Sourdough bread has a shelf life of about 4 days, depending on the conditions in your home. This is due to NO chemicals added to the bread.
How to keep your Sourdough Bread
If frozen, allow the loaf to thaw or if it has gone stale, then lightly run the bread under tap water or with a spray bottle, ensuring you dampen the entire CRUST without saturating the loaf. The moisture on the crust will turn into steam during baking,
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place your loaf directly on the oven rack. Bake for 10-20 minutes. The exact time depends on your loaf’s size and oven temperature . Your goal is a crust that crackle and a soft, warm interior.
Keep in mind that not just any old knife will work. A serrated knife, specifically, is a must to cut through the hard crust of sourdough. This is true especially for artisan bread, the sandwich loaf is much softer.
Artisan Sourdough makes for a crusty crunchy outer layer to your bread, while the inner portion is soft and moist. This can make it difficult to cut your bread into manageable slices.
First, cut your boule in half, it helps you get more even slices, which is nice if you plan to use your bread for sandwiches.
Once cut in half, take one half of your bread and put the cut-side down on your cutting board. This gives you a flat sturdy surface. Slice into your loaf starting at the short end.
Sometimes the height of the loaf breads makes it difficult to slice a normal slice. I use a bread slicer found on Amazon. And for ease of cutting , turn the loaf on its side to have a more flat surface to cut.
You can also use an electric knife that will cut through the bread with ease.
Sourdough breads do not toast like store bread. The reason is they add an abundance of sugar. When bread gets toasty brown, it is the sugar that is caramelizing. Most sourdough breads have little to no sugar added. Even buying sourdough bread in most stores and bakeries have more sugar and yeast added. You will get the toasty feel, not the toasty look you are used to.