Heavenly burger: The Best Homemade Hamburger Buns from Artisan Bread Dough

This freshly baked hamburger bun came from the 5-min Artisan bread I had blogged about earlier. I am so thrilled with the possibilities!

Honestly, this was the best tasting hamburger I've had in a long time. The last few times I ate burgers, my commercial bun crumbled into a gooey mess. All I can say is give this Artisan bread a try!

Homemade Hamburger Buns Using 5-Minute Artisan Bread Dough

One of my favorite discoveries after making the famous 5-Minute Artisan Bread dough was realizing just how versatile it really is. It isn't just for rustic loaves—you can also shape it into delicious homemade hamburger buns.

The first time I baked these buns, I couldn't believe the difference. They were soft on the inside, lightly crisp on the outside, and sturdy enough to hold a juicy hamburger without falling apart. After years of dealing with store-bought buns that seemed to crumble into a soggy mess halfway through a meal, these were a welcome improvement.

Why Make Your Own Hamburger Buns?

Homemade buns allow you to control the ingredients while enjoying fresh bread straight from the oven. They're also surprisingly economical. A single batch of artisan bread dough can be transformed into sandwich rolls, dinner rolls, pizza crust, or hamburger buns, making it one of the most versatile dough recipes you'll ever keep in your refrigerator.

How to Shape Hamburger Buns

Simply divide your prepared artisan bread dough into equal portions and gently shape each into a smooth ball. Place them on a baking sheet, allow them to rise according to your artisan bread recipe, then bake until beautifully golden brown. Once cooled slightly, slice and serve with your favorite burgers.

There's just something special about serving a homemade meal on homemade bread. It turns an ordinary hamburger into something that feels like it came from your favorite bakery.

Be sure to check out my Artisan Bread II recipe for the complete dough instructions. Once you've mastered that recipe, you'll discover all kinds of delicious ways to use it—including these homemade hamburger buns!

Artisan Bread II: Love this Homemade Bread

Artisan Bread

I got this recipe from another home school family It is amazing! No kneading, and very little prep. The batter can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Just pull apart what you need, form into a free standing loaf and bake!

Check out this video.

I was too impatient to wait for my first loaf! After allowing the batter to rise for 2 hours, I pulled a small portion from the bowl, formed this loaf, and baked on a pizza pan. From what I've read, tomorrow's bread will be even better. My daughter and I shared the first loaf pictured above over a bowl of hot homemade soup. Yummy!

Ingredients

Makes 4 1-pound loaves

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)
1 1⁄2 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt
6 1⁄2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour

Free-Range Chickens: Our Urban Homesteading Adventure

Today, we clipped feathers and allowed the chickens out of the coop! What a treat! They scratched and explored the backyard, doing what they do best--- eating bugs! What happiness!

These ladies are two and a half months old. I'm figuring they'll be laying in a few short months. we brought them home when they were 1 day old -- tame as can be, and a joy each morning!

Poor Sheba got scolded while the hens roamed. No Sheba! Sheba! Behave! We're teaching her to "herd" the chicks. She's allowed to sniff, stare, follow, but not taste chicken. The only thing Sheba's allowed to chase, is the hungry cat that likes to crawl over our fence. When THAT happens, BAD KITTY! Get her, Sheba!

Time for me to work on a bigger coop. Once the project is completed, I plan to purchase 4 more chicks to add to the brood -- TEN is the maximum allowed within city limits! Thus, the adventures of urban farming!

Free-Range Backyard Chickens in the City

Today was a big milestone for our flock—we finally let the chickens out of the coop to enjoy their very first day of free-ranging around the backyard.

Watching them scratch through the grass, chase insects, and investigate every corner of the yard reminded me that chickens truly do what nature designed them to do. They spent the morning happily searching for bugs, scratching through leaves, and soaking up the sunshine. I think they were just as excited as we were.

Why Free-Range Chickens Love to Explore

One of the greatest benefits of allowing chickens supervised free-range time is watching their natural instincts come alive. Chickens spend much of their day scratching for insects, seeds, and tender greens. Besides providing enrichment and exercise, free-ranging can also help reduce unwanted garden pests by allowing the flock to feast on bugs throughout the yard.

Training the Family Dog

Of course, introducing chickens to the backyard also meant teaching our dog, Sheba, a few new rules.

Sheba was fascinated by the flock and wanted nothing more than to follow them everywhere. We spent time teaching her that the chickens were family—not toys. She was allowed to sniff, watch, and even gently "herd" them around the yard, but chasing was definitely off limits. The only animal she was encouraged to chase was the neighborhood cat that occasionally wandered into the yard looking for trouble!

Updated photo of Dingo, helping us catch a hen

Raising Chickens in the City

One thing many people don't realize is that backyard chickens are allowed in many cities, although local ordinances often limit the number of birds and may prohibit roosters. At the time, our city allowed up to ten hens, so naturally my mind was already planning an even bigger coop and wondering where I could fit a few more chicks.

Looking back, these first free-range adventures were some of my favorite memories of raising backyard chickens. Seeing them explore the yard, hunt for bugs, and interact with us made all the work of building coops, cleaning pens, and caring for the flock completely worthwhile.

Updated photo of our dog, sneaking into the coop! 

Tips for Letting Chickens Free-Range

• Supervise them the first few times.
• Keep dogs under control until they're accustomed to the flock.
• Watch for neighborhood predators.
• Provide fresh water outdoors.
• Allow the chickens to return to the coop before dusk.