Preservatives for homemade bread

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JustJoel

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I make way too much bread for the two of us to eat, and I have a very small freezer that’s already pretty stuffed. So I’d like my loaves to have a little bit more shelf life. Stale bread isn’t a problem, I can always use it as croutons or a bread pudding; I want to keep it from going moldy just a leetle bit longer.

The only real ingredients that seem to be available to home bakers that I’ve found are ascorbic acid and calcium prprionate. Do any of you use either of these, and if so, how? And do either of them change the taste of the bread, or affect the crust or the crumb? Do you favor one over the other? Should I just get an auxiliary freezer? Or should I just wait to bake a new loaf until the old goes moldy (or is eaten...)? A couple of websites suggest using a preferment.

Thanks for your input, friends.
 
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Scald some of the flour in the bread can add on shelf life, also not storing in plastic bag or the fridge can also help. Get your self a bread pot.

And I would bake less bread, I know it fun, but it makes more sense then adding preservatives in bread.
 
I would just wait and bake on a more "as-needed" basis. The best thing about fresh bread is the "fresh" thing. Just my 2-cents.

CD
 
I would make two smaller loaves and give one away to a friend or co-worker!

If that doesn't work try making a refrigerator dough that would last several days in the refrigerator and bake it off fresh as needed or a dough that can be frozen in portions suitable for the two of you so you can thaw it and bake it as needed.

Good luck!
 
I would just wait and bake on a more "as-needed" basis. The best thing about fresh bread is the "fresh" thing. Just my 2-cents.

CD
I'll throw in my 2 cents and agree. Joel, it seems like you are in the kitchen puttering away for hours every day, so just plan on making a fresh loaf as needed. Bread can be that day's "thing" when you're out of bread.
 
home made bred should not have any preservatives. That's why it is home made, otherwise go buy one from the store.
 
You can also store the kneaded dough in the refrigerator and just bake a loaf at a time. The dough will keep for almost a week like that. You can also freeze the dough. That will stop it from rising until you thaw it. It will come right back to life when it thaws.
 
You can also store the kneaded dough in the refrigerator and just bake a loaf at a time. The dough will keep for almost a week like that. You can also freeze the dough. That will stop it from rising until you thaw it. It will come right back to life when it thaws.
I use the no-knead method, which you can keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. The longer it's in there, the more flavorful it gets.
 
Scald some of the flour in the bread can add on shelf life, also not storing in plastic bag or the fridge can also help. Get your self a bread pot.

And I would bake less bread, I know it fun, but it makes more sense then adding preservatives in bread.
I store bread in the refrigerator in a plastic bag and it doesn't grow mould for several weeks, if ever.
 
Tax lady, then you have very good fridge, most fridges are too cold and damp for bread to survive with out becoming hard and crumbly. Unless you have store brought bread that is.

Ryebread like being in room temp, wrap in towel and in a clay pot, how ever I just keep in a towel and it doesnt mould, because it eaten before that.
 
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