We all can team up to defend how good English muffins taste. As an inseparable part of your breakfast, you may practice freezing them to never run out of this rounded deliciousness.
But, if you thawed a large amount of them, you may end up with some leftover pieces. In such a situation, the first question that may come to your mind is, can you refreeze English muffins? Why or why not?
You can refreeze English muffins, but it is not the best option. Although still safe and edible, the muffins undergo a loss of quality and become drier and tasteless. But if you still want to refreeze, ensure to cover the muffins in resealable bags or airtight containers for better results.
The hype behind English muffins is not just because they go well with so many different toppings but also because they are nutritious. And, to make them shelf-lasting, you may find the below article much helpful. Let’s read!
Table of Contents
Can You Refreeze Store-Bought English Muffins?
English muffins are a popular breakfast food known for their round, fluffy appearance. People flock to markets to get their hands on these muffins and often prefer buying them in large stocks.
While it does make sense to have plenty of English muffins at home, the real crisis is to keep them long-lasting. Freezing is, by far, the safest option to store baked goods for a decent amount of time. The same is true for your favorite muffins as well.
And, yes, you can safely refreeze store-bought English muffins, like other bread products, after thawing, but it is not advisable. Freezing them again will make them drier and reduce their overall quality. In terms of safety, the muffins are still edible, just not as promising as fresher ones.
Can You Refreeze Homemade English Muffins?
If you love making English muffins at home, you might be interested in knowing if it’s okay to refreeze them.
Well, technically, you can, but you shouldn’t! The answer is the same. Refreezing homemade English muffins will significantly alter their taste and texture, which you don’t want to happen. But, if you are okay with these changes and want to avoid food wastage, you can consider refreezing them.
One thing to remember is to refreeze English muffins only when you thaw them in the refrigerator in the first place. Other defrosting techniques such as microwaving or letting them stay on the countertop are incompatible with refreezing.
The latter two pose a risk of contamination; even if you refreeze the muffins, they will still go bad. So, there is no point in storing them again in the freezer.
The Safest Way To Refreeze English Muffins; Find Here!
Want to refreeze English muffins but don’t know how to? Follow the step-by-step process below to keep your go-to breakfast food long-lasting.
- Once thawed, do not let the English muffins sit at room temperature for too long. There is a high chance of bacterial contamination, so you need to refreeze them quickly.
- Muffins are usually frozen by cutting them in halves first. If you have done this in initial freezing, wrap the halves separately in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
- If you didn’t perform this step before, you must do it this time. Doing so will reduce air contact and prevent the muffins from losing flavor, damage, or freezer burns.
- Next, store the wrapped muffins in a resealable freezer plastic bag or an airtight container.
- The additional safety layer will protect the English muffins from freezer smells and burns.
- Now place them on the lower shelf of the freezer towards the back so that the muffins get exposed to a constant cool temperature.
- Also, keep the muffins away from food with an intense odor as they quickly absorb flavor.
- Lastly, label the bag with the date of refreezing and let it stay in the freezer for as long as you want.
How Long Can English Muffins Remain Refrozen?
As long as you store the English muffins in proper safety packaging, they can remain in the freeze for an extended period. Store-bought English muffins can last for more than five months. However, I suggest consuming them within two months because the continuous thawing and freezing have already lowered their quality.
Similarly, homemade English muffins can turn unpleasant to eat if you keep them refrozen for too long. Even the best storage techniques cannot prevent natural dehydration and freezer damage. Thus, it is better to consume English muffins as soon as possible.
Moreover, if you have added topping to your muffins (breakfast sandwiches or miniature pizzas), the freezer span may be more or less, depending on the ingredients you have used.
How To Thaw English Muffins To Refreeze them?
Whether or not you can refreeze English muffins has a lot to do with how you thawed them after initial freezing. If you defrosted the muffins by placing them in the microwave, refreezing the leftovers afterward is a big NO.
The reason is simple-the muffins reach a high internal temperature which is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. So, storing them in the freezer won’t be enough to stop them from spoiling and turning inedible. All the efforts you put into packaging them well will be in vain.
Thawing English muffins on the countertop is again not a safe option, especially for refreezing. The only defrosting method that compliments the refreezing process is thawing the English muffins in the refrigerator with the lowest chance of contamination.
Avoid Refreezing English Muffins: Try This Method Instead!
As highlighted above, refreezing English muffins is possible but not recommended. You might be thinking, if not refreezing, what should we do to prevent food waste?
Let me tell you a clever trick to avoid all this hassle!
Instead of freezing all the English muffins together, store them in individual meal-size batches. In simple words, pack them separately by the quantity you use mainly for breakfast. You will only have to thaw the number of muffins you need and not more. The rest will remain in the freezer, nice and intact.
You can skip the repeated thawing and freezing cycle by doing a little extra work. And believe me, nobody likes that! Also, your favorite muffins will be in a better state, not super soggy after repeated freezing and defrosting.