"I devoured hot-dogs in Baltimore way back in 1886, and they were then very far from newfangled... They contained precisely the same rubber, indigestible pseudo-sausages that millions of Americans now eat, and they leaked the same flabby, puerile mustard. Their single point of difference lay in the fact that their covers were honest German Wecke made of wheat-flour baked to crispiness, and not the soggy rolls prevailing today, of ground acorns, plaster-of-Paris, flecks of bath-sponge, and atmospheric air all compact." H.L. Mencken
There are several ways to handle buns. Many hot dog stands steam them and many toast them on the griddle. You pick.
Steaming your buns
I like hard buns only at my health club. Steaming the buns makes them warm and soft, but steaming them too much makes them mushy and sticky. There are several ways to steam buns at home:
1) Start a little water boiling in a double boiler or Chinese bamboo steamer and put the buns in for about 20 seconds. That's all they need.
2) Take a sheet of paper towel and lightly sprinkle it with water until about 20% of it is wet. Wrap the buns in the moistened paper, and microwave for about 10 seconds. If the bun is frozen, nuke it for 30 secs. Exact timing will vary because microwave temps can vary.
3) Get a pot of water boiling. With tongs, hold the buns over the steam for about 30-60 seconds. If you are doing dirty water dogs, this is the easiest method.
4) Reader Mark Leonard of El Dorado Hills, CA, sent me this tip: "I very lightly mist the outsides of the buns with water (if they're a little older I mist a little on the insides as well), wrap them tightly in foil in one package and then toss them on the grill, flipping once, while the dogs cook. Works great." I'll bet it does!
Toasting your buns
Since I grill most of my franks, I usually toast the buns on the grill right next to the meat. I simply open them up and lay them on the grates. Depending on how hot the grill is, they can burn in as little as 30 seconds, so do not leave your buns unattended. Check them frequently. If they get a little too black on the edges, you can usually scrape awar the char with a serrated knife.
If you really want to amp it up, spread a little butter or oil on the cut face of the buns before you grill them. Yum.
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Look At These AmazingRibs.com Best Value Gold Medal Winners
The prize for Best BBQ Tool at the 2012 The National Barbecue Association conference went to a simple inexpensive fridge magnet by Meathead. It includes the latest USDA recommendations as well as chef recommendations (and they often differ) as well as color photos of the different stages of doneness for red meats. The temperatures are the same for both indoor and outdoor cooks. Click here for more info and how to order it.
GrillGrates Take You To The Infrared Zone
GrillGrates are the best new product I have tested in years and the best thing to happen to beef since salt and pepper. The base superheats, eliminates hot spots, and blocks flareups. This is the concept behind the expensive new infrared grills. A must for gas grills. Click here for more about GrillGrates.
The Smokenator: A Necessity For All Weber Kettles
If you have a Weber Kettle, you need the amazing Smokenator and Hovergrill. The Smokenator turns your grill into a first class smoker, and the Hovergrill can add capacity or be used to create steakhouse steaks. Click here to read more.
ThermoWorks Pocket Thermometer - No More Guessing
A good thermometer is why I never serve overcooked or undercooked food. This one has a very thin tip with a tiny thermocouple so it gives an accurate reading in just six seconds. I cannot recommend it more highly. It will improve your cooking overnight and pay for itself in a hurry. And it is inexpensive. Click here for more about thermometers.
Steakhouse Knives
These are the same knives used at the best steakhouses (Peter Luger, Smith & Wollensky, Morton's and others). Machine washable, temper-ground, serrated, high-carbon stainless-steel, full-tang blades with excellent cutting edge retention, beefy hardwood handle, rust and stain resistant, and they stay shiny without polishing. And now they have the AmazingRibs.com imprimatur. Click here for more info on these wonderful knives.
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Preparing your buns
AmazingRibs.com is all about the science and zen of barbecue, grilling, and outdoor cooking, with great BBQ recipes and techniques: Baby back ribs, spareribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, steak, burgers, chicken, smoked turkey, lamb, barbecue sauces, burgers, steaks, rubs, and side dishes, with the world's best buying guide to barbecue smokers, grills, and accessories. It is edited by 
About Product Reviews and Best Value Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals. These are highly recommended products based on features, quality, and especially value. Rest assured that when we recommend a product, it is really because we like it, not because someone has paid us to say so because we do not accept advertising from products we review. We purchase many products we review although occasionally suppliers send us samples. We have always been transparent about when we are reviewing a product sample, even before 
The prize for Best BBQ Tool at the 2012 The National Barbecue Association conference went to a simple inexpensive fridge magnet by Meathead. It includes the latest USDA recommendations as well as chef recommendations (and they often differ) as well as color photos of the different stages of doneness for red meats. The temperatures are the same for both indoor and outdoor cooks. 
With a $30 donation you'll get a 100% cotton brushed twill adjustable low profile cap with the AmazingRibs patch sewn on. I'll even toss in a small bag of BBQ'rs Delight wood smoke pellets. Click here for 
