A lot of people pull their noses up towards the idea of consuming a hot dog, and while I can understand why, to some extent, I can’t say I comprehend their leeriness entirely. Sure, if you happen to watch a video about how hot dogs are made, or perhaps do an extensive look at the common ingredients used to make them, there is a chance you will be turned off for life. But, if you’re like me and recognize that despite these discrepancies, hot dogs taste delicious, then do yourself a favour and refrain from looking into their preparation process so you’re able to continue to enjoy them without a second thought.
My husband loves hot dogs, and his preference is Juicy Jumbos. But, I might unintentionally sway his preferences with the following recipe for Pretzel Dogs from thepioneerwoman.com, and you might be forever changed, too. Check it out.
“Ingredients
- Ketchup and mustard, to serve
- 3/4 cup warm water (110ºF to 115ºF)
- 2 1/2 tsp. light brown sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
- 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 8 bun-size beef hot dogs, patted dry
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
“Directions
“(1) In a small bowl whisk together the warm water, brown sugar, and yeast. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature until foamy, about 5 minutes.
“(2) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the yeast mixture, 2 ¼ cups of bread flour, salt, and melted butter. Mix on low speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
“(3) Change to the dough hook attachment and beat the dough at low speed until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. (If the dough feels too sticky, add the remaining ¼ cup of bread flour, 1 tablespoon at a time). Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm spot (70ºF to 75ºF) until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
“(4) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
“(5) Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 even pieces (about 65 grams each). Press a piece of dough into a 6-by-4-inch rectangle, and starting on one long side, fold the dough in on itself in thirds to create a log. Roll the log into an even 14-inch rope. Starting at one end, wrap the dough rope around one hot dog, leaving about 1 inch of hot dog exposed on each side. Place on the prepared baking sheets and repeat with the remaining dough and hot dogs. Cover the hot dogs with plastic wrap and let them sit in a warm spot until the dough has puffed, 25 to 30 minutes.
“(6) Meanwhile, place one oven rack in the upper third of the oven and a second oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
“(7) In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the baking soda. (The mixture is going to fizz and bubble up in the pan. It’s important to use a large pan for this step to keep the water from overflowing.)
“(8) Working one at a time, place a dough-wrapped hot dog into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds, carefully flipping halfway through. Using a slotted spatula, remove the hot dog and place back on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining hot dogs. Brush boiled hot dogs with egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds,” the recipe explains.
Pretzel dogs may be the new go-to for Summer.
Photo by Ball Park Brand on Unsplash
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