|
Retaining freshness is a must if you want to maximize the quality of your bread. Bread is best enjoyed within the day of purchase, but there are times that we have to store it for a day or two, perhaps even for a week. If you want to retain the freshness of your bread, proper storage is a must. Here are some tips on how to keep your bread fresh and delicious. Room Temperature is Usually Better than the Refrigerator A lot of people keep their bread in the fridge, thinking that this is the best way to keep the bread fresh. However, in most cases, this is not the best option for retaining freshness. The coldness of the fridge strips the moisture off the bread and makes it dry. This makes the bread stale faster, especially for those that have bread flavours and bread improvers. If you have bread for two or three days, storing the bread in room temperature is the better option. Put the bread in a tea towel or linen bag before storing. Freeze for Future Consumption Yes, we have said that the fridge is not the best storage area for your bread. But if you have too much bread in your hands and you don't want them to go stale, storing them in the fridge is what you should do. This is best for keeping bread that is close to its expiration date. Place the bread in foil or re-sealable plastic bag before placing in the freezer to somehow keep some of its freshness. Make sure that your package is airtight; there should be absolutely no air between the plastic and the bread. When you are ready to eat the bread, take it out of the fridge and defrost for a few minutes, then toast in the oven. Toasting is also applicable for breads that are already a little stale; heating it will recover some of the freshness and will make it palatable somehow. Avoid Buying Pre-Sliced Bread Bread loses its freshness fast once you slice it and place it in a plastic bag. This is true to all types of bread, especially those that use low quality bakery mixes. Buy loaves that are not yet sliced instead. Once you get home, slice off only the pieces that you plan to eat and store the remaining part in a breadbox. For those who don't have a breadbox, wrapping the bread in a tea towel and paper bag is a great option. Make Good Use of Stale Bread If you find yourself with lots of leftover bread, you need not fret over the waste. You can still salvage them and make good use of them. You can heat it and use it as breadcrumbs for your casseroles and macaroni dishes. You can even use it as coating for your fried chicken or fish fillets. If you plan to serve chicken, turkey, or fish, you can use the stale bread as stuffing, along with nuts, squash, cranberries, sausage, and a whole lot more. Of course, there's the classic meatloaf. This is the most popular use for stale bread. It makes meatloaf heftier in a cheaper way. If you are not keen on spending for saltine crackers as breading, using stale bread is your best option. To maximize your bread purchase, make sure that you know how to keep it fresh and what to do with leftovers in case your supply gets stale.
Related Articles -
food,
|
