Why dip pretzels in baking soda

What is the best way to dispose of the lye bath? Mith, you are correct, the lye is in the cold water. To dispose of the lye water, some people flush it down the toilet but it may be best to consult with your plumber first. Do not flush it down a toilet a sink drain is much better My dad and grandfather both plumbers would have a fit if they saw this recommendation from a reputable company! I usually make at least a double batch to justify all the effort and then give most of them away to friends and coworkers.

That being said I would love to be able to freeze the lye dipped pretzels and keep them on hand in the freezer ready to pop in the oven for a fresh baked pretzel. Would there be any way to do this safely? Would freezing the lye ruin the flavor? Quincy, you can freeze them after using the lye dip. For best results, add the pretzel salt after they thaw. Lye or baking soda?

To make authentic pretzels with the flavor and texture that you would expect to find in Bavaria, Germany, then one uses lye and not baking soda. Yes, its use requires precautions, but so does use of an oven whose temperatures can cause severe burns if one isn't careful, as does a stand mixer with moving parts. I made pretzels for the first time last weekend. The lye bath was no big deal I wore rubber gloves, I wear glasses, and I added lye to the water and not the other way around.

The outcome when the pretzels came out of the oven? None of us could believe how good they were, just like the ones you would expect in a German beer garden.

As a bonus, I improved the draining capacity for my tub and kitchen sink by pouring the lye down the drains. View our privacy policy. Recipe in this post. Making pretzels at home with a baking soda bath Using a baking soda bath is a common approach for home pretzel bakers. Shaping classic pretzels Now that we've discussed the differences between pretzel baths, how do we shape these beautiful little knots? There are generally two methods for shaping pretzels into a traditional knot form: In southwest Germany Swabia , pretzels are usually shaped with an exaggerated bulge at the bottom accompanied by a large pretzel loop.

Making pretzels at home: Which method should you choose? Guten appetit! Tagged: sourdough yeast soft pretzels tips German baking soda pretzel German pretzels lye. Filed Under: Tips and Techniques. The Author. View all posts by Maurizio Leo. Comments Hello. Ill give it a try and let you know! Hi Jill, we appreciate you correcting us on this one! Your email address will not be published. About text formats. Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically. Email The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly. He intended to brush them with the sugar glaze needed to finish them and instead accidentally brushed them with the baking soda solution he was using to clean the countertops.

Upon realizing his mistake, he decided to put them in the oven anyway something that would likely not fly with a modern-day health department and was pleasantly surprised when they came out of the oven with a golden-brown outside and a nice bite to them. He served them to his guests who were impressed as well, and they then lauded him as the "pretzel hero. The tradition stuck and going forward, savory pretzels are made with the use of baking soda, except for certain seasonal varietals served at New Year's and during Lent.

How using baking soda on pretzels came to be Shutterstock. Learn more. Why should I boil pretzels in baking soda water before baking? Ask Question. Asked 11 years ago. Active 2 years, 8 months ago. Viewed 74k times. What benefit does the baking soda bring - is it important in forming a crust? If so, why? Improve this question. Check out an excerpt from that particular episode: youtube.

Can be brushed on too if you work over a sink — Pat Sommer. In addition to being browner, crisper crust, it also is a very thin crust. Nice contrast to chewy interior. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Improve this answer. JasonTrue JasonTrue 9, 1 1 gold badge 27 27 silver badges 39 39 bronze badges.

Mmm, Wegman's pretzel rolls A long time ago I read a George Fix a chemist who wrote about home brewing back in the day article about ordinary Red Devil lye for clearing drains. He also said he'd never ever try cooking with it : — Pointy. Human skin seems to disappear quicker with alkali solutions than with acid solutions :- — TFD.

Lye is considerably stronger in the base direction than vinegar is in the acid direction.