Homemade Hot Dog Buns

We are officially in ‘Last Meal’ territory.

You know that weird question people ask you… ‘What would you choose to eat as your last meal?’. Geeeez what a daunting question!  People ask it so frivolously.   When asked this question (and I’m asked this question with weird frequency) this dialogue runs through my head:

You know that’s actually going to happen right!?  We’re actually all going to have a last meal, because we’re all going to die.  I think you want me to talk about chocolate chip cookies right now, or prime rib, or I don’t know… but all I’m thinking about now is my own mortality and all the ridiculous things I have to ask God forgiveness for.  And now I’m thinking about your mortality… how do you like that?  And now I’m thinking about my cat’s mortality and really, I think that’s a rude thing for your to make me think of.  Why would you do that?  I thought we were friends.

It’s complicated in this brain.  Too real.

Aaaaaaannnyyway.

Hot dogs would totally be my last meal.  But …since it’s my last meal, these hot dogs must be exactly perfect.

All-natural.  All-beef.  Totes grass-fed.  Majorly organic. Homemade Poppy Seed Bun(!!!).  Hot dog charred to a crisp.  Like really really charred.  Topped with ketchup.  Topped with whole grain mustard.  Dotted with hot sauce.  Loaded with sauerkraut.  Three hot dogs, please.  One big bag of potato chips.  Two root beers with lots of ice.  Crushed ice. Some privacy.  Don’t worry about it.  It’s cool.

I’ve been meaning to make Homemade Hot Dog Buns for exactly one year.  I’m really good at procrastinating…

Let’s get this show on the road!

Hot dog buns are made from a yeasted dough.  For this reason they require time, patience, and courage.  We’ve got loads of all three, don’t we?

This dough comes together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.  No mixer or dough hook required.

That also means that we have no excuses.

This dough is brought together a little at a time.  Here we have two cups of yeasty milk mixed with three cups of all-purpose flour.

It’s soupy but we’re on our way.

Flour is added a half cup at a time.

We’re getting there.  We’re trusting the process.

This is cup six of six and one half.  Almost there!

Hashtag: math.  Hashtag:  not really.

My dough was shaggy and lax.  It’s a mellow dough.  Still wet and sticky, and doesn’t want to hold its shape.  Perfect!

A moist dough will result in tender buns.  We want tender buns.

Our mellow dough can be kneaded with a bench scraper.  It’s folded and kneaded until it comes together.

The dough should come together into a big ol’ loose dough.  Technical term.

Time for oiling, resting and rising.

This dough rests until double in size.

Big body dough.

It’s time for the shaping!

We’re going to divide the dough into eighteen pieces.

First though, we’re going to divide the dough into six pieces.  Baby steps.

Eighteen mostly-even/ kinda-not-that-even/ totally-fine/ it’s-cool Pieces.

Four and a half inches long.  That’s what we’re going for.

Hot dog dough gets all cozy on a tray and ready for its second rise.

It’s really important not to futz with the dough too much during and after its second rise.  You don’t want to deflate the precious rise you’ve created.  A tender hand and a light kitchen towel to cover the dough will do.

Dough is brushed with beaten egg and sprinkled generously with poppy seeds, sea salt, and coarse black pepper.

Baked!

They sound hollow when tapped.  That’s how you know they’re done.

Consider these homemade hot dog buns your summertime bragging rights.  Yea!  They’re that good.

This yeasted dough is pretty forgiving, but to get the best results, try not to over-proof the dough and don’t get too touchy with it after the dough is shaped.  It’s an exercise in letting it be.

Happy Summer!  I hope it’s sunny and delicious.