About This Recipe

What are corn dogs?

Often enjoyed at fairs, carnivals, amusement parks, and as a convenient meal at home, corn dogs are a popular American food item consisting of a hot dog sausage coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and then deep-fried until golden brown. The term “corn dog” typically refers to the entire snack, including the sausage and the batter. They can be served with various condiments such as ketchup, mustard, or even mayonnaise.

What I love about this recipe:

Until I developed this recipe, I didn’t realize making corn dogs was so easy. The hardest part is coating the hot dogs, which I give a few tricks for in the FAQs section of this post. What’s even better about this recipe is the addition of sourdough discard, which leaves absolutely no unfermented flour in the batter. These corn dogs are heavenly eaten fresh, on their own or with condiments, and do not leave behind an upset stomach.

Why this recipe works

A cold batter

Making the batter before heating the oil and preparing the hot dogs gives it a chance to chill in the refrigerator, which will help it stick to the hot dogs better.

The right consistency

Sourdough discard can vary in thickness, depending on how long it has been sitting in the refrigerator. A thinner, runnier discard may produce a runnier batter, which is likely to slide off the hot dogs. The batter should be thick enough to coat the dogs without running off, but thin enough that the hot dogs are still easy to dip. Extra cornmeal can be added to thicken the batter, if needed, or extra milk to thin it out.

Drying the Hot dogs

The hardest part of this recipe is coating the hot dogs. Patting the hot dogs dry is an essential step that will keep the batter from slipping off!

The right oil temperature

350 F is the perfect temperature for cooking the batter all the way through without burning the outside. Any lower, and the corn dogs would absorb too much oil. Much higher, and they would brown too quickly.

FAQs

My corn dogs are cracking during frying! What can I do?

This is caused by inconsistent coating of the hot dogs. Sometimes, this is caused by air bubbles in the batter, and other times it happens if the batter is too thin or has not been chilled (it slides off too easily). If you notice the hot dog is not coated well before frying, return it to the batter and give it another swirl to make sure it has a nice, even coating. Be sure to transfer it to the oil very quickly to set everything in place.

I'm really struggling to coat the hot dogs. Do you have any tips?

Of course! Coating the hot dogs is the hardest part. First, make sure your batter has been chilled. Second, thoroughly dry your hot dogs so that they are not slick. If needed, you can add some cornmeal to the outside of the hot dogs. Last, give your hot dogs a nice twirl in the batter, which will help it surround the hot dog. Make sure to quickly transfer everything to the oil so that it stays in place!

What about when the batter gets low? How do I coat it then?

You can only have a full cup of batter for so long. When the batter starts to get low, tilt the cup sideways and continue to coat the hot dogs by twirling in the mixture. These will be a bit harder to coat, but will still turn out fine.

Sourdough Corn Dogs

Recipe by Caitlin VincentCourse: Lunch, Dinner, SnackCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Beginner

Prep time

minutes

Rest Time

minutes

Cook time

minutes

Yield

corn dogs

Often enjoyed at fairs, carnivals, amusement parks, and as a convenient meal at home, corn dogs are a popular American food item consisting of a hot dog sausage coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and then deep-fried until golden brown. The term "corn dog" typically refers to the entire snack, including the sausage and the batter. They can be served with various condiments such as ketchup, mustard, or even mayonnaise.

Ingredients

Dry
1 cup fine ground (not coarse) cornmeal (160 g)
¼ cup sugar (60 g)
1 tbsp baking powder (12 g)
¼ tsp salt (2 g)
Black pepper to taste
Wet
1 cup (225 g) sourdough discard
¼ cup milk (60 g)
1 egg (50 g)
Other
8 beef hot dogs
Frying oil

Directions

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
Add the wet ingredients and mix everything well. NOTE: It is best if the wet ingredients are still cold when adding them to the mixture, as a cold batter is better for coating the hot dogs.
Pour the batter into a tall cup (slightly taller than the length of your hot dogs). Cover and refrigerate while you heat the oil and prepare your hot dogs.
Heat frying oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven to 350 F over the stovetop. The oil should be 2 to 3 inches above the bottom of the skillet or Dutch oven. The oil temperature will drop once the corn dogs are added, so it is okay to get the oil a little hotter before beginning.
Remove your hot dogs from the package and pat dry. Optionally, coat the hot dogs with a light dusting of cornmeal. Skewer each with a popsicle stick (or any wooden stick).
Once the oil is heated and the hot dogs are prepared, remove the batter from the fridge.
Dip each hot dog into the batter, covering completely. It helps to give it a twirl in the batter, and make sure there are no air bubbles (which will cause cracks). Immediately transfer to the frying oil.
Do not let the batter touch the bottom of the skillet or Dutch oven for the first 3-4 seconds. I like to hold the battered hot dogs at an angle over the oil for this time, before dropping them in completely.
Fry each corn dog 3-4 minutes at 350 F, until golden and cooked through.
Remove from oil, and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy!
How to store: These are best eaten fresh, but will store in the fridge for three to five days or can be frozen.
To reheat: From the refrigerator, reheat in the microwave about 30 seconds, or in the air fryer at 380 F about 5 minutes. From frozen, reheat in the microwave 1-2 minutes, or in the air fryer at 380 F for 10-11 minutes.