#pretzelbun

Smashburger on a Pretzel Bun

Soft pretzels or pretzel buns

Ingredients:

Dough:

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 Tbs honey (or sugar)

1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

4 Tbs avocado oil (can use unsalted butter)

For baking the pretzels or buns:

10 cups water

2/3 cup baking soda

1 large egg, whisked with a dash of water

Kosher salt for sprinkling

Instructions:

Add the water and honey into a bowl or measuring cup, let honey dissolve. Add yeast and let foam for a few minutes.

Add flour, salt, oil and yeast mixture into a large bowl and mix by hand until a ball starts to form.

Dump onto a floured surface and knead for 5 or so minutes adding a dusting of flour as needed until dough is soft but not sticky. (When the dough starts to feel warm and soft, you are almost there) Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. Keep in a warm place until it has doubled in size, usually an hour or so. (My house is chilly this time of year, so I turn my oven onto warm until preheated, turn it off and place covered bowl in there to rise.)

Preheat oven to 450. Prep baking sheets with parchment paper.

Punch down dough and divide into 8-10 pieces. Roll each dough portion between your palm and the counter to form a ball. Place on parchment. If doing soft pretzels, roll out dough piece into a 19-21 inch rope, using your palms to roll and stretch to lengthy. Twist into pretzel shape, pinch the ends well to keep the shape. Let rise again for 20 minutes, on the counter is fine at this stage.

Meanwhile bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Turn heat down to simmer so that no bubbles break the surface. Drop 2-3 buns/pretzels into the water, leaving for 30 seconds on each side. Remove and place back on parchment paper, brush with egg mixture and sprinkle with salt. If making buns, cut two shallow slits into the top of the bun after the egg and salt are done.

Bake buns for 13-15 minutes.

Bake pretzels for 8-10 minutes.

Mini pretzels or pretzel knots are also a fun option and will bake for 8-10 minutes as well.

Take out of oven and transfer to cooling rack. Enjoy once they cool enough to handle :)

This last week has been full of hard work, play, family, friends, hosting, traveling, shopping, chores, and on and on. This upcoming weekend is full of slaughtering our steers and butchering one of our pigs. I'm sure you can guess the idea behind next weeks post. I decided today to scrap a few chores in the name of baking some pretzel buns and pretzels for my family. Sometimes life is crazy, any more it feels like I say that every week. Crazy can be really, really good. It's not always a bad thing to be so busy and full of life that you're not even sure what day it is or how most the week vanished already. When life gets crazy, I try to do something nice, not just for the fam, but for me as well. I got in a run today and decided that making bread was a priority. I enjoy it, it's a newly discovered happy place for me. I can't always control how our week goes but I can make bread, and bread equals happiness....at least for me. Give these a try, I promise they are amazing and they aren't as hard as you may think. My family can burn through a single batch in one day, so I always double the batch (pictures are from a double batch). Have a fantastic Veteran's Day weekend and make sure you thank the veterans in your life. Maybe make them pretzels 😉

A fusion of Japanese and American flavors, the Japanese Pretzel Tonkatsu Burger features crispy pork cutlets, Swiss cheese, and fresh veggies on a soft pretzel bun. It's a delicious twist on the classic Tonkatsu sandwich.

Ingredients: 4 pork loin cutlets. Salt and pepper to taste. 1 cup all-purpose flour. 2 eggs, beaten. 2 cups panko breadcrumbs. 4 pretzel buns. 4 lettuce leaves. 4 slices of tomato. 4 slices of Swiss cheese. Tonkatsu sauce. Mayonnaise.

Instructions: Season the pork loin cutlets with salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet into the flour, ensuring it's coated evenly. Next, dip the cutlets into the beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off. Coat the cutlets with panko breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs onto the meat to adhere. Heat oil in a deep pan to 350F 175C. Fry the cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Cut the pretzel buns in half and toast them lightly. Spread tonkatsu sauce and mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun. Place a lettuce leaf on top of the sauce, followed by a slice of tomato. Add a hot and crispy pork cutlet on each bun. Top the cutlets with Swiss cheese slices and the top half of the pretzel bun. Serve immediately and enjoy your Japanese Pretzel Tonkatsu Burger!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Enjoy the ultimate comfort food with this Pretzel Burger, which has a juicy beef patty, creamy beer cheese, and the satisfying crunch of a pretzel bun. You'll want more of this delicious treat after taking it.

Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef. 4 pretzel buns. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. 1/2 cup beer your choice. 2 tablespoons butter. 1/4 cup mayonnaise. 1/4 cup Dijon mustard. 1/2 cup sliced pickles. 1 small red onion, thinly sliced. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: Warm up the grill over medium-high heat. Shape the ground beef into 4 burger patties that are all the same size. Add salt and pepper to both sides. Put the pretzel buns on the grill with the cut side down. Toast them for one to two minutes, until they get a little brown. Take it out and set it aside. The burger patties should be cooked for four to five minutes on each side, or until they're done the way you like them. Make the beer cheese sauce while the burgers are on the grill. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Break up the cheddar cheese and add the beer. It's ready when the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Take it off the heat. Put the Dijon mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl and mix them together to make a sauce. Spread the Dijon-mayo sauce on the toasted pretzel buns before putting the burgers together. Pick up a burger patties and put one on the bottom half of every bun. Put a lot of beer cheese sauce, sliced pickles, and sliced red onions on top of each burger. Add the top half of the pretzel buns to the burgers to close them up. Enjoy your tasty Pretzel Burger with Beer Cheese while it's still hot!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Indulge in the delicious flavors of bratwurst, beer, and pretzels with this mouthwatering burger. Perfect for a summer BBQ or any time you're craving a hearty and satisfying meal.

Ingredients: 1 lb bratwurst sausages. 4 pretzel buns. 1/2 cup beer your choice. 1 onion, thinly sliced. 1/2 cup sauerkraut. 4 slices Swiss cheese. 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard. 1/4 cup mayonnaise. 1 tablespoon butter. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add thinly sliced onions. Cook until they caramelize, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. While the onions are caramelizing, grill the bratwurst sausages until they are cooked through and have nice grill marks, about 10-12 minutes, turning them occasionally. Baste them with beer during the last few minutes of cooking. During the last 2 minutes of grilling, place a slice of Swiss cheese on each bratwurst sausage and close the grill lid to melt the cheese. Split the pretzel buns and lightly toast them on the grill. In a small bowl, mix together the whole-grain mustard and mayonnaise to create a sauce. To assemble the burgers, spread the mustard-mayo sauce on the toasted pretzel buns. Place a grilled bratwurst sausage with melted Swiss cheese on each bun. Top with caramelized onions and sauerkraut. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy your Pretzel and Beer Bratwurst Burger!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

The Pretzel Cuban is a tasty take on the traditional Cuban sandwich. It has ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and is served on a soft pretzel bun. Adding mustard and mayonnaise makes the sandwich tangier and creamier, and grilling it just right makes the outside crispy and the inside gooey.

Ingredients: 1 pretzel bun, sliced. 4 slices of ham. 4 slices of roasted pork. 4 slices of Swiss cheese. 4 slices of dill pickles. 2 tablespoons yellow mustard. 2 tablespoons mayonnaise. 1 tablespoon butter.

Instructions: Preheat a pan or sandwich press over medium heat. Spread mustard on one half of the pretzel bun and mayonnaise on the other half. Layer ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, and pickles on one half of the pretzel bun. Top with the other half of the pretzel bun. Spread butter on the outside of the sandwich. Place the sandwich on the pan or sandwich press and cook until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes per side. Slice the sandwich in half and serve hot.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes