite crispy on the outside, while being quite moist on the inside.
PJ Hamel
How to Store Sourdough Bread Overnight (24 Hours or More)
If you won't be serving your bread until the next day, let it cool completely on a cooling rack, then place it on a cutting board or counter. Cover it with a cake cover or a large bowl, something big enough for air to circulate. The loose seal will help keep the inside of the bread moist, but the circulating air will also encourage the crust to stay crispy.
Another option is a “breathable” micro-perforated plastic bag.often found carrying artisan breads in the bakery department of your supermarket. The balance between letting air in through the holes and keeping it out through the plastic works pretty well.
How to store sourdough bread for more than 24 hours
After 24 hours, you should bag your bread. While large, whole grains round or oval loaves have more moisture-retaining properties (and will stay fresh longer than smaller, thinner loaves made with for all purposes OR bread flour)all sourdough bread needs additional protection after 24 hours.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
So paper, plastic or fabric: which type of bag works best?
Our tests show that the paper does not prevent the softening of the crust and accelerates the internal stagnation. Cloth bags (or a kitchen towel) are slightly better than paper, as they allow the bread to breathe but retain some moisture; the crust will harden and the inside will dry more slowly.
Whether you've sliced your bread or left it intact, an airtight bag is your go-to choice for sourdough bread stored at room temperature for more than a day. A reusable cotton bag coated with beeswax like this reusable bread bag it works really well and is a sensible way to reduce plastic waste: Just pop your bread into the beeswax-coated liner, flip it upside down and use the warmth of your hands to seal it, then pop it inside the cloth bag. If you choose plastic, plastic bag for heavy bread are strong enough to be used several times; just rinse them between loaves.
PJ Hamel
What about freezing?
Freezing (rather than refrigeration, which dries out bread too quickly) is a great storage option. You can freeze the bread whole, but for flexibility in serving and ease of handling, it's best to slice the bread before sealing, dividing each piece (one or two slices) slightly. parchment between the slices so they don't stick to each other.
To reheat bread, heat individual slices in a toaster or toaster or in an air pan set to “bake”.
To freshen a whole loaf (or a good portion of a loaf), sprinkle or spray liberally with water and heat, uncovered, in a 350°F oven or an air pan set to “roast.” Warm directly on the rack for about 15 minutes.
PJ Hamel
A smart slicing tip to preserve your sourdough bread
Whole bread will stay fresher if it remains unsliced. But at some point you'll want to dig in!
Storing sliced bread isn't just about covering the bread, it's also about how you cut that first slice. When you cut your bread, start in the center and not on one side or the other. After removing the slices, press the two cut sides of the noodle together and roll up tightly. The crust helps to keep the moisture inside the bread instead of letting it “leak” into the surrounding environment.
Is it better to keep your starter dough at room temperature, or keep it refrigerated? And how often should you feed it? Find out here: Sourdough starter nutrition and maintenance.
Cover photo by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Sheila Jarnes.
