Fresh Milled Sourdough Discard Pretzel Dogs Recipe
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Whether you want an appetizer or a main course, these pretzel dogs are it. Using bratwurst instead of hot dogs, they’re much more filling and flavorful and use what I normally have on hand since we raise our own hogs! I never have hot dogs and I just really want a pretzel dog, okayyyyyy. These fresh milled soft pretzels are soft and tender with a bit of tanginess from the sourdough are the perfect companion to wrap around home grown pork bratwursts! Who could complain about having a bratwurst and a bun baked along with it all at once. Not I. Serve alongside homemade honey mustard made with honey fermented garlic and everyone will be asking for more!
Sourdough Discard
I’m pretty sure I enjoy sourdough recipes utilizing discard more than using the active starter. Anyone else? Sourdough discard TO ME (so I don’t hack off all the sourdough puritans) is using the starter when I’m not looking to long ferment and use it to cause the rise in my recipe. Discard can be active, unfed, borderline starvation, doesn’t matter. This discard recipe uses active dry yeast so I’m not waiting on the sourdough fermentation, the yeast is quicker. Can you make this soft pretzel recipe with sourdough and no yeast? Absolutely! I’d adjust the amount of starter used and double it and makes sure it’s nice and active and give it a good long bulk fermentation. They’d be delicious.
​Baking Soda vs. Food Grade Lye
If you go to my pretzel dough recipe, you’ll see a nice write up on why I don’t use lye to make my pretzels. Traditional pretzels are placed in a lye bath (an alkaline solution) prior to baking instead of a baking soda bath. I use baking soda because I already have it on hand and I don’t have to worry about safety as much as I do with lye. It’s not a big deal, really. If you prefer lye, make your lye solution and do that. Either would work fine for this recipe.
Equipment You Will Need:
- stand mixer
- Large bowl
- bench scraper
- Dutch Oven
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients:
- 1 batch fresh milled sourdough discard pretzels recipe
- 8 bratwursts, room temperature (or sausage of your choice)
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1 egg yolk
Let’s get started!
Step 1: Make the Pretzel Dough
​Make the soft pretzel dough of your choice or use mine here.
Once the dough is just about finished rising in a warm spot, start working on the brats.
Step 2: Brown the Brats
To a preheated cast iron skillet, brown bratwurst on each side. Do not worry about cooking through. Remove brats from skillet to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess drippings. Cut each bratwurst in half.
Step 3: Divide the Dough
Turn pretzel dough onto your counter and divide into 16 equal pieces.
Step 4: Shape
Press out a piece of dough to be the same width than the bratwurst half and about twice as long so you can wrap it. Place the bratwurst on one end of the dough and roll it up in the dough. Pinch the the seam and let the ends poke out. Roll the dough between your hand and the counter to smooth and even out the dough around the bratwurst. Place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan while you work. Repeat step until all bratwurst are wrapped.
You can also roll the pretzel dough out into a long rope and wrap the rope around the bratwurst if you’re looking for something fancy. Pinch each end so it adheres to itself and stays on the bratwurst.
Step 5: Baking Soda Bath
Bring 2 quarts of water + 1/2 cup baking soda to a boil.
Preheat your oven to 450F.
Working 2 at a time, add pretzel dogs to the boiling baking soda solution and boiling 30 seconds, flipping, and cooking 30 seconds more. Remove from boiling water with a slotted spoon, drain, and place back on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment.
Step 6: Bake
Egg wash each pretzel dog with a pastry brush and a beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, or garlic salt. The ways you could season the tops of your pretzels are endless… be creative.
Bake at 450F for about 15 minutes, or til pretzels are nicely browned and the internal temp of the brats is 160-165F. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes prior to serving.
Step 7: Serve
Serve with cheese dip, honey mustard, or your dip of choice.
Notes:
To guarantee the pretzel dough adheres to the bratwurst, make sure they are dry before you wrap them in the pretzel dough.
Equipment
- stand mixer
- Large bowl
- bench scraper
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 batch fresh milled sourdough discard pretzels recipe
- 8 bratwurst room temp
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
Instructions
- Prepare 1 batch of my sourdough discard soft pretzels. Once it is about finished rising, start the brats.
- To a preheated cast iron skillet, brown bratwurst on each side. Do not worry about cooking through. Remove brats from skillet to a plate lined with a towel to absorb any drippings.
- Turn pretzel dough onto your counter and divide into 16 equal pieces.
- Cut each bratwurst in half.
- Press out one pretzel dough portion to be the same width than the bratwurst half and about twice as long so you can wrap it. Place the bratwurst on one end of the dough and roll it up in the dough. Pinch the the seam and let the ends poke out. Roll the dough between your hand and the counter to smooth and even out the dough around the bratwurst. Place on a parchment lined sheet pan while you work. Repeat step until all bratwurst are wrapped.
- Bring 2 quarts of water + 1/2 cup baking soda to a boil. Preheat your oven to 450F.
- Working 2 at a time, add pretzel dogs to the boiling water and boiling 30 seconds, flipping, and cooking 30 seconds more. Remove from boiling water with a slotted spoon, drain, and place back on the parchment lined sheet pan.
- Brush each one with an egg wash and sprinkle with salt if you choose.
- Bake at 450F for about 15 minutes, or until pretzels are browned and the internal temperature of the bratwurst is 160-165F.
- Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool slightly, serve with homemade honey mustard, and enjoy!
