Black Russian Bread (to make famous burger buns)
This bread will out-sandwich the deli and make otherworldly burgers
To see reviews and purchase more, see this page!
How to Make Hamburger Buns
His and hers burgers: A Salsa Bread Burger and a Black Russian Burger
How to Make Black Hamburger Buns
His and hers burgers: A Salsa Bread Burger and a Black Russian Burger
You can make hamburger buns out of any bread mix. We have nearly a hundred choices. All of a sudden, burgers aren't ordinary. Explore and choose what you want. Don't get stuck in a rut. Switch to something else.
And homemade bread is much, much better than store buns. And they're not hard to make.
A large bread mix will make 8 to 10 buns. Freeze any leftovers and thaw them on the grill.
- Make the dough according to the package instructions. If you're mixing the dough in a bread machine, cycle 8 is the program for dough on most machines.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces.
- Form each piece into a ball by pulling the dough around the center and pinching the seam at the bottom of the roll.
- Place each ball of dough onto a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using the back of your hand, flatten each ball into a disc. Because the dough has a tendency to spring back, repeat this process after a few minutes.
- Let these buns rise covered (preferably in a proofing bag) in a warm area until they double in size. If you have a cool kitchen, it will take an hour or more. When they have risen, bubbles begin to form under the dough skin. If blisters form, pop them with the point of a knife and hurry them to the oven.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes until the tops are golden.
- Remove the buns from the baking sheet immediately, and let them cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice them in half, and now you’re ready to assemble some beautiful burgers!
You can make hamburger buns out of any bread mix. We have nearly a hundred choices. All of a sudden, burgers aren't ordinary. Explore and choose what you want. Don't get stuck in a rut. Switch to something else.
And homemade bread is much, much better than store buns. And they're not hard to make.
A large bread mix will make 8 to 10 buns. Freeze any leftovers and thaw them on the grill.
- Make the dough according to the package instructions. If you're mixing the dough in a bread machine, cycle 8 is the program for dough on most machines.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces.
- Form each piece into a ball by pulling the dough around the center and pinching the seam at the bottom of the roll.
- Place each ball of dough onto a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using the back of your hand, flatten each ball into a disc. Because the dough has a tendency to spring back, repeat this process after a few minutes.
- Let these buns rise covered (preferably in a proofing bag) in a warm area until they double in size. If you have a cool kitchen, it will take an hour or more. When they have risen, bubbles begin to form under the dough skin. If blisters form, pop them with the point of a knife and hurry them to the oven.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes until the tops are golden.
- Remove the buns from the baking sheet immediately, and let them cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice them in half, and now you’re ready to assemble some beautiful burgers!
Your Questions about Black Russian Bread
- I love the idea of homemade Black Russian, but how much is it going to cost to ship? It costs too much to ship small packages. But we currently only charge $5 for orders over $69. Bread mixes are heavy. We think that's the best deal in America.
- How does the cost compare? You get the makings for a bakery-quality loaf delivered to your door, probably for less than the bakery. It's homemade and it's yours. And you get to eat while it's still warm and the butter melts.
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What does it taste like? You can taste the sourdough rye. It is definitely a pumpernickel, a light rye. It is definitely not pungent. It's a light sourdough--the rye is in the background.
- Is it a crusty bread? It's crustier than store-bought bread, but it doesn't have a heavy crust like European sourdough.
- What about the crumb? It's soft and moist and, of course, dark.
- What makes Black Russian pumpernickel bread black? It's the dark rye flour. Wheat doesn't grow well in the subarctic. This has some wheat flour but also dark rye flour and dark rye meal. The Russians are rightfully proud of their bread.
- Is black Russian bread healthier? The Russians believed that their bread made them sturdier, healthier people. It has 30% more iron and 50% more magnesium and potassium.
- Can you toast it? I do. It makes a really fine, crusty toast. I've put jam and jelly on it, but it's perfect with honey. We carry a star thistle honey, a dark honey that is perfect.
- How does it compare to a big-city deli? It's perfect and authentic. There is a big-city restaurant chain with black bread; this is better.
- So, is this good for sandwiches? It was meant for sandwiches. You can do anything that you can in a deli with this. Rueben sandwiches are perfect on black Russian.
Dennis Weaver
This black Russian pumpernickel bread is unique. It has a complex flavor--rye flour, rye meal, and ground caraway. But a Rueben sandwich can match it, balancing flavor against flavor with sour kraut, corned beef, swiss cheese, and a touch of Thousand Island dressing. That's a lot of flavor in a sandwich. But it works.
If you like strong flavors, you can pile them on, but in a balance, this sandwich is for you. The combination of flavors is fantastic. Give it a try.
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of bread, thickly sliced
- Thousand Island salad dressing
- Swiss cheese, very thinly sliced
- Deli-style corned beef, thinly sliced
- sauerkraut
- olive oil or melted butter
Directions:
Spread one side of each slice of bread with the Thousand Island dressing. Place a layer of cheese on one slice of bread over the dressing, then corned beef, then sauerkraut, and then another layer of cheese. Top with another slice of bread. Brush the outside of the sandwich with olive oil or melted butter.
Cook on the heated grill pan or griddle, with the cheese side down and topped with a panini press until it's crisp and crunchy. If you are not using a panini press, turn the sandwich after one side is cooked.
Baker’s note: The cheese is placed next to the bread so that it will melt easily while grilling.
