You rewarm the bread, still wrapped in it's foil....
There's a scientific reason...gluten crystals...yadda yadda...reforming chains of frazzamajazz...
Don't know, but it works...tastes just like fresh baked.
Some "bakeries"...or bakery departments buy frozen bread....and the bread is marketed as "heat and eat"...or "take and bake"....same thing. Just heat....

I bake all our bread, and I slice it, then freeze in our outer milk bags. The slices snap off readily for thawing for sandwiches, or for toasting. The bread thaws out nicely for sandwiches. Never any freezer burn or hard crusts.

Just to be clear, I need to slice some of this bread horizontally and some vertically and very thin....

oh, right.
Could you still freeze it in plastic bags, a bread bag (would be longer, perhaps) with waxed paper between the slices?

Don't slice it before you freeze it.
Wrap each fully cooled loaf airtight. I like one layer to get right next to the loaf, plastic wrap is good, especially the Glad Press & Seal that sticks to itself. Then a bag, to make sure it's fully sealed against the drying air of the freezer.
Thaw them while still wrapped.

I second the Glad Press & Seal & freezing whole. Let the loaves thaw whole still wrapped - then slice & proceed. The bread will be fine.

/tricia

Just have to ask-- what's a "milk bag"?

Thank you Ellen!

Compumom (and others who care)

Our milk in eastern Canada comes in heavy-weight plastic bags. There are 3x 4-litre bags, inside an outer bag.

You take an individual bag, plop it into a plastic pitcher, snip the corner and pour.

I always forget that milk in bags is a Canadian thing. :-)

Mom always washed and saved the milk bags too. They are very durable. I remember once eating my lunch in the school cafeteria and having one friend remark, "Is that a milk bag?" as I took out my sandwich. I didn't think it was that peculiar, because that's what we always used at home.

I admit however that I'm too lazy to adopt this practice. :-)

Me too, Susie, till someone from the U.S. asks! It boggles their mind, but I would never want to use a gallon jug.

The small bags sure are handy for freezing shredded zucchini, and other veggies. Also for refrigerating cheese slices, sliced deli meats, etc.

We have milk bags here in WI at Kwik Trip convenience stores.

Hmmm, never even heard of a milk bag until now!

As for the original question, freeze the loaf whole, well wrapped and slice after thawing.

I know Ann T wraps hers in paper towel and puts it into a bag or other wrapping, she says the paper towel absorbs the moisture from thawing.

I have good luck wrapping the read in foil and re-warming it, or plopping it back into the original pans and rewarming. That's not an option for you, clearly.

It's not just like fresh but it's a heck of a lot better than anything at the store, IMO.

Annie

One important thing is not to unwrap before thawing; that way when condensation occurs, and it will, it appears on the wrapping and not on the bread itself. With your Pullman loaves, I would definitely not slice before freezing, but when the loaves are half thawed, it will be easier to slice thinly. I make 4 loaves of bread at a time and freeze 3. Never had a problem with using frozen bread for sandwiches.
Jane

Funny that the "milk bag" is particular to Canada and the milk jug to the States. You think with the amount of trade between the countries things would be more the same. I find the grocery stores in the US to be much different in terms of products and packaging than Canada.

Thanks everyone, I'll do as you suggest with the bread..

I've never heard of milk bags, either. I'd be in trouble with those, but my kitties would be very happy indeed!

Freezing bread follow up question, if you don't mind me hijacking your thread. Does the recipe make a difference? Some breads have fat, others don't. Some have eggs, some have various sugars, some are just flour, salt and water. Which would freeze better, or does it make a difference?

Sally

Chase,
I haven't holidayed in the states for years, but my dream is to go nuts in the grocery stores, buying Rotel and other flavored tomatoes, and all kinds of goodies that we can't get here.

I wonder why that is. Do manufacturers think that Canadians don't like spicy food and flavours? (I bought my first tube of tomato paste this year!)

Jasdip, it's because you Canuckleheads are gonna pour maple syrup on everything, so no spice for you! :D

The other curious difference is Canada has square plastic ice cream pails while the US insists on round. The square ones make more sense to me.

I always forget to put a paper towel in the bag but as long as I open the bag as soon as I pull it out of the freezer or do something to dissipate the moisture it's been fine. If you leave it in the bag, the water will make the crust (or the bread itself if sliced) mushy and like fresh puss from an infection. Perhaps it'll stick to the bag if you blow extra air in there so it doesn't come in contact with the bread but then you compound the issue too. I've always had trouble when leaving it in the bag. Never a problem when I take it out or at least change containers and I always try to get as much air out of the bag as I can and use it relatively quickly.

Sally2, you`d be surprised how sturdy the plastic bags are.
Once in a while some milk might spill while pouring, but not as often as you`d think, and it`s easy to pour out for your kitties anyway.

LOL Cynic. You really made me laugh!! Well, this Canucklehead doesn`t like many sweet things, so maple syrup doesn`t get used much around here. Mom made the absolute, best butter tarts, and I`d always take the one with the least amount of filling, as I preferred her pastry.