Sonoran doggos — the all beef hot dog, the bacon wrap, the lime mayo, avocado crema, caramelized onions or raw diced, pickled spicy mushrooms, carrots and jalapeño, chorizo beans, diced tomatoes, chiles güeros tatemados with crinkle cut fries on the side — tend to make an overloaded Chicago dog feel downright naked.
One foundational element of the Sonoran hot dog that is rarely given more than just a passing breath of attention is its foundation — the bun.
Soft and pillowy with a bit of sweetness, yet with the necessary tensile strength to carry the mass of toppings, the doggo bun is commonly mistaken for a bolillo. And while yes, the two breads resemble each other in size, they could not be more different in taste or consistency.
A water based dough, bolillos are satisfying in their simplicity, made with just flour, water, salt and yeast. They are one of the many baked goods that demonstrate the French influence on Mexican gastronomy, being a derivative of the lengthy baguette.
Slap a thick slab of butter and some cheese on a bolillo and you have simple perfection: a balance between creamy fat, dense crumb and crunchy crust which flakes off as you eat. This would be a recipe for disaster if a bolillo were asked to hold a fully-loaded doggo.
Enter the milk bun: Soft outside, soft inside, burnished golden brown with egg wash and elastic with the added richness of milk protein, which also helps it stay tender longer.
It’s a wonder of a bread, and the only correct vessel for a doggo.
Meet Minerva:Chef Orduño Rincón is here to teach you how to cook Sonoran-style
Matters such as the origin of the Sonoran hot dog, or what the proper toppings are, or even the debate as to whether the Ciudad Obregón style of doggos comes close to the original Hermosillo style, are mostly irrelevant if one doesn’t get the bread for it just right.
My recipe was developed to do just that and it begins with a tangzhong starter, a cooked flour and milk paste, which helps to add more moisture and structure to the dough.
It's not much different from making a roux, but without requiring a lengthy cooking time. The paste will carry over a small amount of heat into the dough, which is why this recipe uses the straight dough mixing method, which does away with blooming the yeast before incorporating into the remaining ingredients.
Speaking of yeast, it is best to avoid the single packages of dry active yeast. Opt instead for the jarred or vacuum sealed brick and be sure to store your yeast in the fridge or freezer to ensure freshness.
Always test a new batch of yeast to ensure it is alive and well.
For accuracy, baking recipes are frequently written using weight, rather than volume, and this one is no different. Grams are the unit of choice, as this is a Mexican recipe, after all!
Time to share:I guarded this 'secret' recipe for Sonoran chorizo for a decade
This doggo dough can be made by hand or with a mixer. There is no shame or prestige in one over the other, though there is a satisfying learning opportunity in kneading a dough to the correct tenderness by hand.
This Sonoran chef hated making menudo:She discovered a better way to cook tripe
Questions or comments? Email the culinary team at cooking@azcentral.com. Follow chef Minerva Orduño Rincón on Instagram @cucumbersandlimes.