Burger Buns

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

sawhorseray

Legendary Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
★ Lifetime Premier ★
Oct 17, 2014
7,926
12,772
Gilbert, AZ
I finally found a recipe for soft burger buns! My usual bun effort, posted here about five years back, led to a rather heavy finished product.

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/buns-burgers.171380/#post-1253749


I followed this recipe to a T and was rewarded with what I’ve been looking for, a bit lighter and softer bun that'll stand up to the burgers I make

Ingredients
450 g (16 oz) strong white flour
200 ml (7 fl oz) lukewarm water
50 g (2 oz) sugar
25 g (2 oz) butter, melted
2 eggs
2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp salt

Instructions
Put the sugar and yeast into the water, mix well and leave for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate. Break one egg into a bowl. Separate the second egg into yolk and white. Add the yolk to the first egg, scramble them up a bit, and dump them into the water-yeast mix. Save the egg white for later. Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook for ten minutes, or hand knead for the same amount of time.
DSCN1147.JPG

Dump the dough out on a lightly floured board and hand knead for a minute, shape into a ball and place in a bowl that has a slight coating of olive oil, about a tablespoon will do
DSCN1148.JPG

Cover the bowl with cling wrap and set in a warm place for a couple of hours.
DSCN1149.JPG

Let it rise in size
DSCN1150.JPG

Dump the risen dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute, then divide the dough into six equal pieces, roll into balls, and flatten into rounds for baking. The recipe says this will make eight buns if you like, I'm better with six.
DSCN1151.JPG

Right before the buns are ready to go into a oven pre-heated to 375º take the egg white that was set aside and add three tablespoons of water to it, mix it up and then lightly brush some of the egg wash on each bun. Into the oven for 17 minutes
DSCN1152.JPG

You'll be happy with what you get and you'll know exactly what's in them. RAY
 
Ok.. I know this is a set-up.. but I will go ahead and compliment you on your buns! I LIKE your buns!
 
Thank you. I think I forgot to mention the butter needs to be melted in the micro. If you ever read the back of the pack for the ingredients in some store-bought buns they list a whole bunch of stuff that aren't in mine. Stuff like calcium propionate, monoglycerides, potassium iodate, the list goes on. What the hell is that stuff? I keep the buns in a Ziploc freezer bag in the freezer, they thaw in a half hour, or a half a minute in the microwave, always seem to have a nice fresh flavor. RAY
 
Thanks for this, I made the buns last night and they turned out great. One question, though - what do you do with the butter? It is listed in the ingredients but no mention of it in the directions.
 
Glad you liked them Grubby! When everything is in the mixer and ready to go the very last thing I do is melt the butter in the micro, dump it in, and turn on the switch. Sorry I didn't mention that in the original post. RAY
 
Another batch with a couple shaped for sausage, same recipe. My wife likes the store-bought buns from Safeway, even after reading the ingredients on the back of the package. Drives me nuts! RAY
DSCN1347.JPG
 
Oooh I love Burger too.I don’t really make homemade burger as much as I would like but my favorite is burger. I might have to try your recipe!i also love vegan burger.
 
On a chilly day i decided to try my luck again at some buns ( mine always turn into croutons. Went with sawhorseray sawhorseray recipe. Ingredients all mixed up and after rising
20200108_121833.jpg

kneaded and rolled into ball
20200108_122049.jpg

Separated into 8 equal parts ( should have done 6 as suggested) and panned
20200108_122657.jpg

Out of 375° oven after 20 min
20200108_125006.jpg

Cosmetically not so pretty. They were a little heavy but tasty.
Decided to try them with a burger and some 360 air fryer fries.
Fries ended up being 38 mins on airfry setting, and had to have a bonus Al's garlic dill pickle.

20200108_160412.jpg 20200108_165455.jpg 20200108_165808.jpg
 
On a chilly day i decided to try my luck again at some buns ( mine always turn into croutons. Went with sawhorseray sawhorseray recipe. Ingredients all mixed up and after rising
View attachment 427434
kneaded and rolled into ball
View attachment 427435
Separated into 8 equal parts ( should have done 6 as suggested) and panned
View attachment 427437
Out of 375° oven after 20 min
View attachment 427438
Cosmetically not so pretty. They were a little heavy but tasty.
Decided to try them with a burger and some 360 air fryer fries.
Fries ended up being 38 mins on airfry setting, and had to have a bonus Al's garlic dill pickle.

View attachment 427439 View attachment 427440 View attachment 427441

I'm thinking those buns don't look bad at all!The best way to shape the buns is to roll them into a ball then flatten with the palm of your hand on a flat floured surface. Go over them with a rolling pin, flipping back and forth, and round them out with your hands. Practice makes perfect, but another nice thing about homemade buns is they LOOK like you made them, rather than being stamped out of a machine. I'm making another batch tomorrow, about twice a month. RAY
 
Sorry, something I forgot to add. After you've shaped the buns, cover them with a plastic garbage bag for a second rise for about 45 minutes before placing them in the oven, it lightens them up a bit. RAY
 
Sorry, something I forgot to add. After you've shaped the buns, cover them with a plastic garbage bag for a second rise for about 45 minutes before placing them in the oven, it lightens them up a bit. RAY
Thank you Ray, I think that would have helped lighten them. Any truth to it that your aware of, the more you work them the firmer they will be ? Or old wives take ?
I will definitely make them again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sawhorseray
Thank you Ray, I think that would have helped lighten them. Any truth to it that your aware of, the more you work them the firmer they will be ? Or old wives take ? I will definitely make them again.

I have no idea Winterrider. Burger buns and rolls are about the only thing I bake. I've tried out a number of different recipes and it's a constant search to find just the right one. I made some years back from a soft dinner roll recipe that sound like it was going to be ideal, and looked great coming out of the oven. It turned out they were too soft and couldn't take being handled when a bacon cheeseburger was the menu, they fell apart pretty fast. I need to make a batch today and will check out different recipes on this site, used it for years, check it out. There's some recipes for brioche rolls and such that they say are softer but require a bit more kneading and dilly dally than I've ever wanted to sign up for. If you find a winner please let me know. RAY

 
  • Like
Reactions: Winterrider
Thanks Chop, kinda what I remember hearing also. And I "certainly" don't classify myself as a baker. 'yet'
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Clicky