For those who have made lye pretzels

I've made numerous batches of pretzels in my quest to make the perfect pretzel. I'm convinced lye is the only way to go. But my question is, how does everyone else deal with the stickiness of the pretzels after they get out of the lye bath? In particular, I haven't found a surface on which to cook them that doesn't result in the bottom of the pretzel nearly permanently fused to the cooking surface. Stainless steel cookie sheet is probably the worst. I've had the best luck with a really hot baking stone, but even then they stick. I've tried oiling a cookie sheet first, corn meal, salt, ... I've tried cooking temps anywhere from 400 to 525.

Has anyone else experienced sticky pretzels, and if so, how do you get around it?

I deal with sticky pretzels by using a stainless cookie sheet, a stainless scraper to pop them off. I bake mine at 350° per Kaisers recipe, I loosen them off the pan after they are half done baking.

parchment paper

Doesn't a Silpat work?

I tried parchment paper and it was almost impossible trying to get the paper off of the bottom of the pretzels once cooked. I think I ended up serving pretzel tops.

Perhaps it's just something in my process. I'll have to try dislodging them a bit halfway through the baking cycle. That's something I haven't tried yet.

AnthonyC said:

I tried parchment paper and it was almost impossible trying to get the paper off of the bottom of the pretzels once cooked. I think I ended up serving pretzel tops.

Perhaps it's just something in my process. I'll have to try dislodging them a bit halfway through the baking cycle. That's something I haven't tried yet.

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Parchment paper stuck? I have never found anything that even came close to sticking to parchment. Only thing left would be a silpat. I love mine. Molten sugar won't even stick to it.

AnthonyC said:

I tried parchment paper and it was almost impossible trying to get the paper off of the bottom of the pretzels once cooked. I think I ended up serving pretzel tops.

Perhaps it's just something in my process. I'll have to try dislodging them a bit halfway through the baking cycle. That's something I haven't tried yet.

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Always works for me. They stick pretty well right out of the oven but if you let them cool a bit they come right off, but that is removing baked things 101. How carefully are you timing the time in the lye bath? Are you allowing excess to drip off before you lay them on the parchment?

Silicone is pretty inert so the silpat might be something to try.

I picked up a silpat but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I love the crust on bottom that a hot baking stone provides (assuming I can get the freaking things dislodged cleanly).

How carefully are you timing the time in the lye bath? Are you allowing excess to drip off before you lay them on the parchment?

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Not carefully at all. I have been doing the lye bath for about 30 seconds to a minute. Perhaps that's overkill and the source of my troubles. And letting the excess drip off just causes the pretzels to stick to the stainless spatula. After reading Kaiser's recipe it sounds like he just dunks them for a second or two. I've been going with the more is better approach. Looks like I've got some experimenting to do.

I use a silpat.

Although, you could probably just throw a handful of salt underneath to keep them from sticking too much.

I usually end up making a large batch of pretzels so I like to process them in a batch mode. After the lye treatment they go onto a mesh drying rack and stay there until all have been treated. Then I bake them. I don't have any problems with sticking.

i dont know what a silpat is but my buddy uses a silicone sheet and that works great

They are probably the same thing. Silpat is just the biggest brand of them.

Heres a great Lye Pretzel recipe id love to share! i made a few tweaks to my liking and it turned out pretty darn good!

2 envelopes dry yeast
1 qt. milk, 2% is fine
1/2 c. warm water
3/4 c. shortening (I mix lard & butter & flavored Crisco)
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
12 c. all-purpose flour, unsifted
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
Coarse salt to sprinkle

LYE DIP:

2 level tbsp. lye
2 quarts. cold water

Soften yeast in 1/2 cup water. Scald milk. Stir in shortening. Cool . Add yeast with 6 cups flour. Beat, vigorously. Cover, sit in warm place until risen , this takes just about 30 minutes.

Add remaining flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix until well blended. Turn out on smooth surface. Cover with moist towel 3 minutes. Knead until elastic. Put in big kettle. Cover with towel. Put in warm place and Let rise until it has doubled in size, usually takes 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and let stand for 10 minutes. Cut into quarters then Cut quarters into 12 pieces. Cover with towel. Roll each piece into long strip for twisting. Place on stainless steel baking sheet, then put one at a time, pretzels on slotted, stainless steel lifter, dip very briefly in lye, usually a 3-5 second bath, drain on lifter and place back on sheet. As soon as cookie sheet is full, sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in 400 degree oven until brown, about 15 minutes. Place on dry towel to cool. Cover twisted pretzels with towel until half raised.

IMPORTANT: Lye creates a volotile reaction with aluminum! aluminum sheets or dipping tool CANNOT BE USED. Also, I spray sheets with Pam, so there is no sticking.

Where the heck do you guys buy lye? (did anyone find it locally?)

I ordered it online after exhausting a local search.

use parchment paper, mine turned out great, doing another batch for a bbq this weekend.

passedpawn said:

Where the heck do you guys buy lye? (did anyone find it locally?)

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I've only been able to find it online as well.

Randar said:

I've only been able to find it online as well.

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The only reason I haven't made these is this. I guess I'll just have to pull the trigger and make the online purchase. Would be nice if sausagemaker.com sells it... one stop shopping... off to check...

Looks like lye doesn't cost much!

http://www.aaa-chemicals.com/sohytegr2lb.html

passedpawn said:

Looks like lye doesn't cost much!

http://www.aaa-chemicals.com/sohytegr2lb.html

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I've used Essential Depot for lye and potash. They are slightly more expensive but who knows on the shipping.

That 2lbs will get you dozens of batches of pretzels. No reason not to use it if you are comfortable handling it.

2 pounds of lye should keep you in bretzels for an eternity! I havent even put a dent in my supply.

passedpawn said:

Where the heck do you guys buy lye? (did anyone find it locally?)

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I agree, Lye can be pretty hard to find anymore, its very rare to find in any grocery stores anymore, i know that a popular brand a few years ago "Red Devil Lye" was taken off the shelves due to health risks and whatnot, and there are online companies who sell it, i buy mine from Essential Depot... they have the equivalent to the Red Devil Lye but it is much safer and much more refined than the old stuff, its very pure because all of the impurities have been removed, thats why the "Food Grade Lye" that they sell is recommended for well, what else but Food lol im sure they get ALOT of their business from bakers such as myself and other bakeries.

Is everyone mixing the dough by hand?

I've made pretzels a few times and only end up with like 8. Would love to do bigger batches but my 4.5 quart doesn't look like it could handle much more and the pretzels need a lot of kneading.

terrencepickles said:

Is everyone mixing the dough by hand?

I've made pretzels a few times and only end up with like 8. Would love to do bigger batches but my 4.5 quart doesn't look like it could handle much more and the pretzels need a lot of kneading.

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KitchenAid mixer. I can't imagine mixing the dough otherwise.

When you want to make a lot of pretzels do you just mix and ferment in batches?

I used to mix it by hand. The work required was the biggest factor in getting my KitchenAid 6qt mixer. Soooo much easier now. When I do a lot of pretzels, I just break it into a couple different batches.

passedpawn said:

Where the heck do you guys buy lye? (did anyone find it locally?)

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I just wanted to mention that hardware stores (at least here in Michigan) carry lye. It's with the drain openers. I buy it for soap making. It's called Rooto.

Yooper said:

I just wanted to mention that hardware stores (at least here in Michigan) carry lye. It's with the drain openers. I buy it for soap making. It's called Rooto.

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Thanks. I've heard of another brand called Red Devil or something that was touted as 100% lye.

I just bought the food grade stuff online. It was pretty cheap, even with shipping, and supposedly is about a lifetime supply.

Although I don't condone it I have used red devil lye for curing olives. I didn't die, but I have switched to food grade lye for olives and pretzels.

Yooper said:

I just wanted to mention that hardware stores (at least here in Michigan) carry lye. It's with the drain openers. I buy it for soap making. It's called Rooto.

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I've bought lye for soap making at Lowes under the brand name Roebic Crystal Drain Opener. I don't know what makes certain lye's able to be branded as food grade, but I doubt this stuff is. It is, however, 100% sodium hydroxide.

I think "food grade" probably indicates that the equipment and packaging used to manufacture and package the lye is food grade, rather than an indication that the lye itself is different. And maybe they make people wash their hands before working on the line at the factory.

I get mine from AAA Chemicals. I couldn't find anything locally. But I didn't really look that hard either.

AnthonyC said:

I get mine from AAA Chemicals. I couldn't find anything locally. But I didn't really look that hard either.

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I just got 2 2-lb containers from them. I think the food-grade was about $3 each. Packaged well, good deal. I recommend AAA chemical.

(I'm making them the right way this wkend!)