Comments on: Keeping Homemade Bread Fresher, Longer

By: Diane Aull

Diane Aull — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:59:51 +0000

@tom: Freezing does indeed work great (except when your freezer is already packed to the gills with homemade soup and frozen veggies preserved from last summer’s local farm produce box deliveries)… ;)

@sheldon: I’d always been told bread goes stale faster in the ‘fridge. But I’m a bit of a skeptic — I like to experiment and see for myself. I’m just reporting here on my personal experience. YMMV. :)

By: sheldon

sheldon — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:02:40 +0000

You shouldn’t keep your bread in the refrigerator. Staleness is caused by crystallization of the starch molecules, which occurs faster at cool temperatures.

By: Tom M.

Tom M. — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:54:09 +0000

I usually slice my homemade bread then freeze it and when I need to make a sandwich or need a slice for toast in the A.M. I simply thaw out what I need and basically don’t worry about it growing mold or going stale. Seems to work for me not complicated.

By: biba

biba — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:40:31 +0000

Great point !

Are you able to help on a different matter ? My home made bread is so dense !
Researched and gather thatthat’s normal for machine made bread .
any ideas ?

By: Diane Aull

Diane Aull — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 02:00:28 +0000

I’ve also had some luck adding diastatic malt and baker’s dry milk (I got mine from King Arthur Flour, but they’re available elsewhere) to my dough. Baker’s dry milk is different from regular milk powder; it’s made specially for baking use and doesn’t reconstitute into drinking milk if you add water. They both promise extended shelf life – and help the loaves rise higher, too. Thanks for sharing! That 5-seconds-in-the-microwave trick sounds pretty useful. I’ll have to give that a try.

By: Mr A

Mr A — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:26:25 +0000

I got here wanting to know how to keep the bread fresh longer. My mom freezes it. I think that makes it taste off a bit. I have put flax seed meal, honey , mollasses, potatoes. All help make softer bread, but only the flax meal seems to help it keep longer. I started keeping in the bread machine, using it as a bread drawer. a few mists of water and 5 seconds in the microwave brings stale old bread back to life. Make french toast

By: Diane Aull

Diane Aull — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 22:31:14 +0000

Excellent suggestion! I’ve tried making potato bread myself some time ago and it was always delish. Moist and soft! I’ll have to give that a try again. :)

By: Roger Wiggins

Roger Wiggins — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 13:11:33 +0000

I learned an old Amish trick years ago and it works. Add 1/2 cup mashed potatoes to the bread.

By: Diane Aull

Diane Aull — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 21:10:19 +0000

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Kerry! I’m with you – I hate throwing out bread because it molded on the counter. It’s pretty hot here in the summer in the Southeast, too, so I know where you’re coming from with the bread molding in just a few days. I’d rather have bread that’s maybe slightly less “fresh” (but mold-free) than to have to throw out perfectly good homemade bread because it went bad in the breadbox.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:53:52 +0000

Diane,
I read alot of information online, I rarely post comments, but I just had to this time! I ALWAYS keep my bread in the refrigerator. It takes me a couple of weeks to go through a loaf of bread. I live in the hot desert – so if I leave it on the counter, it’s moldy in a few days. If I put it in the fridge, it will last weeks. May not taste the best after the first week, and then it’s better for toast and/or toasted sandwiches, but I’ll eat if it’s not moldy or totally hard and dried out. Once moldy, it’s straight to the trash. So, maybe I’ve gotten used to eating “stale” bread and that’s ok with me :)! I am absolutely going to try your humidity drawer idea. Although – I usually have it loaded with veggies, so I’m going to have to figure out the logistics. Thanks for the tip! To anyone who says (like alot of people do) “NEVER STORE BREAD IN THE REFRIGERATOR” – I say – fewey on that :)! Many years of experience tells me otherwise. Of course it’s all a matter of personal preference. We are each free to do what works for us.
Kerry