83 Comments | Jill Winger |Last Updated: June 13, 2023
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It’s 2ºF outside and here I am making homemade hamburger buns…
By the time some of you find this recipe, we’ll be deep into summer and you’ll have stumbled upon this post after searching for a homemade bun option for your upcoming BBQ.
But we’re not BBQing here at the moment. The grill is buried under snow and everything outside is frozen. The pick-up truck door was frozen shut the other day. And the poo is frozen to the ground. And the water hoses? Forget about it… Everything just feels harder in the winter time.
Anyway, enough whining– let’s talk burgers. I realize hamburgers aren’t typical January fare, but I just submitted my cookbook manuscript for its first round of edits (more to come on that soon. Eeek!), and dang it! I just felt like burgers. The problem is we are bun-less, and I can’t really justify driving 40+ miles just for buns, celebration or not.
Thankfully, homemade burger buns take less than 15 minutes of hands-on time, and taste a million times better than storebought. I’ve tried a number of recipes over the years and they often felt a bit lacking. They were too dry, or too bready, or too crumbly, or whatever. But this recipe is perfection, my friends. These buns are soft and fluffy with the perfect crumb, not to mention they are show-stopping gorgeous! Who cares about pretty buns? Well, I do. Who wants to eat an ugly bun? No one, that’s who.
Slide a hamburger patty between one of these babies and you’ll be a burger rockstar, and if burgers aren’t your jam, try them with the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork instead.
Combine the milk and yeast in a mixing bowl (this one’s my favorite) and stir until dissolved. Mix in the sugar, butter, and egg, then add the salt and flour.
Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Set aside in a warm place to rise in a covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes.
Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal balls. Press each ball into a 3-inch circle. Rise for 30 minutes, or until the buns are round and puffy. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg/water mixture, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. These are best if eaten within 1 to 2 days of being made– store leftovers in an airtight container.
(P.S. If you want to try your hand at making 100% whole wheat hamburger buns, here’s a recipe for that.)
Combine the milk and yeast in a mixing bowl (this one’s my favorite) and stir until dissolved. Mix in the sugar, butter, and egg, then add the salt and flour.
Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Set aside in a warm place to rise in a covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes.
Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal balls. Press each ball into a 3-inch circle. Rise for 30 minutes, or until the buns are round and puffy. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg/water mixture, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. These are best if eaten within 1 to 2 days of being made– store leftovers in an airtight container.
Your instinct might be to add extra flour; however, any extra flour will create a denser, tougher bun instead of the light, fluffy, brioche-style bun we want.
What is the difference between Kaiser rolls and hamburger buns? Kaiser rolls tend to be larger than the standard burger bun. They also have a different texture–hamburger buns are soft throughout, but Kaiser rolls have soft insides and crusty outsides. Can you use Kaiser rolls as hamburger buns?
To keep your burger buns fresh, store them in air-tight containers at room temperature. Avoid letting any moisture creep in to avoid them from getting soggy and mouldy. The air-tight containers will ensure that the buns don't dry out and retain their original moisture.
The ideal soft burger bun should be pillowy, squishy, and tender, with a tight but soft crumb and a distinct sweetness. It should hold up nicely to the burger's juices, but should never be tough or cottony. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you don't want a burger that disintegrates half way through your meal.
Flour isn't going to make the difference. In fact, use a high-protein flour for both, i.e. a “bread” flour. The secret to soft, light rolls, if you're looking for something like a dinner roll, is an enriched dough that contains butter or other dairy, eggs, or both.
Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you are boiling potatoes, you can use the unsalted water in place of the water in your bread recipe to help out the yeast.
Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.
Every day, BURGER KING® restaurants receive their signature sesame seed buns from their local bakery. Restaurant team members inspect each shipment to ensure the buns are delivered in the best condition.
A low-carb burger is a hamburger served without a bun and replaced with large slices of lettuce, with mayonnaise or mustard being the sauces primarily used.
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Buns are naturally flavorful and bursting with nutrients. Rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and natural fiber with no added fat. Just heat and serve with your burger of choice for a real gourmet taste! www.foodforlife.com.
The white powder on the bottom of a bun is flour. It is used to prevent the uncooked dough from sticking. You will sometimes see the same on the bottom of bread loaves.
Store the homemade hamburger buns in an airtight container or wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to five days. Avoid short term refrigeration, as this will dry them out.
Paper bags are more breathable than plastic, which is great for brioche rolls, soft buns, and other breads with added fat. But too much air will make the bread go stale quickly. Consider keeping these bags airtight as best you can. Then there's the bread box: it balances moisture and air circulation.
“First, you should start with the bun, then add the ketchup and the lettuce to catch the juices from the burger,” he suggests. “Next, add your choice of patty, then any cheese, and finally, some sort of pickle and then mayo on top.”
Alternatively, burger lovers can apply a light egg wash to the top of the buns, sprinkle on sesame seeds, and pop them in the oven for a few minutes to finish. This technique, which can also be used to add a variety of other flavor-enhancing toppings, offers the advantage of producing warmed, gently toasted buns.
It's best to defrost frozen bread with heat rather than at room temperature according to tests done by Cook's Illustrated. Place the unwrapped frozen loaf in the oven at 325°F for 20-30 minutes. Check the internal temperature if you have a probe thermometer.
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Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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