Duck Fat Yeast Rolls

Yield makes 9 large rolls
RECIPE Ingredients
  • 1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
  • 2½ teaspoons instant yeast (we used Red Star)
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ⅓ cup Duck Fat, melted but cool
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • Maldon salt, or other coarse flake salt for topping

 

Recipe notes
Our old-fashioned dinner roll recipe uses duck fat and flaky salt for a subtle savory taste. The rolls bake up as fluffy and squishy as can be
RECIPE Preparation
  1. In a small bowl, stir together water and yeast. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add flour, sugar, and salt. Add water/yeast mixture and duck fat. Mix on low, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed, until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 60-90 minutes. Punch down dough then turn out onto a piece of parchment. Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball, gently cupping the dough and rolling on the parchment. Place the balls in a 3x3 grid inside a 9” square baking pan (they won’t touch quite yet). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and rise in a warm spot until rolls are touching and look snug in the pan, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  4. Brush tops of the buns with melted butter and sprinkle with flake salt. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving. Rolls can be served warm or at room temperature.

Recipe tips: When finished baking, the center bun should reach an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Temp using an instant-read thermometer, just as you would a steak. Start the dough in the morning, as these rolls taste best baked and eaten on the same day. Recipe can be doubled if needed. Duck fat rolls make great sandwich/slider buns.