slicing homemade breads
By Modestah
@Modestah (11179)
United States
April 27, 2009 12:17am CST
I have been making a lot of bread lately - roughly 1-2 pounds a day. I think that will slow down a bit after the novelty wears off a bit with the family. Anyhow - I am finding I have trouble slicing the bread for sandwiches. I am using a serated knife but still the bread squishes up on me. Today I sliced the loaf in half first thinking it would be easier to cut half slices which are still about the size of a storebought bread slice - and still the bread squishes up on me. So I slice the bread then I gently pull the slices back into shape again.
What do you use, with success, to cut your homemade loaves?
I am wondering if the meat slicer would work - or maybe an electric carving knife.
So far the only loaf I made that was easier to slice was one that had a portion of the flour replaced by oats - I baked this in a pieplate rather than the traditional loaf shaped pan... I don't know if it was easier to slice due to the shape of the bread or because it was a heartier and denser bread.
2 people like this
8 responses
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
27 Apr 09
I make a lot of bread and I always do this. I take it out of the pan and move to my wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Then I put it in a sack and into the freezer. The freezer helps lock in the moisture into the bread and also when it's 1/2 frozen, it's easier to slice - doesn't crumble or squish up. I leave in for about 2 or 3 hours and it slices nicely after that.
@B3lla86 (101)
• United States
27 Apr 09
i was going to tell you the same thing. Bread is one of those items that doesn't go bad if your freeze it, and some of the more soft bread are terrible to cut when they are first baked, but you have to make sure they are completely cooled off or you get sweaty slimy bread that's half frozen... trust me, not a good combination at all LOL
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
28 Apr 09
has the knife gotten dull?
i had that problem until i had mine re-sharpened.serrated knives are a bit of a pain in the butt to resharpen,but sometimes that's what's doing it.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
28 Apr 09
yea,it's just a royal pain in the butt.
you have to use one of those rounded sharpeners,or better yet take it to a place that does it.
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
27 Apr 09
Do you let the bread cool before you slice it for sandwiches? Trying to slice warm bread without mushing it up is harder than slicing completely cooled loaves, but yeah, the denser breads slice easier too. Not only that but they are healthier!
I am currently experimenting with a no-knead bread that I mix up in a plastic ice cream bucket and then pull off a chunk to bake as I need it. The video in the link I am sending is the basic recipe and procedure that I use, although I use a mixture of whole grain flours rather than just the 'all purpose' flour they use in the video. And I also like to replace part of the flour with oats or other grains too, and sometimes seeds as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFJZPm-_2-M
Also, I think they only talk about the artisan bread in this video, and I am using the method for sandwich bread that was an excerpt from their book that was published in the Dec08/Jan09 edition of Mother Earth News. I would like to get hold of their book actually. Hope you enjoy the video!
@marguicha (215805)
• Chile
27 Apr 09
Make twice the quantity you need for the day. Then star using (and cutting a day old bread. With homebread, day old bread is better and it´s easier to cut. A serrated knife does it. Electric knife will make it a mess. I have a special serrated knife for bread that has bigger and more separated teeth than the one I use for meats.
@Restorer (6)
• United States
27 Apr 09
It's important to let the bread cool down completely before slicing - at least an hour. Also, when slicing, use long sawing slices. You should saw back and forth several times to get through a loaf, rather than pushing down. Just let the weight of the knife move downward through the bread, while you saw back and forth the full length of the knife.
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
27 Apr 09
I think making the bread is not very easy. You are so talented. In the past I had a bread maker and it's easy to make the bread with it. But it is out of working now and perhaps one day I shall find sometime to get it fixed. I bought professional books about making bread but I haven't tried it yet:) Usually I will cook about once in a week. And bread is still on the waiting list:)
I love China
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
27 Apr 09
Don't feel too bad, youless, I also use a breadmaker during these hot months. I hope that you will soon be able to get yours working or replaced. Though, making handmade breads is not very difficult, it just takes time waiting for those two rises.
