How keep homemade S.D. Bread fresh ??

NDG

Decent amount of SD bread bakers here . . 

1) What’s your method to preserve texture & keep fresh once cut ??

2) also, how do you gift bread to friends / neighbors?  wrap in wax paper or other? Do you make suggestions about ways to preserve when you gift?  

Shiff

If I'm going to defrost a whole loaf at once, I just put it in a plastic bag and freeze it, then put that bag inside a foodsaver bag and seal it.  If I want to just take out a few slices at a time, I slice the whole loaf, put it in a plastic bag with wax paper between the slices. Then freeze that bag. Once frozen, I put it in a foodsaver bag and seal it.  Don't seal it until it is frozen or you'll be storing a flat bread.

Eoin

We wrap in wax paper when baked and cool. Once cut, it goes in a ziplock as well as the wax paper. Same for freezing. Just wax paper if we give a loaf away. It doesn't last long here so storage isn't an issue. 

caliking

The best solution is... eat it!!

No matter what you do to bread re: storage, it isn't nearly as good as it was prior to storing it. I started making smaller loaves, so I wouldn't have to freeze leftovers, or throw any of it away because it was growing things. 

I usually end up baking bread at night, which means I don't get to enjoy warm, crusty bread when its best. The loaf stays out on the stove grate overnight, then I cut a few slices off the next day for lunch at work. I leave it cut side down on the cutting board for a day, then stick it in a ziploc bag for 2-3 days. After that it goes into the fridge. Any slices after that are toasted when eaten, and seems to fare pretty well. I adjusted the loaf size so that one would last about a week, and then I bake another one. 

When giving bread to friends, I bake the night before, then wrap the cooled loaf in a plastic grocery store bag (lets the loaf breathe a bit). Wraped a little fancier in parchment if its meant as a gift. 

SciAggie

My answer is very much the same as @caliking. I also make smaller loaves. I’ll store them cut side down but in a 2 gallon ziplock. I’ll eat the loaf within 2 days. I’ll make toast, have a sandwich, then make bread pudding or french toast after that. Grilled SD bread with balsamic vinegar and sea salt is a killer appetizer. 

NDG

Thanks everyone - very helpful tips & advice.  I’ll try to post some of my bread later on that wild yeast OP.  Always delicious but preservation always confused me.

ColbyLang

You can use white vinegar as a preservative. Look up usage levels, but it won’t be much in a home batch dough. We use calcium propionate at my bakery. Again, very small quantities. We use 8oz per 100# of flour

gabriegger

Put a paper towel in the freezer bag.  Absorbs the moisture and keeps bread fresher.

jtcBoynton

One of the nice things about sourdough bread is that it stales slower than non-sourdough. Eat it faster is the best method.  It will be fine for toasting for a long time (just had the last of a week old loaf this morning).  Eat it fresh for the first couple of days and then use it toasted after that.  If you cannot get to it fast enough turn it into croutons for later use. Also use older bread for items that call for stale bread like bread pudding.

NDG

Good advice from everyone - day 3 we stopped eating fresh, and started toasting . .  breakfast was buttered toast with different spreads (honey, jam, PB) and dinner was Reubens 

Eggcelsior

The Tangzhong method is an easy way to keep bread fresh longer.

Shiff

I had never heard of Tangzhong, so I looked it up.  It sounds like a nice way to make a softer bread, but I prefer a crusty sourdough  bread that isn't soft.  I'll have to try it some day to see what it does.