Let the sourdough cool completely, set it on a stable board, and cut with a sharp serrated bread knife. Use gentle sawing strokes and keep your wrist steady. Pushing down through the crust tends to flatten the soft bread underneath.
Before the first cut, decide whether you want long slices for toast or smaller pieces for sandwiches. A round loaf gives you both options. This guide covers baked bread; scoring raw dough before baking is a separate job.
Choose a shape that suits your meal
| What you want | Where to start | How the slices will look |
|---|---|---|
| Long, open-faced toast | Rest the whole loaf on its flat base and slice across it | Wider in the middle, smaller toward the ends |
| Smaller sandwich pieces | Halve the loaf, then slice each half | Easier to pair and fit into a lunch container |
| A few slices to eat now | Cut from the center; keep the remaining halves together for storage | No need to portion the entire loaf |
The outline will change as you work through a boule. That's normal. Look at the thickness from top to bottom when judging a cut, and pair neighboring pieces if you're making sandwiches.
Let the middle cool
A crisp crust can hide a warm, delicate center. Allow at least a couple of hours for a typical wheat sourdough, and longer if it still needs to cool. Our sourdough cooling guide explains why loaf size and the recipe affect the wait.
While it rests on the rack, get your board and knife ready. Leave the loaf intact; repeatedly cutting little pieces to check the center won't help it rest. A sharper knife or a thickness guide can't make up for cutting it too soon.
Give yourself enough room to cut
Choose a board that stays put, with room for the knife's full stroke and somewhere to set each finished slice. The loaf should rest on a stable face. If it rocks, reposition it before bringing the knife to it.
Check the usable blade against the loaf's width. Overall knife length includes the handle and, on some designs, a frame. If the cutting edge barely spans the bread, you'll have little room to saw. Use a suitable longer knife for a wide first cut when necessary.
Keep your supporting hand clear of the blade path and hold the bread without squeezing. Sourdough Home's slicing demonstration makes the same point about the cutting motion: let the edge work, and avoid forcing it through the loaf.
Make the first cut
For long slices, start near an end and remove the heel. Aim for a similar thickness at the top and bottom. Begin with small sawing movements until the teeth catch the crust, then continue with comfortable strokes.
For smaller pieces, divide the loaf in half using a knife that suits its width. Put one half on its large, flat cut face and slice downward through it. Move the other half out of your working area.
Pause to look at the exposed face. You'll use it as a reference for the next slice. If it's slanted, correct your cutting angle before continuing; a guide following that slant may repeat it.
Keep the next slice parallel
Around 1/2 inch is a useful first choice for many sandwiches. You may prefer a thicker piece for open-faced toast. The bread slice thickness guide gives suggested sizes for different meals.
Watch the line you want the knife to follow. Keep your wrist steady through the stroke instead of turning the handle halfway down. That turn can leave a slice narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.
With a guided slicer, set and secure the thickness before cutting. Keep the guide lightly against the previous cut face. Pressing it into the bread can distort the loaf and throw off your reference.
Continue sawing through the bottom crust, even if it's tempting to finish with a push. Lift the slice only after it separates. Pulling an attached piece away can tear a flap from the bottom. If the knife stops making progress, check its edge, the board clearance, and the loaf's position before trying again.
Fix the problem you can see
| Result | What to check | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| A wedge-shaped slice | Your wrist may be turning during the cut | Reset and keep the blade parallel to the previous face |
| A flattened middle | The bread may be warm, or you may be pressing down | Allow more cooling time and use lighter strokes |
| A ragged bottom | The slice may still be attached when you lift it | Finish sawing through the bottom crust |
| A blade that skates over the crust | Check the edge and whether the loaf is moving | Stop and reset; inspect the knife instead of pushing harder |
| Different outlines with even thickness | You're cutting through a round loaf | Expect the shape to change and pair neighboring slices |
Change one thing before trying the next cut. Adjusting your grip and slice width at the same time makes it harder to tell what helped.
Using a thickness guide
Bread Pilot places an adjustable guide beside the serrated blade, with a stated range of approximately 1/4 inch to 2 inches. The guide gives you a reference for repeating a width. You still need to hold the loaf steady and maintain the cutting angle.
It can be useful for a run of sandwich slices or freezer portions. If you only want one piece, a conventional bread knife may already suit you. See how Bread Pilot works to judge whether the extra guide would help with the bread you cut most often.
Cutting now or saving for later
Halving a wide boule can make it easier to handle. Leave it whole when you want long slices and have enough blade and board space to cut them comfortably.
Slice what you'll use soon. For ready-to-toast portions, cut the rest before freezing, following our guide to freezing sourdough. If you've already frozen the loaf whole, thaw it before cutting. Don't force a bread knife through frozen-solid bread.