Sourdough bread has become trendy again in the last few years, largely because it tastes so wonderful and has this hip, hand-made feel to it. And let’s not forget, with all those COVID lockdowns going on for what felt like forever. Many people started baking it at home because it’s sort of a cool project that leaves you with something tasty to enjoy. Now, it’s a staple for many, whether it’s for a fancy breakfast with eggs or a comforting lunch with soup.
But the thing is, even though sourdough is a staple in many kitchens, some people may be unknowingly making their bread stale sooner than it needs to be. There’s a popular myth about how to store it that’s just not correct. Experts noticed that people are doing something wrong which is affecting the taste and feel of their sourdough. So, if you are one of those persons who love sourdough, you might also want to be warned about it so that you won’t sabotage your bread.
butterfly sourdough pic.twitter.com/0GBvwep9MZ
— 𝒸. (@dearlybeloves) March 26, 2025
If you’ve been keeping your sourdough bread in the fridge, waiting for it to remain fresh-baked for longer, you might be doing damage to your bread instead of saving it. The Perfect Loaf states that keeping sourdough in the fridge isn’t perfect.
Most people believe that because the refrigerator keeps the fruits and vegetables fresh for days, it will keep bread the same way. But bread, especially sourdough, is a bit of a wild child in this sense. If you refrigerate, it will become dry and crumbly in no time.
The Express has a similar take on this. They say that for the best results, you should keep your sourdough bread out on the counter at room temperature. The experts in bread science tell us: “The fridge does not provide the right conditions for sourdough. Instead of extending its life, it speeds up the staling process.”
Why sourdough bread ruins itself in the fridge is more related to what occurs with the starch within it, a phenomenon referred to as retrogradation. Similar to the instance when you leave bread out in the cold, the molecules of the starch become bizarre and aggregate together, causing your once tastefully soft bread to be as hard as rocks at an alarming speed should you keep it at room temperature on the countertop.
Refrigerators are a little tricky on bread, too, since they dry everything out, and sourdough doesn’t like that. It’s sort of like how fruits and vegetables get happy and crunchy in the fridge, but it’s a sad tale for bread. It requires a little more love and care to remain nice and soft.
Now, although some people prefer to store their sourdough starter in the fridge to give it a break from growing too quickly, that doesn’t apply to your newly baked loaf.
Here are some tricks that the professionals use to keep your sourdough bread as fresh as the day it was baked:
- Wrap it in a paper bag or kitchen towel, like a mini warm blanket, so that it won’t dry out but will still breathe a little bit.
- Store it in a bread bin. A bread bin is like a sourdough’s home away from home, with exactly the right environment to keep your sourdough fresh for as long as a whole week.
- Place it in a dry, cool place that’s out of the sun. Heat and humidity are the enemies of bread, so store it somewhere it won’t become too hot or too wet.
If you’ve found yourself with a great deal of sourdough bread that you won’t be able to get through within a few days, don’t worry! Freezing is a much better option than just sticking it in the fridge.
Dehydrating your sourdough starter is so easy and it’s my favorite way to share it with someone so they don’t have to feel pressure to do anything w it right away.
It can last forever dehydrated. The oldest (so far) is 4500 years old! pic.twitter.com/q6BbWgIniA
— Roxanne Ahern (@Happyholistichs) July 31, 2022
For the best outcomes:
- Slice the loaf before you freeze it. This way, you can grab only the amount you need without having to thaw the whole thing.
- Use freezer bags that keep the air out tightly. These little guys are like a fortress for your bread, fending off the nasty freezer burn and keeping the moisture right where it belongs.
- When it’s time to enjoy a slice, let it thaw out gently. You can either leave it on the counter overnight or use the defrosting setting on your toaster.
The pros say, “The retrogradation process can be mostly halted by freezing, preventing moisture migration, and maintaining the bread’s texture.”
So the next time you have a sourdough loaf that’s more than you can eat in a few days, leave it out of the fridge and either store it at room temperature or freeze it. Your taste buds will relish it later!
