After Freezing Hoagie Bread How Do I Get It Soft Again

The ultimate how-to-guide for storing, freezing, and refreshing sourdough or fresh bread at home!

Every bit most of you know, I've gottenveryinto bread baking over the past half-dozen months! I started my very own sourdough starter (Breadley Cooper) this by July and have been regularly making this sourdough staff of life recipe ever since.

It was one of the most fun projects that I tackled in the last year and I tin can't expect to share more sourdough bread resource with you lot this year. If yous're looking to get started, be sure to check out my extensive list of sourdough bread tools for beginner and experienced bread bakers.

One of the well-nigh frequently asked questions that I get (specially over on Instagram) ishow I store fresh bread, particularly since I live in a small household and regularly bake two loaves at in one case.

I'm hither today to share all the secrets!Below you'll detect extensive tips on how to store bread, how to freeze bread, and how to refresh bread so that it tastes just equally good equally new.

Basic Bread Storage Tips:

While there are several means to store bread, my favorite method is below. This method will ensure that y'all go along that well-baked, crusty exterior for as long equally possible. For this post, I'm referring to artisanal boules, batards, baguettes, etc., not your typical sandwich bread from the grocery store.

Information technology is worth noting that 1 of the benefits offresh sourdough staff of life (staff of life made with a sourdough culture) is that it has a longer shelf life than typical shop-bought bread. It tin can typically concluding for almost 4 to 5 days at room temperature.

Whatever yous do, delight do not refrigerate your bread. Information technology will crusade your staff of life to dried significantly faster. Depending on how recently your bread was broiled, y'all'll want to arroyo staff of life storage slightly differently.

Why You Shouldn't Slice into Warm Bread:

It isvery important to allow bread to cool completely to room temperature earlier storingor slicing. Place it on a cooling rack and resist the urge to dig into it.Slicing fresh warm bread out of the oven, while extremely tempting, affects its texture and flavor(it will be gummier and less blusterous; and will upshot in loaf that dries out much faster).

How to Store Bread

24-hour interval One – Mean solar day Two:

• for bread that has just been baked, I always leave it out, completely uncovered, at room temperature on the outset solar day of baking. The crust on freshly baked bread will remain at its best texture for at least one day, if not two full days.
• If you piece into your breadstuff: information technology is best practice to leave it cut-side down on a cutting board uncovered, particularly if you enjoy a well-baked chaff. This volition assist protect the interior from drying out, merely not issue in any wet collecting on the crust and it condign too soft.
• If you havenot sliced into your bread: if I choose not to piece into the bread on the 24-hour interval of baking, I generally transfer the whole loaf to a large paper bag and fold over the edges. While the crust won't be quite equally crisp every bit the showtime day of baking, the porousness of the paper bag will allow air to circulate, nonetheless as well help information technology non dry out out too quickly.

Day 3 – 24-hour interval Iv:

• While the above method works actually well for freshly baked bread, you'll desire to cover information technology a couple days after information technology has baked, otherwise it will dry out out quickly and go stale/too hard to slice.
• Normally past twenty-four hour period three, the best choice is to store information technology staff of life box (if yous have one) or a large Ziploc bag. It's important to note that this isn't a perfect solution,  bread (or roofing it tightly) in this manner will inevitably cause the moisture from the loaf to exist trapped, resulting in a softer textured crust. You can become around this by toasting your breadstuff lightly.
• Alternatively, you lot tin can as well wrap your breadstuff in natural beeswrap (chapter link) which is a wonderful and improve culling as information technology is naturally porous and won't cause every bit much wet to be trapped!

24-hour interval Five +:

• Why haven't you eaten all your bread? No, simply seriously, if yous do non plan on consuming your whole loaf of bread within the showtime few days of baking, I more often than not ever propose storing information technology in the freezer (see my instructions beneath).

How to Freeze Bread:

One of the best tools in your kitchen for storing bread is the freezer! If yous have limited access to fabulous bread or need to purchase bread many days (to a few weeks) in advance of a dinner party or special occasion, I highly recommend buying an actress loaf or two, freezing the loaves, and enjoying them at a later on date.

Since I broil 2 loaves of sourdough bread at a time, I almost always freeze my 2d loaf. If I follow a few basic steps, that frozen loaf out of the freezer can tastesimply as good as the freshly baked loaf.

For freezing bread, information technology is very of import to allow your staff of life to coolcompletely earlier freezing.If stored properly, staff of life can exist stored in the freezer for about 3 to half dozen months; however its flavor volition diminish the longer it is stored.

How to Freeze Whole Loaves of Bread:

To freeze entire loaves of bread, allow the bread to cool completely, then transfer to a big, durable Ziploc handbag, press out any excess air, and seal. If you are all concerned that your breadstuff chaff will puncture the purse, you tin can wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or identify it in a minor paper bag, so transfer information technology to a Ziploc pocketbook.

This is my favorite method for short or long term staff of life storage. My frozen bread loaves tastejust every bit good when refreshed properly, equally my freshly baked staff of life loaves do.

How to Freeze Sliced Breadstuff:

If y'all merely swallow a modest amount of staff of life at a time (or have it occasionally here and in that location) or have a pocket-size household, one fabulous manner to store bread is to slice information technology before freezing.

To practice this, piece your bread evenly with a serrated bread knife and transfer information technology to a large Ziploc bag. If your nibble is extremely moist, I propose placing a modest piece of parchment paper betwixt each slice to ensure that the slices don't stick together.

This method allows yous to take i piece out at a time, toast it (undefrosted) in your toaster or favorite method of choice, and take a succulent breakfast or snack whenever you want!

How to Refresh Breadstuff Perfectly:

This is my favorite method for freezing (and refreshing) whole loaves of bread. Information technology sounds a bit crazy, but you lot will be amazed at the results. This results in a very crisp crust that tastes and feels as it does but after baking.

I promise, in one case you lot try this method, you will never go back! Your frozen breadstuff volitiontaste like y'all merely baked it. Even if you lot have a lackluster loaf of bread from a bakery (the crust has softened considerably), endeavor this method below, and it will exist elevated instantly.

This method works incredibly well for artisanal loaves of bread, as well as baguettes, etc.

How to Refresh Whole Loaves of Bread:

• Allow your frozen loaf of staff of life to thaw (in the bag) at room temperature for several hours or overnight on your countertop the night before.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 C) for at least 20 minutes with a rack in the center position.
• Remove the loaf of staff of life from the bag and lightly run information technology, very quickly, under cold water. You do not want to saturate your loaf of breadstuff, just lightly saturate/spritz it evenly with common cold h2o on all sides. This light coating of water steams in the oven and results in a far crisper, fresher crust than placing a loaf in the oven dry. *Practice not consummate this step until your oven is completely preheated and you lot're gear up to stick information technology in the oven.
• Place the whole loaf of breadstuff directly on the oven rack and broil for 15 to twenty minutes, or until the crust is well-baked and cracks slightly when compressed slightly. This time might vary slightly depending on the size of your loaf of bread (baguettes might only need about 15 minutes at the nearly), but I always err on the longer side.
• Remove and allow your perfectly crisped, refreshed loaf of bread to cool completely on a cooling rack – usually at least an hour – before slicing. Store breadstuff equally directed in a higher place. I mostly find that refreshed whole loaves of bread will shop just besides, perhaps drying out slightly faster, as freshly baked loaves.

Permit me know if you have whatsoever questions below and I'1000 happy to respond them!

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