Rye bread is not cheap. If you’re lucky enough to have grabbed a loaf or two on offer then what can do with this sudden bread bin full of rye bread?
Can You Freeze Rye Bread?
Yes, you can freeze rye bread for up to 3 months. To freeze rye bread, slice it first then wrap the slices in clingfilm. Once wrapped, bag them up and then place them into the freezer.
Does Rye Bread Freeze Well? Yes
Can You Refreeze Rye Bread? Yes
How To Freeze Rye Bread
Firstly, you need to decide if you want to freeze your rye bread as a loaf or whether you want to freeze it pre-sliced. We would advise opting for the latter as this will allow you to thaw one or two slices are a time.
If you freeze it as a loaf then you’ll need to defrost and use the whole loaf in one go.
So have you got your sliced rye bread at the ready?
- Wrap
The first step you will want to take is to add a layer of protection to each slice. You can either do this for each slice or in sets of two if you know you’ll want two slices every time. Simply take your slice(s) and wrap it in a layer of cling film ensuring that no air can get in. - Bag Up
Once you’ve wrapped all your bread, place it into a thick freezer bag. Seal the bag up and squeeze out as much of the air as possible. - Freeze
Place your bag in the freeze.
When you remove a slice from the bag, it is important to remove as much air from the bag when resealing it back up to keep the remaining rye bread protected.
Yes, pumpernickel bread can be frozen as it’s the same as rye bread. It’s just a different name for it. You can freeze loaves or slices of pumpernickel bread.
How to Freeze Rye Bread Rolls
Again, you need to take precautionary measures to avoid freezer burn. Rye bread rolls will freeze pretty well because the internal structure is protected – unlike a sliced loaf where the bread is open to the air in the freezer.
When it comes to freezing rye bread rolls you’ll need to take the same approach as above.
Wrap each roll in either cling film or foil before placing it into a freezer bag. Seal the bag up, squeezing out as much of the excess air as possible before placing in the freezer. The most important thing is keeping air out to prevent freezer burn.
3 Tips for Freezing Rye Bread
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing rye bread to have the best results:
Freeze In Slices
Although you can freeze a whole load, this does commit you to eat the whole thing within a few days. Instead, try freezing slices (or pairs of slices) so you can easily defrost a portion at a time.
Toast for Smorrebrod – Take your frozen slices out of the freezer, toast instantly then top with your favourite foods for instant smorrebrod.
Label with Bread Type
If you have frozen lots of bread types then make sure you include the bread variety on the label so you know what it is you’re defrosting.
How Long Can You Freeze Rye Bread?
3 months is about as long as you will want to freeze your bread.
Beyond this point, you’ll find that both the flavour and, more noticeably, the texture will degrade. It will be perfectly safe for longer – in fact, it will be safe to eat for years to come.
You Can Freeze Rye Bread for Around 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Rye Bread?
The best approach to thawing bread is to do so in the fridge overnight giving it time to slowly thaw. If, however, you’re pushed for time then you can give the defrost function on your toaster a go.
This can impact the bread a little and would only be suitable for toasted rye bread.
Can You Refreeze Rye Bread?
If you thaw out a little too much and decide to refreeze it then you may want to know if it is safe to do so. Well, it is.
However, you will want to try and get it refrozen within 36hrs of thawing it and you will only want to refreeze it once.
Unfortunately, refreezing can have a drastic (and negative) impact on the texture so try to do all you can to prevent thawing too much in the first place.
Does Rye Bread Freeze Well?
Provided that you spend time preparing your bread and do all you can to keep air and moisture away from your rye bread then it does freeze well for a few months.
Beyond a few months, there is a huge risk of the texture degrading so beyond the 3-month mark, it’s safe to say that it does not freeze well.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing rye bread or rye bread in general, then these may help:
Biona is a brand of bread but the good news is that it will freeze in the exact same way as any other rye bread. You can use the method we have outlined at the top of this article to freeze any Biona branded rye bread.
Yes, you can freeze an entire loaf but you’ll need to thaw the entire loaf. This is why it can be better to freeze rye in slices so that you can grab a portion or two at a time.
To de-frost, I place my rye bread on counter,however the edges of bread are dry and the bottom of slices remain damp. Ugh!! Why??
Hi Sarah, this might not be to do with the thawing but the way it was frozen and the bread drying out in the freezer. Are you storing it airtight? And for a maximum of 3 months?
I only place bag of bread in freezer. No and no. When you say “store airtight” do you mean place plastic bag of the bread in a Tupperware bread box for no more than 3 mos?
Lewis,
Read the article “Can you freeze Rye bread” and I know what you mean “airtight” & for 3 mos. Thank you for great info. I can really enjoy my rye bread!!!
Excellent advice. It’s a little bit of a pain in the butt but well worth it. And this may shock some purists, but I actually defrost it in the microwave, comes out perfect. Like fresh baked. For some reason microwaves help the object to retain moisture. On the counter or even in the fridge and it can’t help but dry out a little.
very good tip to freeze slices of loaf