Mix the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the starter, warm milk, melted butter, sugar, and egg until smooth.

Add the flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead by hand for 5–7 minutes (or in a stand mixer for 3–4 minutes) until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.

Same-Day (Fast Rise)

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 2–3 hours, or until noticeably puffy.

Overnight (Long Ferment, More Flavor)

Cover and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour, just to start the fermentation.

Move the dough to the refrigerator and let it cold-ferment 8–12 hours (overnight).

Let it come to room temp for 30–45 minutes before shaping.

Shape the Dough

Next roll out the dough into an 8×14-inch rectangle and follow these steps to create perfectly sized pieces for wrapping your mini sausages

Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise, creating two long strips, each about 4 inches wide.

Cut the dough in half crosswise, giving you four rectangles total.

Working with one rectangle at a time, cut it into two large triangles by slicing diagonally from corner to corner—similar to cutting crescent roll dough.

You should now have 8 large, long triangles in total.

Slice each triangle into 3 thinner triangles, starting at the wide end and cutting toward the tip. This creates long, narrow strips of dough that wrap beautifully around the mini sausages without excess dough bunching up.

You’ll end up with 24 thin dough strips, each long enough to roll smoothly around a sausage, creating even, bakery-style pigs in a blanket.

Wrap the Sausages

Dry the beef smokes with a paper towel, this helps them to stick to the dough better.

Place a sausage at the thick end of each dough strip and roll it up snug. Place each one seam-side down on your baking sheet.

Brush each roll with a beaten egg to help them brown evenly. Sprinkle with flaky salt or sesame seeds if you want extra flavor and texture.

Bake

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Bake for 16–20 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through.

Serve warm with mustard, ketchup, ranch, or cheese sauce.