og:https://cookhousejournal.blogspot.com/ Thank goodness it's Friday and Spring is here. Up where I live the weekends are spent outside. People grilling, children playing, and dogs. It's our little joy that we have only a few months out of the year to truly embrace our freedom from snow.

Any excused I have to use my smoker I take. One of my go to meats is pork. When I use to eat meat this heavy, soft, fatty meat melted my heart with every bite.

My creation this weekend is smoked pork, creamy coleslaw, layered in a pretzel bun. My husband gave me the idea to add pickled onions. The highlight of this sandwich is the rich, chewiness of the pretzel bun. It is perfect for soaking up the meats juices and sauce of the coleslaw.

Pretzel Buns

By Stefanie Schuckert
Delicious, rich buns that taste just like pretzels from state fair.
Prep time: 3 Hours, Cook time: 20 Minutes, Total time: 3 hours & 20 Minutes
Yield: 32 Buns

Ingredients:
Whole Milk 3 Cups
Brown Sugar,packed 1/2 Cup
Butter 3 Ounces or 3 Tablespoons
Active Dry Yeast 1 Package
All Purpose Flour 6-7 Cups
Salt 1/2 Tablespoon
Water 4 Cups
Baking Soda 1 Cup

Instructions:

Heat milk, butter, and brown sugar until melted and dissolved. Allow to cool to 95°F-105°F.

When milk mix is ready poor into yeast and let sit 10 minutes until foaming.

Sift together 5 Cups of flour and salt. Add this to the yeast mixture until combined.

Slowly knead in the rest of the flour until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Allow to sit in an oiled bowl lightly wrapped. Let it ferment, double in size, about 2 hours.

When dough is ready portion into 32 equal pieces (3 ounces each), and shape into buns

Let these rounds rest while you simmer water and baking soda

Simmer 1 minute each side. Place on sprayed baking pan.

Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Look for rich golden brown.

Serve warm or cooled if slicing

Printable Recipe

I really wanted to share this recipe with everyone because its such a great way to add a special item without breaking the bank. I went to the grocery store and they wanted $5 a pack of 4. This recipe gives you $32 for less than a 10¢ a bun (equals $3.20 all together). I would call that a deal. 

This recipe was intimidating when I first started working with it. I had to make it a few times to get in the grove of timing, water temperature, and dough texture. Try a small batch first, then as you feel more comfortable the larger batch you can make. I hear all the time, "I just CAN"T bake". I say, "YES YOU CAN!". This recipe can be very forgiving for new bakers. 

You can set yourself with a nice bread based recipe. Have fun with this, try it in different sizes and shapes. Have you ever wanted a different way to jazz up a burger? These pretzel buns could get you that next level of flavor, save some money, and take you to that next level of baking.