Tip: You could speed up the heating process by wrapping a damp towel around the loaf and microwaving it for 10 seconds at a time. The drawback to microwaving is that the bread can take on a rubbery texture. Having tried both, I have to say I prefer the oven method.
A microwave will heat bread, but won't be able to crisp/brown it. Because of the different means of transmitting heat it won't heat the bread much past the boiling point of water, which isn't hot enough to start the chemical reactions responsible for browning.
Yes, you can reheat stale bread in the microwave by wrapping pieces in a moist paper towel and microwaving for 20 seconds.
Instead of a toasted surface and tender middle, microwaved bread starts browning on the interior first, and it happens fast, so you wind up with scorched spots on the inside, while the outside of the slice is still white and raw.
To prevent food from becoming soggy in the microwave try covering the food with a lid or a paper towel this will prevent steam from setting on the food.
Microwaves do soften bread, but the results aren't perfect. Within a few minutes, the bread usually turns rubbery and even tougher than before. This is the fastest method, but it's best to save it for an immediate snack. This happens because the microwave boils away some of the water.
For a quick stovetop option, use a skillet to steam your flatbread or pita. Add a few drops of water to the pan and heat it over medium. Place the bread in the skillet and cover it with a lid for 10-15 seconds. The steam generated will soften the bread without making it soggy.
While the texture and taste of stale food might be a little off, so long as there isn't anything else wrong with it, the food should be fine to eat. You're not going to suffer any stale food side effects. But if your foods are showing other signs of going bad, like mold, it's time to throw it out.
Place the microwave-safe loaf pan inside your microwave and close the door, then microwave the bread on high for about four minutes.
For crispier results, opt for a higher power level. However, be mindful of the cooking time, as higher power levels can cook food faster. Utilize Microwave-Safe Accessories: Microwave-safe accessories such as crisper trays, grill pans, and silicone mats can help achieve crispier textures.
UPDATE: I baked the bread by itself at 200 F on convection for 15 minutes and it worked pretty well. The bulk of the bread got toasty and crispy and the bread around the edges that didn't crisp up got significantly less soggy.
There are a few ways you can make stale bread soft again. One method is to wrap the bread in a damp towel and microwave it for 10-20 seconds. Another method is to toast the bread lightly and then cover it with a damp towel for a few minutes.
Microwave: Wrap the bread in a damp paper towel and microwave it in short bursts (10-20 seconds at a time) until it's softened. Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Sprinkle the bread with a little water, then wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.
1. Keep it moist – We lightly moisten a paper towel or regular kitchen towel and lay it directly on the surface of the bread. 2. Keep it covered – Then we cover the whole thing with another paper towel or kitchen towel.
The water in the paper or kitchen towel will retain the bread's moisture, but microwaving it with too much heat or too long will zap the moisture right back out.
Put a glass of water in the microwave with your sandwich and the steam from the water will moisturize the sandwich while being heated in the microwave.
Bread isn't dangerous to microwave, but it doesn't taste great! Microwaving heats bread from the inside out, so you miss out on the nice crunchy exterior you get from toasting. Plus, microwaving bread re-gelatinizes the starch in the dough, giving it an unpleasant soft and chewy texture.
If you want food to stay even more moist during cooking, add water directly to the microwave-safe dish or bowl your food is in, cover it and heat as you normally would. This will put the food in closer contact with the vapor. This method works best with fattier meats, such as chicken thighs and ground beef.
Microwaves heat the inside of the bread first. Therefore, the water inside the bread heats ups and evaporates in less than seconds. This evaporation then transforms to steam and surrounds the bread.