Preservative(s) For Homemade Bread

Barriehie

Barriehie

Guru
Joined
22 Nov 2024
Local time
6:40 AM
Messages
3,701
Location
Rome, Georgia US
The humidity is such here, Georgia, that my homemade bread is molding by day 4! Indoor RH is around 60% all the time at 74°F. I'm making a loaf now where I've added 2 tsp. of egg yolk powder, for the lecithin, that's a preservative. I'm making the bread per badjak 's synopsis here.

Has anyone else experienced this issue with homemade bread and needed a means to preserve it?

I take care in not touching it with my hands in that I've got it wrapped in paper towels then in a paper bag then in a plastic bag and left on the counter.
 
Morning Glory said:
I put bread in the fridge. It's contrary to advice but I find it works very well.
Click to expand...
Thank you MG, I tried that but it dries out rather quick. You can see the edges shrinking in where you cut a slice off. If I put store bought bread in the fridge it lasts forever with no change but then that ingredient list takes up a large rectangle on the bag. Mine, until now, has just been flour, water, salt, and yeast.
 
I’ve done all that stuff with the paper towels and plastic bags and found the best solution ended up being a good old-fashioned breadbox like your grandma had - it’s ventilated, and bread goes in naked and unwrapped. It added a couple of days to mine.

Honestly, though, with your weather, four days is very good for a loaf of bread. I’ve had homemade bread turn in as little as two days.

You can also slice it all at once and freeze what you’re not going to immediately eat, then thaw it out, a slice at a time, as you need it. It’ll thaw in no time.
 
TastyReuben said:
I’ve done all that stuff with the paper towels and plastic bags and found the best solution ended up being a good old-fashioned breadbox like your grandma had - it’s ventilated, and bread goes in naked and unwrapped. It added a couple of days to mine.

Honestly, though, with your weather, four days is very good for a loaf of bread. I’ve had homemade bread turn in as little as two days.

You can also slice it all at once and freeze what you’re not going to immediately eat, then thaw it out, a slice at a time, as you need it. It’ll thaw in no time.
Click to expand...
Thank you TR. I keep seeing breadbox and might have to go that way. I recall we had one growing up that was brass and had a magnetic door latch. Have to have a look for that.
 
I would go with freezing it over putting it in the fridge personally
You could freeze anything you won't eat in 3-4 days on the day it's baked (wrapped well). If necessary portion it in 3-4 day chunks, or make appropriate size loaves to freeze/defrost whole.

And agree with TR, my nan used a traditional wooden bread box on the counter - she just wrapped her bread in a clean tea towel, and popped it in there.
 
Last night I remembered I'd seen stuff about cold proving and wondered if that may be of use to you?
breadtopia.com talks of a final proving in the fridge of says 8-14 hrs, but says it may possibly be ok after 24 hrs
theperfectloaf.com says 8-16 hrs proved in fridge is ok
some other discussion here Proving Bread Overnight - Why And How?

Maybe you already know this stuff, but I was thinking prep ... split dough .. prove/bake 1 today, prove remainder in the fridge and bake tomorrow. That's one way of extending the freshness of baked bread
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom