Floppy buns are out. Butter and toast your hot dog buns to guarantee crisp, golden perfection at every cookout.
Here’s the truth about hot dog buns: Naked, untoasted, straight-from-the-bag buns are the culinary equivalent of an air mattress. They get the job done, but no one’s thrilled about it. A properly prepared hot dog bun, on the other hand, is another story. It should be buttery, rich, faintly crisp, golden, and cookout-ready, glistening like a Jersey Shore cast member circa 2009. It only takes one easy step to pull off this transformation: Butter and toast the buns.
It’s a practice I’ve picked up from my ten-plus years living in New England, devouring more than my fair share of lobster rolls along the North Shore of Massachusetts or down in Southern Coastal Maine (I’m lookin’ at you, Red’s Eats). There, the buns get just as much reverence as the filling. And once you’ve tasted the magic of a split-top bun that’s been buttered and crisped until golden, you’ll wonder why you ever tolerated those floppy, side-sliced impostors.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Picking the Right Buns
The perfect hot dog bun experience starts with picking the right bun. I know split-top buns (also known as New England–style) aren’t always available nationwide, but it’s worth hunting for them. They’re popping up more and more in grocery stores, and they’re absolutely worth the switch.
I’m going to be blunt: Standard side-cut buns are terrible. They’re unstable, they tear at the seams, and the filling inevitably squirts out the split side and ends the second you take a bite. Split-top buns, however, are engineered for greatness. They have flat, sturdy sides that are perfect for buttering and toasting, and they hold their contents securely without falling apart.
This design is no accident—it became the lobster roll standard in New England because those flat sides toast up beautifully and the bun itself holds together even under the messiest fillings. Once you try your hot dog this way, you’ll never go back.
Why and How to Toast Your Buns
Even with the proper bun in hand, untoasted buns are still bland, spongy placeholders. Add butter and a little heat, though, and suddenly you have a toasty exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior. The butter caramelizes, giving you a nutty, rich flavor, while the crisp edges stand up to the juiciest hot dog (or sausage, or whatever grilled thing you’re stuffing inside). Instead of dissolving into mush, the bun becomes a sturdy, delicious partner.
Here’s how to do it right:
1. Grab the Right Buns. If possible, obtain split-top (also known as New England–style) buns. If not, the following steps are still worth doing with a standard hot dog bun.
2. Get Generous with Butter. This is not the time for restraint. Use a pastry brush or even the back of a spoon to spread a good swipe of softened or melted butter along the cut surfaces—both the inside faces of side-cut buns, or the inside faces and outer flat surfaces of split-top buns.
3. Toast Hot and Fast. Place the buttered sides directly onto a hot skillet, griddle, or grill, toasting both the interior and exterior of the buns. Let them sizzle for about a minute or two until they’re golden.
4. Admire the Transformation. The bun’s exterior should glisten, smell nutty, and feel crisp on the outside while staying pillowy-soft inside.
The Bottom Line
Hot dogs are simple, but that doesn’t mean the buns should be boring. Butter them, toast them, and—for the love of flavor!—choose split-top buns. It’s a five-second process that will make Snooki proud.
