How to Store Sourdough Bread
Keep a sourdough loaf crusty and sliceable for days, know when to freeze it, and bring a stale loaf back to life in ten minutes.
The Fridge Is Where Sourdough Goes to Die
Most people wrap a good loaf in plastic and put it in the fridge, then wonder why it turns dry and cardboardy by Wednesday. Bread stales fastest at refrigerator temperature, around 35F to 40F — faster than it does sitting on your counter.
Sourdough only has one real enemy at room temperature, and that is air hitting the cut face. Keep the crust intact, keep the cut side sealed against a board or a paper bag, and freeze anything you won't eat within three days.
Counter, Not Cold
A whole loaf keeps two to three days at room temperature in a paper bag or bread box, away from sunlight and the heat off your stove.
Cut Side Down
The crust is the wrapper — set the loaf cut side flat on a wooden board or counter so the open crumb is sealed and the crust stays crisp.
Plastic Is a Trade
A plastic bag keeps the inside soft but traps steam, so the crust goes soft and leathery within a day and mold shows up faster.
Freeze at Peak
Slice the loaf, freeze it in a zip-top bag with the air pressed out, and it holds well for up to three months — toast slices straight from frozen.
The method
- 1
Let it cool all the way
A warm loaf is still releasing steam. Wrapping or bagging it before it is completely cool at the center makes the crust go soft and gummy.
- 2
Store it whole and face down
Do not slice more than you need. Stand the loaf on its cut face on a board or in a bread box and leave the crust exposed to air.
- 3
Use paper, not plastic, for day-to-day
A paper bag or a linen towel lets moisture escape so the crust stays crisp. Skip the counter spot next to the stove or a sunny window.
- 4
Freeze the half you won't finish
On day one or two, slice what is left, stack the slices in a freezer bag, press the air out and seal. Label it with the date.
- 5
Revive a tired loaf
Run the crust briefly under the tap or spritz it with water, then bake at 375F to 400F for eight to ten minutes. Eat it that day, it will not keep twice.
Show what you know
Three quick calls every home baker has to make. See how you do.
Question 1 of 3
It's day one and you know half the loaf won't get eaten by day three. What's the move?
Put it to work
A quick, mild loaf that's ready in an afternoon — bake it, then put your storage setup to work keeping the crust and crumb right all week.
★ snack
snackSimple Sourdough Bread
I love sourdough! For some people it’s an acquired taste. This recipe has the perfect hint of sourdough flavor you’ll love but not too overpowering.
Andi GIngredients
- 1 2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast
- 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/3 cup Sourdough Starter (fed)
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 tbsp Lukewarm Water
Instructions
- 1(I used a bread machine for the dough process but you can make it by hand too!) Place the ingredients into the pan of your machine, in the order suggested by the manufacturer; program for French Bread, or a similar long-rising cycle; and press start. (Check the dough after about 10 minutes)
- 2Remove bread from machine and let rise for an additional hour
- 3Bake! For 35 to 45 Minutes at 425F in a loaf pan, follow separate instructions for using a Dutch oven
P.S. Pepper keeps the recipe, the timings and your own notes in one place — so the next time you cook it, you're not starting from a search box.
More cooking tips
Never lose a recipe again
Save everything. Stay organized. Share with friends.
