The Best Way To Store Hot Dogs Buns In The Freezer And Defrost Them

When grilling season gets underway, you are bound to have some leftover hot dog buns that never get used, become stale, and turn into dreaded food waste. But rather than throwing out stale hot dog buns or using them to make fun sandwiches for the kids, you may want to store them in the freezer. The best way to do so is to give your leftovers a double wrap, because as it turns out, sometimes, redundancy is a good thing. Simply wrap the leftover hot dog buns in plastic wrap followed by some foil, and then place them in an airtight freezer-safe plastic bag. Make certain to push all the air out of the bag before you close it up and place it in the freezer. Your buns should be good to use for three to six months.

When you are ready to make your Chicago-style hot dog that has a sweet tomato taste or your favorite chili cheese dog, take your neatly packaged hot dog buns out of the freezer, leave them on the counter for a couple of hours to thaw, and you will be noshing on a nice soft bun in no time. This gradual defrosting approach and resisting the use of the microwave will ensure the texture remains soft but not soggy.

While you can store hot dog buns in their original plastic bag in the freezer without any additional wrap or freezer-safe bags, it is best not to. This packaging wasn't designed to withstand freezing temperatures, nor is it airtight. And the fact of the matter is you will end up with freezer-burned buns. However, if you want to save on plastic wrap, you could wrap the leftover hot dog buns in foil, place the foil-wrapped buns back into their original packaging, and then into a freezer-safe bag to store.

All that said, there is one place you do not want to store leftover hot dog buns and that is in the refrigerator. Bread in the fridge tends to go stale even quicker than when you store it in the cupboard. This is because as bread cools, the starches recrystallize. This is what causes the bread to get hard and lose its flavor. However, when you store hot dog buns in the freezer at freezing or colder temperatures, it curbs the staling process. That said, if there are any visible signs of mold, bad odors, or an altered texture, the buns should be disposed.