Bagels on display at Murray's Bagels store on Eighth Avenue in New York. Murray's still uses the traditional boiling method to make its bagels. David Brabyn/Corbis hide caption
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David Brabyn/Corbis
Bagels on display at Murray's Bagels store on Eighth Avenue in New York. Murray's still uses the traditional boiling method to make its bagels.
David Brabyn/Corbis
One of the first life lessons I picked up in college was this: The secret to the shiny crust and chewy bite prized in New York bagels is boiling. Any other way of cooking them, my Brooklyn born-and-raised, freshman-year roommate told me, is simply unacceptable.
Now, many years later, it turns out she was pretty much right. In a new video, the American Chemical Society breaks down the chemistry of what makes New York bagels superior to the also-rans — the disappointing "bagels" you often encounter outside of New York that merely taste like bread with a hole in it.
According to popular mythology, the uniquely superb texture of the New York bagel has to do with New York City's water — specifically, its low concentrations of calcium and magnesium, which make it softer.
But while New York's water does play a role in influencing bagel texture, the effect is actually pretty minor, according to the ACS video. Harder water toughens the gluten in the dough, while super soft water can make it goopy.
What's far more critical is the boiling.
As chef Richard Coppedge of the Culinary Institute of America explains, superior bagels are made from shaped dough that's first left to sit in a refrigerator for a couple of days. This process is called retarding because the cooler temperatures slow down the activity of yeast in the dough as it rises. This longer, slower fermentation gives the microbes more time to generate tasty flavor compounds.
Then comes the key step to making what Coppedge calls a "true bagel" — boiling. Traditionally, Coppedge tells The Salt, the chilled dough rings are poached or boiled in a solution of water and malt barley for anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. This pre-gelatinizes the starch in the dough, locking the liquid inside of it and expanding the interior. As the video puts it, it's like flash-frying a steak before grilling it to seal in the juices. The boiling also thickens the crust — Coppedge says it "is essential to produce a more 'chewy' bagel."
So why doesn't everyone boil their bagels before baking?
Steaming-hot bagels are scooped out of the water in which they were boiled and dumped onto a stainless steel drain board at a bagel bakery in Queens, New York City, 1963. Traditionally, bagels were boiled, but bakers who use the modern method skip this step. Dan Grossi/AP hide caption
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Dan Grossi/AP
Steaming-hot bagels are scooped out of the water in which they were boiled and dumped onto a stainless steel drain board at a bagel bakery in Queens, New York City, 1963. Traditionally, bagels were boiled, but bakers who use the modern method skip this step.
Dan Grossi/AP
According to Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking, they used to. The traditional bagels that Eastern European immigrants introduced to New York in the early 20th century were always boiled, he writes. But this step gets skipped in the more modern baking method — which, McGee says, is faster and easier to automate. Instead, the shaped bagels are baked in a hot oven that is also injected with steam.
As Coppedge explains, "This steam will gelatinize the surface only, and encourage more color and shine, but not promote the unique chewiness, because the steam won't get to the starchy interior." The result is a lighter, puffier bagel with a thinner crust.
Coppedge says some folks might actually desire that less-chewy texture. To each his own, I guess. But for me? If the bagel isn't boiled, fuggedaboutit.
FAQs
So, yes, New York City water is unique and does contain properties that likely make it more conducive to better dough for bagels and pizza.
What is the secret to New York bagels? ›
The Key to a Real New York Bagel
New York bagels get boiled prior to baking, defining their special texture in a solution of water and barley malt. A long boil and thicker crust inhibit rising, resulting in a dense interior while a short boil yields a crusty yet chewy bagel bite.
Are Einstein bagels water boiled? ›
Unlike the traditional boiling method, Janelle says Einstein has steam injection ovens that simulate the boiling process. “They're steamed for, I'd say, about 30 seconds,” Janelle said.
What makes New York bagels different from other bagels? ›
A New York–style bagel is always boiled in water that has had barley malt added, which gives a bagel its signature taste, texture, and leathery skin.
Is New York water actually different? ›
New York is one of just five cities in the United States that does not need its water to be filtered, and this lack of filtration lends the water its unique flavor. The water contains natural deposits of calcium, magnesium and sodium, and it is treated with chlorine to kill bacteria.
Are NYC bagels healthy? ›
The good news is that the calories from bagels are nutritious and good for you (when you forgo the chocolate chips or sugary toppings), so you can make room for them in your diet. As is often the case, portion size is most important. Opt for smaller bagels and stick to just a half.
Why do NYC bagels taste so good? ›
Much like a specific vineyard terroir is used to make a wine, certain minerals in New York City tap water are attributed to creating the best bagels. These include low concentrations of calcium and magnesium and a high level of sediment.
What do New Yorkers call cream cheese on a bagel? ›
İn New York English, “Schmear” seems to just mean “cream cheese on a bagel” but in other Jewish communities, especially Yiddish speaking ones, “schmear” can be other spreads.
Can you eat New York bagels without toasting? ›
New Yorkers are in agreement: if a bagel is well made and fresh, you should never toast it. It would be like taking a perfectly cooked steak and throwing it back on the fire.
Are Panera and Einstein bagels the same? ›
By 2014, the bagel brand, which now consisted of Einstein Brothers, Noah's New York Bagels, and Manhattan Bagel, was sold to JAB Holding Company for around $374 million. In 2021, Einstein Bros. merged with fellow JAB brands Panera Bread and Caribou Coffee to form Panera Brands.
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Are Panera bagels water boiled? ›
The longer the boiling time, the harder the crust and the denser the bagels become. However, Panera went a different route with its bagels, opting to steam them with a steam-injection oven rather than boil them. Steaming is an easier option in Panera's kitchen.
Do real New Yorkers toast their bagels? ›
Real bagel-lovers, and by extension, real New Yorkers don't toast their bagels.
Does New Jersey have better bagels than New York? ›
I also visited Sonny's Bagels in South Orange and Sunrise Bagels in Montclair — the latter being my first-ever New Jersey bagel experience. Marvelous bagels in both shops with thicker and fluffier dough than the New York bagels. At Sonny's, I had a wheat bagel with white fish.
What city is famous for bagels? ›
New York City is the bagel capital of American and home to the authentic kettle boiled bagel that so many people around the United States know and love.
What is so great about New York bagels? ›
According to the New York Times, “A New York bagel has a shiny crust with a little bit of hardness to it and a nice glaze. The inside is very chewy, but not overly doughy. It's got a slight tang to the taste, and it's not too big.
Does New York water taste better? ›
New York is reputed to have the champagne of tap water. The crust and loft of our bagels and pizza crust have been attributed to its properties.
What makes NY NJ bagels so good? ›
Secondly, and most importantly, New Jersey's water is the best suited for making bagels. NJ gets its water from the Catskill Mountains, which has very soft water, meaning it has low concentrations of calcium and magnesium. This soft water perfectly matches the high protein concentration of the bread flour.
How does hydration affect bagels? ›
Hydration. Bagels are usually made from a stiff, dry dough, with hydrations in the range of 55 to 65% (compared to soft sandwich or crusty artisan breads, which are usually 65% hydration and higher). This helps give them their signature tight crumb structure and their chew.
