Chicago "Red Hot" Poppy Seed Buns

By pknaub

The Midwest has a number of culinary traditions, and when I lived in Chicago I discovered a few of them. One of the biggest surprises was hot dogs. People in Chicago are very, very serious about hot dogs. The number of toppings and the specific sequence of layering on the dog of your choice were practically mind-boggling.

First of all, there was the Chicago Red Hot, "dragged through the garden." This meant a Vienna Beef Frank, topped with (in order, please) yellow mustard; sweet green pickle relish; chopped onion; chopped fresh tomato or tomato wedges; a kosher dill pickle spear; "sport" peppers (tiny pickled hot green peppers); and celery salt. This is the dog you’ll find at Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs.

Other vendors strayed off the trail somewhat, but in general a Chicago hot dog may have onions, sauerkraut, hot peppers, mustard, and the brightest neon green relish you’ve ever seen riding on top. Sometimes chili, sometimes cheese. Ketchup? Well, all right, if you really must; people in Chicago are way too polite to scoff at you, but you will have branded yourself a non-native at the least. And a potential sissy at worst.

Needless to say, the carrier for this megalopolis had to be substantial: no undersized, spongy supermarket dog buns for this creation, no sir! In the Windy City you’ll find a big, chewy poppy seed bun that has enough oomph to support the skyscraper constructions that Chicago natives depend on for a quick lunch. Here’s our version.—S.R.

Ingredients

• Dough
• 3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3 tablespoons King Arthur Easy-Roll Dough Improver (optional, but helpful)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) butter OR 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) water
• Topping
• an egg wash made from 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water*
• poppy seeds

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

This will be brushed on the rolls to make the poppy seeds stick; use Bread Shine, or your favorite "seed-sticker" instead, if you like.

Manual/Mixer Method: Combine all of the dough ingredients, by hand or in an electric mixer, beating until a cohesive dough forms. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and satiny, then put it in a greased bowl, turn it over to coat, and cover the bowl. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it’s doubled, about 1 hour.

Bread Machine Method: Combine all of the dough ingredients in the bucket of your bread machine, program the machine for dough or manual, and press Start. Examine the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle; it should be smooth and supple. Adjust its consistency with additional flour or water, as necessary. Allow the machine to complete its cycle.

Assembly: Gently deflate the dough, shape it into a 12-inch log, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll the log into a 20 x 8-inch strip. Cut the dough (a pizza wheel works well here) into ten 4-inch squares. Note: For slightly larger buns, cut eight 4 x 5-inch squares. We like to make 10 buns when we’ve bought a package of 10 hot dogs. Shape each square by folding it over, sealing, then rolling to form a bun about 6 inches long. Flatten the buns till they’re about 2 inches wide, and transfer them to lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 3 inches between them. Note: If you prefer soft-sided buns, buns you’ll tear apart from one another after they’re baked, place them so they’re only about 3/4-inch apart. Cover the buns, and allow them to rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until they’re puffy.

Brush the buns with the egg wash, and sprinkle the tops with poppy seeds. Bake the buns in a preheated 350°F oven for 16 to 18 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, cool them on a rack, and store tightly wrapped, or freeze. Yield: 10 buns, or 8 bigger buns.