Deep-Fried Corn Dogs with Thick Cornmeal Batter

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

All-beef franks on sticks, patted bone dry, dusted in cornstarch, then plunged into a stiff honey-cornmeal batter poured into a tall pint glass — the trick that gives you an even, seam-free jacket without a fryer basket or a wide vat of oil. A deep, narrow pot means less oil, faster recovery, and crisp golden shells with a fluffy cornbread crumb inside.

Ingredients

• 6 all-beef hot dogs (about 5 to 6 inches each)
• 6 wooden skewers or popsicle sticks
• 3 tbsp cornstarch, for dusting

• 1 cup fine or medium yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk, cold
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, plus 6 to 8 cups for frying

• yellow mustard
• ketchup

Instructions

1. Set up first: pour 4 to 5 inches of frying oil into a deep, narrow pot (a 3- to 4-quart saucepan or small Dutch oven is ideal — never fill past halfway). Clip on a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium to 355°F. Line a sheet pan with a wire rack.
2. Skewer the dogs: push a wooden skewer lengthwise into each hot dog, going in about two-thirds of the way so it is anchored firmly but does not poke out the far end. Snap or trim the exposed end to about 3 inches of handle.
3. Dry them aggressively. Blot each dog all over with paper towels until the surface looks matte and feels tacky, not slick. This is the single biggest factor in whether the batter clings. Roll each dry dog in the cornstarch, then tap off every bit of excess so only a chalky film remains. Rest them on the rack.
4. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne in a medium bowl until evenly combined and no lumps remain.
5. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, egg, honey and 1 tablespoon oil. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until no dry streaks are left, about 20 seconds. The batter should be very thick — it should mound on a spoon and slowly slump, roughly the texture of soft-serve. If it is thin enough to run off, whisk in cornmeal 1 tablespoon at a time; if it is stiff enough to crack, add buttermilk 1 teaspoon at a time. Let it sit 5 minutes to hydrate.
6. Pour the batter into a tall pint glass, a 2-cup measuring cup, or a quart mason jar — anything narrow and at least 5 inches deep. Tap it on the counter to settle out air pockets. The batter should come high enough to submerge a dog to the base of the stick.
7. Fry two at a time so the oil stays hot. Holding a dog by the stick, lower it straight down into the glass of batter, twist a half turn, then draw it out slowly and steadily. Pause 2 seconds over the glass to let the drip set, then immediately lower it into the 355°F oil, holding the stick and rotating gently for the first 10 to 15 seconds so the coating sets round instead of flattening on the pot floor. Release the stick.
8. Fry 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until deep golden brown and the crust sounds hollow when tapped with tongs. Internal temperature should read at least 165°F at the center. Lift out and stand upright on the rack, stick up, to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt while hot.
9. Let the oil climb back to 355°F between batches (about 45 seconds) and repeat with the remaining dogs, re-stirring the batter each time. Serve within 10 minutes, with stripes of yellow mustard and ketchup — or hold them on the rack in a 200°F oven for up to 20 minutes without losing crunch.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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