Do you want something instant for breakfast? Wish to have some savory for office lunch? Or love to have some kind of tasty, spicy, and yummy when you’re on the wheel and have no time for a formal meal? For every question, you must have one common answer- YES!! But how could you manage to get this kind of food that comes useful as well as tongue leaking by all means? In reply, I like to mention a name that can be taken no matter at what time of the day. And… it is… HOT POCKETS a mouth-watering, delicious food ready for your service. Let’s go further.
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What Are Hot Pockets?
A Hot Pocket is a microwavable turnover and pre-cooked food product as well that contains a variety of fillings like cheese, meat, and vegetables. This is so simple a type of thing that you can go for any experiment to find the best way to prepare it. For this reason, Hot Pockets exist in over 50 variations. It is a type of sandwich that can be cooked in 2 minutes so that you can make it ready at any moment of the day. Just you need to place it in the microwave and then serve it up. This is not only exciting for kids but the parents also prefer it a lot.
This legendary snack was invented in 1983 and it is sold mainly in the United States and Canada, but now it becomes easily available all around the world.
How Do You Prepare Hot Pockets?
As I have said before, hot pockets are the easy-to-make kind of food that can be prepared using very common ingredients. Here is a process for you to prepare this yummy thing in your kitchen.
At first, a dough is made by using flour and salt, and then it is divided into 6 equal pieces. You have to make sure the dough will be smooth and elastic and if requires you may add some more water to the dough and knead properly. Now the pieces are shaped like balls and then placed one after another on a rolling board and make them flatten using a rolling pin. After that, the flattened pieces are placed into the greased bowl to cook.
You have to use one of your hands for stretching the dough and the other hand for flipping it until you find enough bubbles in the dough. Finally, the flattened piece is filled with the ingredients of your choice and then folds the edges from both sides to make the hot pocket ready for serving.
What Are The Ingredients Of Hot Pockets?
Since Hot Pockets are made with different flavors using different ingredients, it is not easy to mention all of them as some kinds of chemicals are not commonly available in the market. Only the commercial eateries can manage to collect them. So here are some of the ingredients you can collect easily.
Sugar
Apart from some classified Hot Pockets usually this kind of sandwich contains 2g-8g of sugar that is applied as a touch of sweetness behind the savory flavors of fat and salt. The most popular Pepperoni Pizza Hot Pocket contains 3g of sugar.
Textured Vegetable Protein
Textured vegetable protein is mainly soy-based protein that works as a meat replacement or meat extender. This not only looks but tastes similar to ground beef. Besides, the food value of it is also to some extent equal to meat. Companies like Nestle add this protein to their Hot Pockets.
Cheese With Sodium Citrate
As you know cheese is one of the vital ingredients for Hot Pockets. But cheddar cheese tends to transform into a congealed mass once it’s allowed to cool after being melted. But if you add a little amount of sodium citrate with your cheese, it helps the cheese to stick together and prevents the fats from being separated only to make the thing smoother, easier to melt. The Beef tac and Chicken Broccoli Cheddar versions of Hot Pockets contain this.
Buttermilk Powder
Some of the Hot Pockets are precisely prepared for breakfast only when you usually ignore anything heavier to keep yourself fit. The sharp and sour addition of buttermilk is an obvious thing that is used to prepare this kind of Hot Pockets. Hot Pockets Sausage Egg & cheese, Lean Pockets Applewood Bacon are some of it where buttermilk powder is required.
Palm Oil
Although palm oil is not appreciated by many for its high saturated fat content, it is a better option than Trans fat which is banned in some countries. Besides, palm oil is semi-solid and stable at room temperature; therefore it is preferred to prepare Hot Pockets without any question being made.
How Long Are Hot Pockets Good For?
The makers demand that Hot Pockets have a shelf life of 14 months till it is packed. But the ingredients that are used are not last for so long. Cheese, vegetables, meat tends to develop odor and even they may lose their taste if it is kept for a longer period. Hence, it is good for Hot Pockets to find a way for storing. Therefore, now it’s time to know can Hot Pockets be refrigerated. Let’s find the answer.
How Long Do Hot Pockets Last In The Freeze?
Although the manufacturers don’t recommend you to keep your Hot Pockets in a refrigerator, if it’s homemade or if you have some leftover that you don’t want to throw away as long as you can, then you must store it in a refrigerator. If you don’t then the Hot Pockets surely be taken within 4 hours or it’ll be better for you to throw it away.
Keeping in a refrigerator is safe for your Hot Pockets as it lasts long. But since the ingredients can go bad early, then you have to ensure before consuming if it is fine to eat and doesn’t smell foul.
Final Verdict
Hot Pockets is no doubt is one of the most preferred ones that can be taken as an alternative to your regular meal. Although it is not considered a healthy diet for containing saturated fat and a good amount of sugar. But unless you’re taking it regularly, it cannot be graded as bad for health. Therefore, it is good to store it in your refrigerator so that you can have it whenever you wish. Just enjoy it. Have a nice time!