Pretzel Dogs

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pkt (21/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 4-5 cups artisan bread flour
• 4 Lonely Lane Farms Oktoberfest sausages, cut in half
• 10 cups water
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
• Kosher salt
  

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, stir together 11/2 cups warm water, turbinado sugar, 2 tsp kosher salt, and active dry yeast. Allow to sit about 5-8 minutes, until yeast is foamy.
2. Stir in butter. Mix in 4 cups of flour one cup at a time, stirring after each cup, until well combined. Use your hands and knead the dough if it gets too hard to stir. If dough is still very sticky, add the remaining flour a little at a time until it holds together and is slightly tacky.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest about 20 minutes.
4. While dough is resting, preheat oven to 450°F. Bring 10 cups water and 1/2 cup baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
5. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-inch long rope, and wrap around each sausage.
6. Boil the dough wrapped sausages one at a time in the baking soda water for 20 seconds, remove with a slotted spatula to the baking sheet.
7. Brush pretzel dogs with egg wash, sprinkle with kosher salt.
8. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.