A Sausage Sizzle with New England Style Hot Dog Buns

They almost look like their smiling!  Made with New England
Style Hot Dog buns, and topped with grilled veggies.

Back when we lived in Australia, one of my favorite things was to go to the local hardware store or the kids' Soccer game and indulge in an Australian tradition - the Sausage Sizzle.  It's really nothing special, but that's the beauty of them.  Delicious Australian sausages, perfect in their blandness, grilled over coals and dropped in slice of plain, white bread with a few grilled onions scattered on top. 

Here at home, we have a beautiful butcher shop that specializes in only pork.  He creates some of the most gorgeous bacons and sausages you've ever seen.  His pork chops are cut right from high quality pigs, raised with care.  I love that place.

I love how their coiled like a snail shell.  It is a style you
don't see a lot anymore.  Delish!

This past weekend, we picked up an Italian Sausage ring.  The label said Italian/Parmesan and that sounded good.  What I didn't expect was how good it tasted. 

I decided I'd make some New England Style Hot Dog Buns using my bun pan from King Arthur Flour.  I also used their recipe found here.  I am not overly impressed by the recipe actually.  They turn out a rather heavy bun, a bit too bready for my tastes.  I normally make them using my Belles Hamburger Buns Part Deux recipe, found here.  Just remember that the KAF recipe for the buns calls for 3 cups of flour and the burger buns recipe calls for almost double, so, just use 1/2 of the dough for the buns.

Still, the dinner was superb and the end result was awesome.  I grilled some onions and thinly sliced green pepper to top off the sandwiches and my husband loved them.  There was just enough sausage left over today that he could whip out a piece of white bread and have a bit of an Aussie Sausage Sizzle for lunch. 

About the Hot Dog Buns and Pan

I guess this comes from growing up out West all my life, but I never knew there was such a thing as a New England style roll.  I always thought of the traditional hot dog bun as the "go to" bun for dogs.  Back in New England, you can pull up along a roadside stand and order up a Lobster Roll.  Succulent lobster tail, chopped into large chunks and mixed with mayo and a bit of celery.  Who knew Hot Dog Buns came like this?  Not me!

The buns fresh out of the oven before flipping them out.

I loved the idea of them, so I found a pan on King Arthur Flour's website and ordered it.  I'm not big on "one-off" pans, but I'm always glad I have this one.  You have to let your dough rise for the second time in the pan and then cover it with a big, heavy lid when it goes into the oven to bake.  I used a cookie sheet, with stacks of cast iron skillets that were oven proof.  It did the job perfectly.

Slice each one at the depression, then slice the bun right down
the middle.  Grill the sides of the bun lightly with a bit of butter
to bring out the flavor and crispyness.

Once the rolls are done baking, you flip them out of the pan and cut them in each depression.  You then slice them right down the middle, almost all the way through, but not quite. You should lightly butter each side and grill them to give them the best flavor.  SO GOOD!