The Rolls

Several of you asked about the jailhouse rolls. I have made these rolls probably 100+ times but it’s been 30 years since I made them so I was a bit nervous. I remembered that the texture of the dough was different from most bread I make but I couldn’t remember exactly how it was supposed to feel. Was my dough too wet? Too dry? I wasn’t sure so I was thinking maybe I should not have tried them for Thanksgiving..

I mentioned in an earlier post that these were served at pretty much every church function we had and there were lots of them. For a couple of years when I lived in Texas the first time, a friend and I prepared and served meals on Wednesday night at church – every Wednesday night, and we made these rolls every week.

Last night when I was stirring them up, the dough was very sticky. I hated to add more flour but did add a bit. I kept second-guessing my decision but they turned out so good!

There was so much happening, I forgot to take a picture after they baked but these may be my favorite dinner rolls to make from now on. The one recipe made 36 rolls so next time, I’ll half it and still have plenty to freeze. They are so good and so easy and make the best sandwiches. I weighed mine and made them between 68 and 70 grams. Some recipes (maybe the one in my link) show rolling it out like biscuit dough and cutting them into perfect circles. I’ve only ever made them or seen them made by pinching off a ball of dough and shaping them into a roll.

This article has a history of the jailhouse rolls. I can’t say if it’s true or not but it’s the same story I’ve heard through the years.Where I grew up and was introduced to jailhouse rolls is about an hour from Beaumont, TX, where these rolls first began, according to that article.