The Reason NY Bagels are the Best

Is it the Water or the Process

If you've ever had New York Bagels, you know that they have a shiny, chewy, golden crust and a dense and chewy interior. And if you’ve ever lived in New York, you know it is almost impossible to eat what other people consider to be “bagels,” which are lightweight, fluffy, white, flavorless bread rolls with a “mass production” look about them.

The reason? New York bagels are boiled before being baked, while “other” bagels are steamed. Boiling them gives them the dense, chewy texture and crust. But steaming bagels is easier and cheaper. Bagels need to be proofed for at least 12 hours at a low temperature- so they sit in the refrigerator on trays. If they need to be boiled afterwards, it requires removing them from their trays and putting them back afterwards for the baking process. Steaming occurs while the bagels are still on the trays during the baking process, and so a lot less effort is required. Which also means less employees, less time, and less cost. But unless the bagels are boiled, they are essentially just rolls with holes.