Drawn to its outside size
Holds a loaf in still, slightly humid air so the crumb stays soft for longer than in the open.
How to store sourdough bread
Store sourdough at room temperature, cut side down on a board or in a bread box, for 2 to 3 days. For longer, slice it and freeze it in a sealed bag; toast slices straight from the freezer. Avoid the fridge: bread goes stale faster there than on the counter.
1 to 3 days: cut side down on a board, or in a bread box or linen bag. Longer: slice, freeze in a sealed bag for up to about 3 months. Never: the fridge, unless the loaf would otherwise go mouldy in a hot, humid kitchen.
Our picks
Drawn to its outside size
Bread bag
Linen bread bag
Linen, drawstring
Keeps a crusty loaf for a day or two without making the crust soft.
Bread knife
Mercer Culinary Millennia Wavy Edge Wide Bread Knife, 10 in (M23210)
10 in wavy-edge blade
Mercer Culinary Millennia Wavy Edge Wide Bread Knife, 10 in (M23210)
Slices a crusty loaf evenly for the freezer.
How we know: weights and sizes are the makers' published figures, linked from each product page, and a dough range marked “our estimate” is our arithmetic on them. We do not perform hands-on testing. How we compare.
Cool it fully first
Cool the loaf on a rack for at least an hour, and two for a large sourdough. The crumb is still setting as steam leaves it; cut it hot and the inside turns gummy and the knife squashes it. A rack lets air reach the base so it does not go soft.
- Cool on a rack with air below the loaf.
- Crusty loaf for soon: choose breathable storage and accept some drying.
- Soft sandwich loaf for soon: wrap once cool to retain softness.
- Portions for later: slice, wrap airtight and freeze; thaw or toast as needed.
Slice it right
Use a serrated knife at least 2 in longer than the loaf is wide and let the teeth do the work with long, light strokes. Turn the loaf on its side to start through a hard top crust. Slice only what you will eat, from the middle if you like, and push the two halves back together.
Where to keep it
Sourdough keeps longer than yeasted bread because its acidity slows mould. Bread stales because its starch recrystallises, which happens fastest at fridge temperatures, not because it dries out.
| Where | How long | Crust | Crumb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut side down on a board | 1 to 2 days | Stays crisp | Dries slowly from the cut |
| Bread box | 2 to 3 days | Softens a little | Stays soft |
| Linen or cotton bag | 1 to 2 days | Stays crisp | Dries faster than a box |
| Plastic bag | 2 to 3 days | Goes soft | Stays soft; mould sooner in warm rooms |
| Fridge | Not advised | Soft | Stales fastest |
| Freezer, sliced and sealed | Up to about 3 months | Crisp again when toasted | As fresh as the day frozen |
Freezing and reviving
Freeze the loaf the day it is baked, once it is cool. Slices toast straight from frozen. To revive a whole loaf or half, run the crust under the tap for a second, then heat it at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Choosing storage
If you eat a loaf within two days, a board and a linen bag are enough. If it lasts three days or more, a bread box keeps it soft. If you bake two at a time, freeze one. See bread boxes and bags compared.
Plan the next bake
A loaf that lasts three days means baking twice a week. The bread timeline planner works out when to feed the starter and mix for the day you want fresh bread.
Questions bakers ask
Should I store sourdough in the fridge?
No: bread stales faster in the fridge than at room temperature. Use the freezer for anything you will not eat in 2 to 3 days.
How long does homemade sourdough last?
About 2 to 3 days at room temperature, longer than yeasted bread, and up to about 3 months sliced in the freezer.
How long should sourdough cool before cutting?
At least an hour, ideally two for a large loaf, so the crumb sets.
More equipment for this job
Keep what you own when it does the job. These are the other exact models we profile.
Victorinox Fibrox Bread & Pastry Knife, 10 in (5.2933.26)
For a light knife that goes in the dishwasher
Victorinox Fibrox Bread & Pastry Knife, 10 in (5.2933.26)A 10.2 in wavy-edge stainless knife with a rounded tip and a non-slip handle, 4.8 oz.
10.2 in wavy-edge blade
Tojiro Bread Slicer 270 mm (F-687)
For the longest blade across a big boule
Tojiro Bread Slicer 270 mm (F-687)A 270 mm (10.6 in) serrated slicer with a fine-toothed molybdenum vanadium steel blade.
270 mm (10.6 in) serrated blade
Drawn to its outside size
For one loaf and a lid you slice on
Emile Henry Bread BoxA ceramic bread box with a wooden lid whose grooved underside is a slicing board that catches crumbs.
6.9 qt ceramic box with a board lid14 × 9.85 in outside