Thawing Frozen Bagels
Moisten the bagel under running water and bake it for the most authentic flavor. Hold the frozen bagel under cool running water for about 30 seconds. Place the frozen bagel in a toaster oven or regular oven set to 350 °F (177 °C) for approximately 5 minutes to defrost it. Tip: Wait until the bagel is crusty and warm in the middle to eat it for the closest thing to a fresh-baked bagel. The oven or toaster oven does not need to be preheated for this method. Bagels are cooked by boiling, then baking, so this method is the closest thing to replicating the original cooking process of the bagel.
Microwave a frozen bagel in 10 second intervals if you are short on time. Moisten a paper towel and wrap it around the bagel before microwaving it. Stick the bagel in the microwave and heat it on high for 10 seconds at a time until it is defrosted. You can follow this method up by broiling the bagel in an oven or toaster oven for about 2 minutes to make it crusty if you have the extra time and want a better-tasting bagel.
Thaw frozen bagels at room temperature overnight if you want them the next day. Take out the bagels you want to thaw from the freezer and place them on a tray. Leave them overnight in a cool and dry place to defrost and they will be ready to eat the next day. The fresher the bagels were when you put them in the freezer, the fresher they will taste when you defrost them using this method.
Freezing Bagels Properly
Wrap bagels in aluminum foil to store them in the freezer for up to 1 month. Make sure the bagels are completely cool before you freeze them. Wrap each bagel tightly in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn, freeze them, and eat them within a month for the best flavor. Tip: Freeze bagels the same day that you bake or buy them for optimal freshness when you defrost them. You can leave the bagels in their foil wrap and defrost them using the room temperature method before you want to eat them.
Put bagels in zip-top freezer bags to freeze them for up to 6 months. Put each bagel in an individual freezer bag with a zip top and squeeze the air out before closing the bag. Bagels stored in the freezer with this method will resist freezer burn for about 3-6 months. Label the bags with the date you freeze them to remember to eat the bagels in time. You can slice the bagels before you place them in the freezer so you have ready-to-toast slices when you’re ready to eat them.
Wrap bagels in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag for more protection. Plastic wrap will add an extra layer of protection against freezer burn. Wrap each bagel individually, then place several in a large zip-top freezer bag and freeze them. Bagels stored in this manner will stay good for at least 6 months. After 6 months, the chances that they will get freezer burn are higher.
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