How to cut sourdough bread to get even slices

For most professional bakers, the hardest part is waiting until the sourdough breads have reached the optimal texture before slicing and serving. This can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the size of your loaf. If you're wondering how to achieve perfectly even slices, check out some of the tips on how to cut sourdough bread below!

Table of Contents

How long should you wait to cut sourdough bread?

The main thing that distinguishes sourdough bread from others is that it needs a longer cooling time than conventional bread before cutting.

While a medium-sized conventional loaf takes 2 hours to chill before slicing, the same amount of sourdough takes 4 hours to cool before slicing.

Additionally, if rye flour were used in the sourdough bread recipe, it would require a longer setting or chilling time before it could be sliced ​​and eaten. Sourdough rye bread it will take 24 to 48 hours to cool before slicing.

Why wait for sourdough to cool before cutting it?

The main reason why you should resist the urge to cut into your hot sourdough bread is because the bread continues to cook as it cools.

As the bread cools, the water trapped inside must move to the crust, slowly enabling the bread to dry out and become crisp.

If you cut the bread too early, you will have an unpleasant loaf gum, dough texture. This will result in a difficult cut, as the sticky bread will stick to the knife. As soon as you open your bread, the trapped moisture escapes immediately, resulting in a very dry and stale bread.

What happens if I cut the sourdough bread before it cools?

There is something about fresh baked bread that I find especially addictive. The pleasant aroma wafting from the kitchen counter and wrapping around the nostrils is almost undeniably comforting.

And while these feelings are perfectly fine, it's important not to give in to temptation!

If you cut into a fresh baked sourdough loaf, you'll find that the texture hasn't set yet. The center of the dough will be cute and thickdue to moisture trapped in the bread.

Bread continues to cook after it is removed from the oven, which is why it is important to let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Tips for cutting sourdough bread

Before you try to cut the sourdough bread perfectly, without damaging the crust or the crumb, you will need:

1. Allow the sourdough to cool to room temperature before slicing.
2. Find the perfect one bread knife for sourdoughpreferably a serrated bread knife.
3. Use a simple bread cutting guide to make the bread cut cleanly
4. Let the bread knife do the work.
5. Resist the temptation and not cut into hot sourdough bread!

How to cut sourdough bread perfectly

Before diving into the arbitrary task of slicing fresh bread, it's important to use a correct technique to make the bread slice clean. The easiest way to do this is to treat the bread knife as if it were a saw.

Let it do the work for you. Don't put pressure on the bread when cutting it, as you'll end up damaging the crust and crushing the center.

Pressing down will also result in jagged, uneven slices, simply cut or sliced ​​in a quick back and forth motion until the base of the bread is cut.

Here's how to slice it:

1. Place your sourdough bread on a wooden breadboard, with a dish towel laid underneath the bread.
2. Place your non-dominant hand on the bread to secure it in place and do not push the bread down.
3. Use a sawing motion to start cutting a slice.
4. If the bread is too hard, use a sharp knife to make a small groove in the bread to give you a starting point.
5. Cut back and forth, remembering not to push the bread down.
6. Repeat the process until you've produced a batch of deliciously consistent feta.

The best way to slice bread

First-time bakers can have a harder time finding the right rhythm when trying to slice a freshly baked loaf of bread. What is it the best way to cut breadActually?

For the best crusty bread, here's what you need to do:

• Use the right knife
• Use a bread slide guide
• Use a manual or electric bread slicer

Use the right knife

To create perfect slices, you'll need to choose the right knife for the job. A paring knife that has a long, serrated cutting edge designed to cut through the crust in one swift motion while keeping the fluffy center intact is preferred.

Use a bread slide guide

If you find your hands shaking at the thought of slicing the toast yourself, then you can buy a bread slicing guide to help you out. They are very useful and can be used for all types of bread.

Use a manual or electric bread slicer

If you don't want to risk creating messy slices and want the perfect sliced ​​bread that's both tasty and aesthetically pleasing, then consider getting a manual or electric bread slicer.

Sliced ​​bread

For professional bakers, slicing bread is nothing more than a piece of cake. If you're having trouble finding the right rhythm, just treat your knife like a saw and carefully cut back and forth to achieve the perfect slices.

Frequently asked questions about cutting sourdough bread