The Simple Do's and Don'ts of Storing Bread in Your Home
According to Our Daily Bread, the average American consumes around 53 pounds of bread each year. If you can't get enough of whole wheat rolls or are part of a focaccia-loving family, chances are you have plenty of different bread products in your kitchen. Unfortunately, even if you consider yourself a bread aficionado, chances are you don't know all of these simple bread storage do's and don'ts.
Do Wait Until Your Bread Is Completely Cool Before Storing It
If you love baking your own bread or buy your bread fresh and piping hot from the baker, it is vital that you allow the bread to cool completely before you store it. The warm bread is still releasing heat, and if you wrap it in paper or plastic, you are essentially trapping that warmth and wet steam. This will cause the bread to become soggy, and that will impact the taste and cause the bread to mold much more quickly.
Instead, keep an eye on your bread, and when the entire loaf is cool to the touch, go ahead and store or enjoy it.
Do Store Your Enriched Bread and the Leaner, Crusty Bread Differently
When it comes to the bread in your pantry, chances are you have at least one type of crusty bread, such as flatbread or a brioche, or a soft, enriched bread, including the pre-sliced white bread you buy at the grocery store. Each of these two varieties of bread needs to stored differently to ensure they remain as fresh as possible.
When it comes to storing crusty breads, your best option is to wrap them in butcher or freezer paper. Try to consume this bread the day it is bought. If you have to store the bread for a longer period, wrap it tightly in plastic and place it in the freezer.
In the case of enriched breads, encasing the loaf in plastic wrap is the best option. Make sure to keep the bread in a cool, dry place. Direct sunlight can cause condensation to form on the inside of the plastic bag and cause the bread to mold more quickly. You can also store the plastic-wrapped enriched bread in the freezer.
Don't Put Your Bread in the Refrigerator
Finally, there is one critical mistake that many bread lovers make, and it will actually shorten the life of their favorite loaf. That mistake is storing the product in the refrigerator. The refrigerator's cool temperature can actually draw out the moisture, and that will cause the bread to get stale more quickly. However, it is okay to freeze bread because the excessively cold temperatures discourage mold growth.
Bread makes a great addition to every meal, and storing it correctly can help you enjoy your favorite loaf for longer. Simply follow these do's and don'ts to help ensure your bread doesn't get stale too quickly.
Consult companies like Klosterman Baking Company for more information or to buy bread.