There are times when food is meant to be prepared a certain way, and for some reason or another, you’re unable to. Whether it be not having a rice cooker to cook rice or a waffle maker to make waffles, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.
For example, you’re wanting to toast a bagel but you don’t own a toaster, or your toaster isn’t working. There’s no need to eat a soft and cold bagel when there are a multitude of other ways to toast it! Here are some ways that you can toast your bagel without a toaster.
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How to toast a bagel without a toaster
There’s no one solution to toasting your bagel which means there are more options when it comes to how you want it prepared. A few options at your disposal could be your oven, your stove-top, and even your backyard! It all depends on what’s accessible to you and what lengths your willing to go to get the perfect toasted bagel.
The first method of your choosing could be using your stove top. Be sure to use a pan that’s made for the purpose of abiding with extreme heat, as you’ll be needing the pan to sustain itself from no heat to very high temperatures.
Since this changes from stove-top to stove-top, you’ll need to be sure to take into account how fast your stove-top gets hot. Next, apply butter or any alternative onto the bagel. Place the bagel face down in the pan afterwards.
Leave the bagel to cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side and you should have a toasted buttery bagel by the end of it. You could also cover the bagel with a lid during this time to add and soak buttery flavor into the bagel but this is optional.
Another method would be to use your oven. When it comes to toasting these in your oven, there’s more than one option to go with. To start, be sure to set one of the oven racks near the top of the oven, where the grill should be located.
Preheat the oven for 5-10 minutes then add your bagels. It’s recommended to preheat about 75 degrees above the temperature that you’re going to cook at. For instance, if you’re wanting to bake your bagels at 300 degrees, then you would need to set your oven to be preheated at 375 degrees, and so on.
Once 5-10 minutes have passed, drop the temperature to the desired temperature and place the bagels face up near the grill. After 1-2 minutes have passed, either flip the bagels over to toast the other side or you’re welcome to take them out at this point as well. Be sure to carefully remove your bagels since they will be very hot during and after being cooked.
A more traditional approach would be to utilize a fireplace or campfire to toast your bagel, but this method might not work for everyone due to safety concerns or otherwise. When using this method, be sure to be as safe as possible.
This means making sure that your fire pit isn’t near any sort of garbage or debris as well as to ensure that there aren’t low hanging trees that could potentially cause any issues with starting your fire.
After you’ve taken the necessary precaution, make sure that wherever you’re starting your fire that there isn’t anything that could cause your bagel to suffer for it. For instance, if there’s grass, dirt or otherwise, be sure to avoid areas like these as they might cause the bagel to smell or taste unusual.
While building up your fireplace, start small with things such as pieces of paper, twigs, cardboard, and more options. As the flames start to increase, you can start adding small logs and then eventually transitioning to larger logs. Using charcoal is also an option, but it could affect the flavor of the food so be aware of this.
Once the fire is stable, place a baking rack, grill, cast iron or otherwise so the bagels can cook. The options to cook the bagels are at your disposal.
Afterwards, be sure to put out your campfire by pouring a bucket of water over the flames. Be sure to make sure are the coals are wet to ensure that another fire doesn’t start, and voila! Crispy bagels made at a campfire. What could be more cozy?
What Makes Bagels So Bad For You?
For people who are skeptical about the nutrition value, bagels aren’t the best option for anyone who wants to watch the things they eat. Bagels are a refined carbohydrate, containing about 3-6 servings of grains, which is more than enough for most people.
Unfortunately, even whole grain bagels don’t hold too much nutritious value either, but don’t fret! Eating a bagel doesn’t have to be an unwanted experience. There are ways to enjoy a bagel without overdoing it. One method is only eating half of the bagel.
Another method is to not consume any carbs for the rest of the day, instead substituting any additional carbs for some sort of healthier option like a vegetable or fruit. You can also try adding some sort of protein to your bagel to make the meal a bit more nutritious. Even opting for a whole wheat bagel is a bit of a healthier option compared to a white bagel.
How do I store bagels?
There are a multitude of ways to store your bagels, some methods being better than others. The pantry can be a good option, but this option should only be utilized for bagels that you don’t plan on eating for a few days. Any longer than 2-3 days and the bagels will start to become stale.
A more recommended method to store your bagels would be freezing them. Freezing your bagels will preserve them for up to 6 months. For convenience, cutting the bagels before freezing them could save you time when thawing and cooking them.
Using freezer bags to store the frozen bagels will also make it so the bagels don’t become freezer burnt before cooking.
How Do You Reheat a Stale Bagel?
Since it only takes about a week for a bagel to become stale, the idea that you could end up with a stale bagel or two is not impossible. Luckily, you don’t have to discard them nor do you have to eat non-desirable bagels. Reheating a stale bagel takes nothing more than a microwave and a few droplets of water.
First, place the stale bagel on a microwave-safe dish. Take a utensil such as a turkey baster, spoon or otherwise to apply droplets of water onto the bagel. About 6-8 droplets of water will suffice as this will give moister to the bagel.
Cook the bagel in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high heat, and you should be bestowed a hot and fluffy bagel to eat for your next meal.
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