Does cornbread go bad? Sadly, yes.
Like all freshly baked goodies, the quality and edibility of cornbread starts to decline almost from the moment it’s done baking. Leave it for too long and it starts to go stale, losing its flavor and texture. A bit longer than that and it can turn harmful, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria or mold that cause food poisoning.
Don’t despair though! You can prolong its shelf life and preserve its quality with proper storage and keeping an eye on the best consumption times.
Today I’ll explain how you can tell when cornbread has reached the end of its shelf life and should be thrown out. I’ll also let you know how to prolong its freshness through proper storage, and how to properly reheat it.
How to Tell if Cornbread is Bad
So how can you tell if your cornbread has gone bad? There are 3 key signs you should check – mold, moisture and smell.
Mold
If you notice any mold growing on your cornbread, throw it away. You may be tempted to scrape the mold away to ‘save’ your bread. Don’t. Even if you get rid of the visible mold, chances are that it’s present all the way through.
Mold tends to manifest itself as green spots. However some fungi may cause the appearance of white ‘fuzzy’ areas.
If you’re not 100% whether the discoloration you see is mold, I’d recommend erring on the side of caution and throwing it out.
Moisture
Another way to identify that cornbread has gone bad is the presence of excessive moisture.
Now, a small amount of moisture isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, if you notice that it’s gone soggy to the touch, you should get rid. It’s a sure sign that it’s taken a turn for the worse.
Smell
The final and perhaps most obvious way to tell whether cornbread has gone bad is if it’s giving off a foul odor.
Give it a quick sniff. If it smells sour or just plain rancid, it’s gone bad.
If you have any doubts over whether or not your cornbread is still safe to eat – I’d always take the safe option and throw it away. You avoid the risk and also give yourself an excuse to make more!
How Long Does Cornbread Last?
Now you know how to tell if cornbread has gone bad, how do you prevent that from happening? Well, the most important thing to do is know how long it lasts under different storage conditions. That way you can be sure to eat it before it goes off.
So how long does cornbread last?
The answer depends on how you store it.
Properly stored and kept at room temperature, fresh cornbread will remain edible for up to 2 days. If you keep it in the fridge, it can last for up to a week.
If you want to store it for even longer, you can freeze cornbread. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
| Storage Method | How Long it Lasts |
|---|---|
| At room temperature | Up to 2 days |
| In the fridge | Up to a week |
| In the freezer | Up to 3 months |
How to Store Cornbread
So what do I mean by ‘properly storing’ your cornbread?
Well, the most important thing you need to do is keep your cornbread fresh and prevent it from going stale.
Fortunately, doing this is just a matter of protecting your bread from exposure to the air. You need to make sure that it’s properly covered up.
There’s a few ways to do this.
Airtight Container
The quickest way to store your leftover cornbread is in an airtight container. Depending on the size of container that you have available, you’ll likely need to cut your bread into slices first.
Simply pop the slices into the container and voila, you’re done! You can leave the container on the side at room temperature or place in the fridge if you’re not planning to eat it for more than a couple of days.
As well as being the fastest and most simple storage method, the container method gets extra brownie points from me because it’s reusable and more environmentally friendly.
Wrapping
Though not as quick as using a container, using plastic wrap or aluminum foil is the best way to prolong the freshness of cornbread.
Simply take the wrap or foil and tightly wrap around your cornbread. This helps to keep almost any air from interacting with the bread, ensuring that it stays as fresh as possible.
This method is also useful if you want to store a large amount of cornbread without chopping it into smaller pieces first.
Of course, you can wrap individual slices to keep them fresh – this is also a great way to pop a slice of cornbread into lunchboxes!
Vacuum Sealing
Depending on whether or not you have a vacuum sealer available to use, this can be a great method to store your cornbread in a truly airtight way.
The vacuum sealer removes all air from the bag before sealing, making this an ideal way to prepare your cornbread before freezing.
Freezing Cornbread
If you’d like to keep your cornbread for longer than the week that the fridge allows you, the good news is that it’s easy to freeze.
Here’s how to freeze cornbread:
- First, cut it into individual pieces. This makes it easier to fit in the freezer whilst also allowing you flexibility when defrosting. You can just take out and thaw what you need, keeping the rest in the freezer until needed.
- Next, ensure each piece is tightly wrapped. You can use resealable freezer bags, aluminum foil or a vacuum sealer to do this. This step is important as it prevents moisture loss and reduces the risk of freezer burn.
- Before you put the pieces into the freezer, there are a couple of optional steps. I strongly recommend labelling each portion with the date you froze it. This will help you know how long it’s been in the freezer and when it needs to be used or thrown away. Another useful tip is to place the individual portions in an airtight container. This will prevent them from being flattened by other items in the freezer and help them to retain their shape.
Once you’ve followed these steps, put your cornbread in the freezer.
How to Defrost Cornbread
When you’re ready to eat your frozen cornbread, thawing it out is a piece of cake (yes, pun intended!)
Simply take out as many portions as you need from the freezer and place them in the fridge. Leave them overnight and they’ll be ready to reheat the next day.
Avoid the temptation to try and speed up the process by leaving frozen cornbread on the side or worse, using the oven or microwave. These are all surefire ways to dry out and ruin cornbread.
How to Reheat Cornbread
Whether it was frozen and defrosted in the fridge, popped straight in there or just left on the side for a couple of days, reheating your cornbread before eating is highly recommended.
It’s not that you can’t eat it cold, it’s just so much better warm!
Here’s how to reheat cornbread so it tastes as good as when it was first baked:
- Pre-heat your oven to a temperature of 350°F.
- Whilst it’s warming up, line a baking tray with baking paper or aluminum foil. Then lay out your cornbread slices, before placing a sheet of aluminum foil over the slices. Why should you do this? It helps to prevent the top of your bread from burning.
- When the oven has reached 350°F, pop the baking tray in and leave for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the baking tray from the oven and serve.