What makes the best hamburger/hotdog bun?

Hotdog and burger buns are one of those things (in my opinion) that are best when they are the cheapest and most minimal.

Hotdog (tofu pup) buns: The best are New England style, where the sides are cut. There is far less bread than those thick buns. Also, if you’re lucky and find a place that does old-school hotdogs, the bun sides are grilled with butter.

Hamburger (veggie burger) buns: Small, flimsy, thin are the best. When I eat a burger, I want to taste the contents – not just bread. Larger, more “gourmet” buns hide the flavor of the actual burger.

I like sesame seeds on my hamburger bun. I usually buy Pepperidge Farms in the grocery stores. I also love a hamburger on a toasted English Muffin (US English Muffin).

Hot dogs I like a simple bun, Can be a really cheap store brand and that’s just fine. I also eat hot dogs with white rice and no bun.

I always toast all hamburger and hot dog buns.

When I buy hamburger buns for the family, I buy Oroweat Whole Wheat buns. If it is just for me, I will buy a fresh sourdough roll from Acme Bread in Berkeley.

I haven’t bought hot dog buns in well over 25 years.

FYI: Oroweat and Arnold are often the exact same breads, just called by a different brand name depending on where you live in the US.

@JLeslie It’s like Hellman’s vs. Best Foods.

It completely depends on the hamburger style and what toppings it gets. Hotdog buns should be cheap/basic.

@zenvelo Yes, exactly. There are several foods across the country like that. Eddy’s ice cream and Dreyer’s. Some brands purposely keep the two names because of familiarity in the region or competition in the region, and some eventually merge to a single brand name.

simple…..a toasted one is by far the biggest differentiator.

Good bread in a sandwich isn’t sweet, has very little or minimal sugar content. You don’t want anything in the bread to overpower the flavor of the filling.

I love hamburgers on French bread or great big homemade yeast dinner rolls.

I am not fussy about hot dog buns. I like French Rolls, but I’m happy with a folded slice of white bread.
Hamburgers, however, are substantially better with English Muffins.

Different types of healthy breads can make or break your hamburger ( or slicce of meatloaf , for somthing different).
Another way to serve hotdogs in different types of bread is to slice the weiner lenthwise and put two per sandwich.

Here is a link to show 29 types of bread to try.
https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-bread/

Very interesting answers! I notice no one points to integrity as essential. Do y’all enjoy the mushy/slop factor? I understand wanting to make the meat the star, but should cleanliness be a factor?

Also, how do you feel about sweetened rolls vs unsweetened? Ballpark sounds like an inoffensive, average brand, but i find them far too sweet. In a lot of cases, buns are the sugary seasoning. Should we go full brioche because we love it, or is simpler better? What about a little acidity or bite in your bread from natural leavening or whole grains?

@filmfann – that’s genius. Nooks and crannies and grease amd mayo….

I like a soft bun, essentially a holder for the meat and toppings. I don’t like sweet breads, just regular. I do always appreciate roughage, so sesame seeds are like a bonus.

@Smashley: “Do y’all enjoy the mushy/slop factor? I understand wanting to make the meat the star, but should cleanliness be a factor?”

Mushy or sloppy sandwich is always better than a sandwich that has maintained its integrity but ruined the meal in the process. Also, re: hotdog buns – mushy is better. Here in Massachusetts, the New England-style bun is often steamed as well, creating a gooey, lovey texture.

D’italian buns are great.

My favorite is the pretzel buns.

@nightwolf5 At Noah’s Bagels you can get a Bagel Dog

@zenvelo Yes, they are good, I’ve had them I believe, or ones like them.

I always like the soft fluffy buns with sesame seeds, toasted. The ‘mushy’ ones sound interesting though!

Rye bread with seeds hamburger / cheeseburger, not a bun.

New England split top for hot dogs.

I haven’t tried them, but a lot of people like the cheeseburger pods in Pandora (as in Pandora the Avatar movie) at Disney World. Here’s a look see. https://youtu.be/KC6gxP0GDpA

I like brioche style buns, in the appropriate shape for (veggie) burgers and dogs. They’re more substantial than regular buns, and have a slightly buttery flavor, and they are very soft, yet easy to hold without them falling apart. You can load on the toppings like onion rings, chili, coleslaw, or what have you, and there’s enough room and heft to hold it all. They’re dang delicious if toasted on the inside first.

“Brioche is a bread of French origin whose high egg and butter content gives it a rich and tender crumb. Chef Joël Robuchon described it as ‘light and slightly puffy, more or less fine, according to the proportion of butter and eggs.’”
Wikipedia

I hope I don’t incur anyone’s wrath here, but I feel like New England split tops are only appropriate if you plan to further cook them. Otherwise, I must say the basic hinge top does a better job of holding together and complementing the flavor of the meat.

^ blasphemy! :)