1½ cups warm water 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 package active dry yeast 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4½ cups 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted Vegetable oil, for pan 10 cups water ⅔ cup baking soda 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water Truffle salt, cayenne salt, smoked chili salt, lime salt, an herb salt Directions: Combine the water, sugar, and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl, and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 24 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 6-8 inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 3 at a time so as to not crowd the pretzels, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving. Jalape ñ o Cheese Sauce
The barbecue bacon cheeseburger is usually a guilty pleasure. Here, I've combined these favorite flavors in a reasonable-sized burger that's even more scrumptious because the ingredients are fresh and guilt free. Please, though, don't cheat when buying the beef. Some people think that buying 93% lean ground beef isn't that much different from the 96% lean, but it is. Four ounces of the 96% lean has about 150 calories and 4½ grams of fat. Four ounces of the 93% lean has 170 calories and 8 grams of fat. Yes, the 96% lean is more expensive, but you're worth it (plus, in the long term, you'll be saving money on doctor bills)!
