Pretzel rolls are popping up everywhere these day, and I must say, now that I have started making the hot dog variety for my children, they will not eat any other hot dog roll. I don’t add the extra coarse salt on top purely for health reasons, but by all means, sprinkle some pretzel or coarse-grained salt over the top of the beaten egg if desired. These are dense yet manageable, crispy yet soft and just perfect for the grilling season.

Easy Pretzel Hot Dog Buns

1 cup warm milk

1 package active dry yeast

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup baking soda

1 egg, beaten well

Line two baking sheet pans with either parchment or waxed paper and set them aside. Combine milk and yeast in a bowl, and let sit until the yeast foams a little, about 10 minutes. Add the sugars, garlic and onion powders, flour and salt. Mix well with a sturdy wooden spoon or a stand mixer with a hook attachment. Keep mixing until the dough has come together and is leaving the sides of the bowl. Pinch off between eight and 10 uniform balls of dough, and roll each into logs, measuring about 7-8 inches in length. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spray with nonstick cooking spray and cover loosely with film wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in the baking soda. Place the logs of dough ”“ three at a time ”“ into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Flip over and boil an additional 30 seconds, removing each and letting the excess water drip off before placing them back onto the prepared sheet pans. Repeat with remainder of logs. Brush each one with the beaten egg, and make shallow slits on top of each roll with a sharp knife. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove from oven to cool. Makes 8-10 buns.

— Chef Jim Bailey is The Yankee Chef and an authority on New England food and its history. He is a respected food columnist from Maine and is married with four children. You can email questions or comments to [email protected] and visit theyankeechef.blogspot.com.