Reheating Bread

[Psiguyy]

I made some french dip sandwiches for lunch today and heated the bread the way I always do. My lunch guest freaked out. Am I the only one who runs their french rolls under running water before popping into the oven to heat up? I find the crust gets rejuvenated when I wet it with water. Comes out with a nice crisp crust and the bread doesn't dry out.

How do you warm up your bread and rolls?

[kitchenelf]

I do it too!! That's how my mother taught me. I also sometimes do that with rice in the microwave.

[mudbug]

Wow, psiguyy - I have never heard of your method. If I need to reheat fast, sometimes I put the bread in a lunchbag, sprinkle a little water in, close the bag and nuke it for about 15 seconds. Usually, though, I wrap in foil and throw in low oven while I'm fixing the rest of the meal.

[marmalady]

I do the mudbug thing with the dampened bag, but then put it in the oven - does the microwave crisp it like this, Mudbug?

[mudbug]

Not too well, marmalady. Like I said, I only do that when I need it fast, warm, and not necessarily crispy. I have bad luck nuking bread for too long - often turns out too chewy.

[PA Baker]

I usually wrap it in foil and put it in the oven. Never heard of the wet method before, psiguyy! How wet do you let the rolls get?

[kitchenelf]

When you run them under the facet they don't get that wet because the outside is kind of crispy already. You can also just sprinkle them with water but it's much faster to just run them under the faucet.

You don't want to hold them there - just briefly run under the faucet.

[PA Baker]

Originally Posted by kitchenelf

When you run them under the facet they don't get that wet because the outside is kind of crispy already. You can also just sprinkle them with water but it's much faster to just run them under the faucet.

You don't want to hold them there - just briefly run under the faucet.

Makes sense! Silly me, I was picturing turning them into sponges! :roll:

[debthecook]

I will wet very lightly a paper towel, put the roll in a soup bowl, cover with wet paper towel and micro for a few seconds.

[Psiguyy]

I do it like Kitchenelf. Just turn the water on in the sink and pass the bread or rolls under the water until the whole outside is wet. Takes a second or two. You're not trying to make bread pudding.

I heat it directly on the rack of my oven (toaster oven, usually) at 350 until the crust turns crunchy, but not browned anymore than it was originally.

I've found that doing it like this is the closest I can get to freshly baked bread.

Give it a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.