In a nutshell: There are two ways to reheat bread so it tastes freshly baked: using an oven or an air fryer. Both methods require wrapping the bread in aluminum foil and heating it for a short time at a moderate temperature.
Bread is one of the foods that you can definitely reheat—and we don’t simply mean turning them into toast or croutons. You can warm bread in a way that it tastes as fresh as it was in the beginning. There are many reasons why you should save the bread for later and reheat it.
One good thing about having excess bread leftover is you can eat it the next day. The other is to intentionally buy superfine homemade bread, as I usually do, then freeze it and reheat for later. This will save you the hassle of having to buy one loaf of bread every day.
How To Store Bread For A Longer Time
Let’s first figure out how to store bread properly. Whether you bought it or made it yourself, you want to allow it to be equally delicious for a few days. Also, this technique will be great if your guests come unannounced in the evening, and you don’t have fresh bread at the moment.
The best way to store bread and retain its flavor is to freeze it. Don’t worry, the bread is very easy to thaw afterward, and once reheated, it will have absolutely the same aroma and texture as if it had just been baked.
Wrap fresh bread well in foil before placing it in the freezer. This will help maintain its natural humidity. It is better to freeze the bread as soon as it has cooled down a bit from baking.
Don’t wait for it to pass all day or until tomorrow as it will surely lose its fluffiness and the perfect texture it had after baking. So set aside the portion you want to eat that day and store the rest in the freezer.
When you take it out of the freezer, let it thaw completely, come to room temperature, and then use your favorite way to reheat cold bread.
How To Reheat Bread in the Oven
If you don’t have an air fryer, oven will be the only way to reheat bread to retain its original flavor and texture. The bread you thawed and reheated in the oven really won’t make any difference compared to the one just baked.
And if you have room in your freezer, this is an ideal way to spare yourself the daily purchase of loaves. Everything is effortless, and here are the steps you need to take to make your cold bread soft and delicious.
Step 1: Let your Bread Rest on Room Temperature
Don’t forget to thoroughly thaw the bread before heating it so that the inside doesn’t stay cold while the crust is too baked. Then, allow it to adjust to room temperature. Thawing will not take long. Bread will defrost much sooner than, for example, meat.
Step 2: Preheat Oven to 350 °F
Set the oven to 350 degrees F and let it heat up thoroughly. This is the ideal temperature for reheating bread. A stronger temperature could cause the crust to burn before the bread is warmed.
Step 3: Wrap the Bread in Aluminum Foil
It is best not to cut the bread into slices before heating it as this will dry it out. So, wrap the whole loaf of bread in foil. This will help the bread to heat up evenly without the crust burning. You can also brush a little bit of water on the bread surface so it doesn’t become too dry.
Step 4: Bake for 10 to 15 Minutes
Put the bread in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust the baking time depending on how big the bread is. Thinner loaves of bread will take 10 minutes, while thicker ones will need 15 minutes to heat up well.
Reheating Bread in An Air Fryer
We would say that the air fryer is the only alternative to a classic or toaster oven when it comes to heating bread.
Certainly, this is a much faster method, and if you have this appliance in your kitchen, it should be your first choice.
Reheated bread will be as fresh as if it had just been baked, and you will hardly notice that it has been in the freezer for months.
Step 1: Let your Bread Rest a Bit
As is the case with the heating method in a classic oven, it would be good to thoroughly defrost the bread and let it stand for a while at room temperature.
If you suddenly heat up bread that is still very cold in the middle, it could happen that the internal temperature is not satisfactory.
Step 2: Preheat the Air Fryer to 300 °F
It will be better if the temperature is middle low than too hot. Set it to 300 degrees and let the air fryer heat up well.
Step 3: Place the Leftover Bread in Fryer Basket
You can simply put the bread in the air fryer basket without any additional steps. Just make sure that it fits nicely in the basket and that it does not touch the heaters. You can use a baking sheet if you prefer a cleaner basket.
It is undoubtedly better if the loaf is whole rather than sliced bread. If you want, you can wrap it in aluminum foil, but there is no need for that in the air fryer.
Step 4: Cook for 3 to 4 Minutes
Air frying will take approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure the inside is warm enough, as the cooking time may vary depending on the size of the bread.
FAQs
Can I keep the bread in the fridge?
The refrigerator will not help to preserve flavor and keep the bread fresh. If you have any bread left for tomorrow, you’d rather leave it on the kitchen counter than put it in the fridge. You can put it in a paper bag, which will help preserve the freshness. The refrigerator will actually speed up the decay process and the bread will no longer be equally delicious.
Can I reheat bread without using an oven?
If you have an air fryer, use it instead of the oven. But other ways are not so reliable. The microwave really won’t help you reheat the bread. It can help if you only have a few slices to heat up. Definitely put some damp paper towel over it to restore freshness. The alternative is to make toast bread and reheat it faster that way.
Can I reheat bread more than once?
Heating the bread multiple times will surely ruin the flavor and texture. Reheat only once rather than dry it out with constant rewarming. It is wise to divide the loaf in advance before you freeze the bread so that you can take out a smaller piece at any time, that is exactly as much as you need.
Is it good to reheat bread?
Reheating bread can be acceptable depending on the type of bread. While some bread, like toast, can be enjoyable when reheated, other types of bread may lose their original texture and taste. For best results, store bread properly and consider using other methods to freshen it, such as toasting or using it in recipes like French toast or bread pudding.
Conclusion
Freezing and later reheating bread is a great way to save yourself time going to the bakery every day. Also, you can always have a few loaves of frozen bread in case you suddenly need it.
The procedure is extremely simple. While the bread is still fresh, wrap it in foil, and store it in the freezer. Later, you just need to thaw the bread and reheat it. You will hardly notice a difference compared to freshly baked bread.
Tanja is great lover of healthy eating and lifestyle, she has been editing TV series about nutrition and health for years. She also engaged in food production in the family business, mainly focused on fruit processing without destroying vitamins and minerals. She believes that quality nutrition is one of the key ingredients of a happy and healthy life.
