How To Slice Sourdough Bread
Fresh baked Sourdough bread is the absolute best. One of the only challenges is figuring out how to slice sourdough bread perfectly every time.
Tips On How To Cut Sourdough Bread
The delectable thick and crunchy crust paired with the soft spongy crumb on the inside makes slicing sourdough bread difficult. Here are a few tips I’ve learned from baking hundreds of loaves for our Raising Oaks Homestead Farm Stand:
- Wait for your Sourdough bread to cool completely before cutting into it
- Use a proper knife
- Don’t push down; allow the knife to do the work
- Cut the bread in sections
Let Your Bread Cool Completely
When you finally get the end product of all the tender love-and-care you’ve put into making this precious loaf of bread, the temptation is to cut into your bread right after you get it out of the oven. I know, it’s so hard to wait! But if you’re looking for how to slice sourdough bread perfectly every time, you’ll want to wait at least an hour or two before cutting into it. Room temperature is best!
The reason for this is: If you slice into your bread while it’s still hot, your slices will be uneven. Often times this leaves a random shaped, lopsided piece of bread. While extremely delicious, it’s not workable if you’re going for a sandwich for lunch!
Ideally, you want uniform slices without damaged crust or crumb structure.
Use A Proper Knife
The next thing you want to prepare and think about is your knife. Bread knives are serrated. Meaning they have grooves in it that are separated out perfectly for slicing sourdough bread. I’ve definitely used non-serrated knives to cut my sourdough bread but the best turnout is always a proper bread knife. This is the one I have.
How To Slice Sourdough Bread In Sections
The most important part of slicing sourdough bread is HOW it’s cut. The simplest way to slice sourdough bread, is to slice it in sections.
- First, cut the loaf in the center. Like this:
Next, flip one half of the loaf crumb-side down and slice evenly across. Like this;
Cutting in this manner will give your knife a firmer surface to work with. Use the strength of the crust to stabilize the cuts. Viola! As a result of slicing this way, you will have perfect slices every time!
Isn’t it pretty!? Now you can slice your sourdough bread perfectly every time! These slices are perfect for sandwiches. You can put them in the toaster or eat them just the way they are. Either way, you are now a pro-bread slicer! If you need a place to get fresh, local, sourdough bread you can stop by our Farm Stand in Seymour Tennessee! Or you can visit www.supportyourlocalbaker.com to see if there are any Farm Stands or Bakery Stands in your area!
Until next time, happy baking!
