Storing hard crusted bread
I'm currently baking a batch of sourdough bread. My last batch turned out perfectly with a hard crust and chewy inside. My problem is how to store the bread such that the crust stays hard. If I put it in a plastic bag the crust goes soft in a matter of hours and I'm afraid that the bread will turn dry if I leave it without some kind of protection. Note that I'm not looking for a long term storage solution.
What is the best way to store my bread, such that the crust stays hard and the inside stays chewy?
Best Answer
I recently read somewhere (I forget where) that if you're only storing it for a day or two, standing the loaf cut-side down on a cutting board worked fine. The crust stays crisp, and the cut edge is protected and doesn't go stale.
Storing it that way much longer than a day or so probably would risk going stale.
Unfortunately, we don't get to do this much as we can't eat one fast enough to get away with unprotected storage like that. So we have to live with increasingly soft crusts in plastic bags.
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Quick Answer about "Storing hard crusted bread"
Large crusty loaves can be stored unwrapped (to preserve their crispy crust) at room temperature for a day or so, cut side down on the counter. For optimum long-term storage (longer than a couple of days), wrap bread in single-day portions and freeze.How do you keep bread crusted overnight?
3. Wrap Your Bread in Foil or Plastic. Storing your bread on the countertop in a plastic bag or wrapped in foil will help keep it from going stale, but be warned: the crust will suffer due to trapped moisture. (Toasting the bread will bring some of the crust's crunchy texture back.)How do you keep bread crusty crispy?
Simple: a long, slow cool helps keep things crisp. And your oven can do all the work: first baking your favorite crisp/crunchy treats, then finishing the job by drying them out, too.How long will crusty bread last?
Properly stored, crusty white bread will last for about 2 to 3 days at normal room temperature. How long does crusty white bread last in the fridge? crusty white bread should ideally not be refrigerated, as the bread will dry out and become stale faster than at room temperature.Can you put crusty bread in the fridge?
Can bread be stored in the fridge? Storing bread in the fridge is not the best way. If the room is hot and humid, you can put the bread in the fridge, which will prevent mold but will accelerate the aging process, making it hard and dry. Bread goes stale fastest at temperatures from 0-10\u2070c/32-50\u2070f.The best way to store your artisan sourdough bread? | Foodgeek Baking
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Answer 2
For crusty bread, try a paper bag. It'll help keep the bread crusty, and it won't dry out quite as fast as being left on the counter.
Answer 3
A bread box could be useful. Aside from keeping bread fresh and protected from critters, I would think it could help with crust appeal.
I also wonder if storing in a cloth bag or towel would protect it from drying out, yet allow enough air circulation to prevent the crusts from softening.
Here are quite a selections of bread boxes, who knew they were still so popular:
http://www.amazon.com/b?node=13880451
This may be your perfect solution where you can control amount of air flow:
I would think a bread box from a bread flour company would be well suited to home-baked bread:
... aside from the frequents dings that people are finding in the exterior. Just add a couple more and call it patina.
NEW INFO: I asked King Arthur Flour about effectiveness of the bread box on crusts:
It will definitely keep the bread from getting too hard like leaving it out in the open air, and it will keep it from getting too soft like plastic bags do.
The crust on your rustic breads will soften up some though, especially after a day or two and it will vary depending on the weather. So in general, it's better than plastic or nothing at all, but there will be some changes to the crust texture over time.
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Images: ready made, ready made, Julia Filirovska, Igor Ovsyannykov