Slicing and storing bread

For best results, place bread on a wire rack and allow to cool 15 to 30 minutes before slicing. Use an electric knife for even slices. Otherwise, use a sharp serrated knife.


For square slices, place the loaf on its side and slice across.
Store unused bread tightly covered (re-sealable plastic bags or plastic containers work well) at room temperature up to three days. For longer storage (up to one month), place bread in a tightly covered container in the freezer.

Since homemade bread has no preservatives, it tends to dry out and become stale faster than commercially-made bread.  Leftover slightly hardened bread may be cut into 1/2-inch or 1 -inch cubes and used in recipes to make croutons, bread pudding or stuffing.