Luckily for you, this article will be taking you on through how to defrost a frozen bagel and also how to freeze them properly.
Fresh bagels are without a doubt the best which is why most people consume them as soon as possible.
But if you are like me, it means you always have an excess whether baked at home or bought in the supermarket.
By freezing the bagels, we don’t have to worry about them losing their freshness.
But if not stored or defrosted properly, the bagels might lose their unique taste.
Defrosting bagels is simple, regardless of whether you purchased them fresh or frozen. You can use a microwave, leave it overnight, and many other ways which will be discussed in this article.
How To Defrost A Frozen Bagel
There are several ways of defrosting a bagel based on the appliances you have, or how fast you want the defrosting process to be.
Here is the most common method of defrosting frozen bagels.
Method #1: Using A Microwave
The fastest way to defrost a bagel is in the microwave, as opposed to at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight.
While defrosting in a microwave just takes a few seconds, defrosting at room temperature may take up to 60 minutes.
So, how do you defrost a frozen bagel using a microwave?
Step #1: Set The Microwave
When defrosting a bagel using a microwave, the first thing you need to do is to set the microwave to the temperature you want it to be.
Normally, most microwaves have a defrost button you can use.
In cases where the microwave doesn’t have one, you can enable the low-temperature setting.
The main point of this is to ensure that the bagel receives modest heat levels that defrost it uniformly.
Step #2: Cut The Bagel
The step is entirely optional, which means you can decide to skip it if you want.
We cut the bagel to ensure that the heat is distributed evenly. The higher the surface area, the higher the rate of reaction.
This means the more exposed area, the faster and more evenly the bagel will heat up.
Step #3: Place The Bagel In The Oven
Put the already split bagels in the oven and leave for about thirty seconds.
After that, flip it over and leave for an additional thirty seconds so that both sides are equally heated.
After the duration of the time has elapsed and the bagel has not been heated properly, place it back inside the microwave.
Then check continually until it has given your desired result. A lot of moisture leaves the bagels when it gets frozen.
As a result, when the bagels defrost, the dense bread roll defrosts, and the dissolved ice crystals leak out, raising questions about dryness.
To avoid the issue of dryness after microwaving it is advised to use a slightly damp paper towel to wrap the bagels before placing them in the microwave.
Or, you could place the bagels beneath running water for some seconds before proceeding to microwave them.
This is why most people use a toaster or an oven instead of a microwave. This brings us to the next method.
Method #2: Using A Toaster Or Oven
The steps involved in using a toaster or oven are quite similar to that of using a microwave but take a longer time. Here are the steps.
Step #1: Place Under Running Water
This is the first and most important step when defrosting a bagel.
Like I said earlier, if you want to avoid dryness after defrosting your bagels, it is best to place them under running water.
Tip: Place under running water for some seconds or wrap them with a damp paper towel.
Step #2: Cut Into Half
Similar to when using a microwave, you have to cut the bagels into two halves to increase the surface area.
Step #3: Place In A Microwave
You place the sliced bagels in the microwave for a while. It is optional.
The main point of putting it in the oven first is to allow it to preheat a little before placing it in a toaster.
Step #4: Place It In The Toaster Or Oven
Some toasters have special bagel settings that enable them to toast bagels at the right temperature.
But in cases where the toasters don’t have, set the temperature to 350-degree celsius.
The same thing also applies to the oven. After that, you can change the position of the bagels from time to time.
Tip: Only use an oven and toaster if you have extra time or a crustier bagel.
Method #3: Leave Overnight
Although it is not usually advised to leave your frozen bagel out on the counter to thaw, it is good to leave the bagel in a cool and dry environment overnight.
Or you could place it in a fridge overnight. If you want frozen bagels the next day, let them thaw at room temperature overnight.
Place the bagels you wish to thaw on a tray after removing them from the freezer.
The following day, they will be prepared to consume if you defrost them overnight in a cold, dry environment.
Note: The bagels will taste fresher when defrosted in this manner the fresher they were when placed in the freezer.
Method #4: Rebake
Rebaking is the one approach that does not require preheating the oven or toaster oven.
Rebaking, just like the name implies, is when you actually cook the bagels as though you were making them all over again.
Note: This method comes the closest to recreating the process of baking from the scratch.
Below are steps to follow while rebaking
Step #1: Cook The Bagels
After you bring out your bagels from the refrigerator, the next thing you do is place them in a pot filled with water and boil them.
When you want to boil the bagels, it is advised to do so without slicing the bagels.
Though you can also boil the bagels after it has been split, we advise you not to.
This is because there’s a probability that they would break or lose their form.
Step #2: Place On A Tray
After boiling the bagels, place them on a tray or a baking pan and leave them to cool for a while.
If after cooling, you notice the bagel looking dry, spray the bagels with little water or dab the surface of the bagels with a damp paper towel.
Step #3: Put In The Oven
After the bagel has cooled, place it in the oven to heat up for some minutes.
Step #4: Wait!!!
After you’ve got a crispy freshly rebaked bagel, you have to wait for some time before proceeding to eat the bagels.
Let the bagels cool in the middle before eating them so you can get a crispy and soft feel.
How Long Does It Take A Frozen Bagel To Defrost?
The time taken to defrost a frozen bagel depends solely on which procedure you followed.
Using A Microwave
It takes about a minute or two to fully defrost a bagel in a microwave.
Which makes it the fastest of all the procedures though the results might not be as satisfactory.
Using A Toaster Or An Oven
Using a toaster or an oven takes the same amount of time or only a slight difference.
It would take about thirty to sixty minutes to fully defrost a bagel in both of them.
Leaving Overnight
Leaving overnight will take about twelve hours making it the longest time taken to defrost a frozen bagel.
Rebaking
It also takes a considerable amount of time and it is the second longest time taken.
But in this case, it is definitely worth the wait. It takes about two to three hours to complete the rebaking process.
The time taken for it to cool is what makes after each process is what makes it long
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Conclusion
Now we have gotten to the end of this article and I hope you are now aware of how to defrost a frozen bagel.
So far so good, we have been able to discuss the different methods it takes to defrost a bagel and the time taken.
So, depending on the time on your hands or the product you are looking for, you can pick a procedure that suits you.
I hope this article has been helpful. Thank you very much for your time and patience. Stay safe!