One of the most iconic snacks in America, a classical one I couldn’t start my blog without making it! Let’s talk about a classic favorite from American fairs and food spots – the corn dog. A sausage covered in batter and fried until it’s perfectly golden brown, making it a true American snack icon.
Recipe for 4 Corn Dogs
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Recipe Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients for Corn Dogs
- 1 1/2 cups (70g) cornmeal
- 4 beef sausages
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 20g sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 egg
- 60g flour
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 4 wooden sticks
- Cooking oil for frying
Corn dogs – those irresistible treats we can’t help but snatch up when we’re craving a quick bite at a street vendor or fair. They’re easy to make, just sausages coated in batter and fried, making them a hit with both kids and grown-ups.
For this recipe, you can use the classic Frankfurter sausages or get creative with different types to change up the taste – it’s totally up to you.
The story of the corn dog goes back to German immigrants in Texas who were sausage makers facing some resistance to their sausages. They’re the ones credited with bringing the corn dog to the United States, although the idea of serving it on a stick came later.
In 1926, a cooking machine called the “Krusty Korn Dog” appeared in Albert Pick-L. Barth’s wholesale catalog. These “korn dogs” were cooked in a batter made with corn and looked like ears of corn when they were done.
In 1927, someone filed a patent application for food fried on a stick in the United States. The patent was granted in 1929. It mentioned that besides sausages, other foods could be used similarly to a corn dog. The patent also suggested that having a stick made it easier to handle and eat fried foods.
The first recorded instance of corn dogs being served in the United States was in 1937.
During a high school baseball game in Adel, Iowa, stadium vendors ran out of buns for their hot dogs. Roger Newman, who owned a local tavern and operated one of the vendor stands, took the remaining hot dogs and made corn dogs without sticks. He coated each hot dog in a batter made with cornmeal that he had prepared for an upcoming fish fry and brought them back to the stadium. Even though there were no sticks, customers found all sorts of ways to hold them – some used wax paper, paper cones, and even pocket knives.
Corn dogs really took off in the 1940s when they became a must-have at state fairs and carnivals.
These days, many vendors claim they’re the ones who made corn dogs popular. Carl and Neil Fletcher started selling their “Corny Dogs” at the State Fair of Texas in the late 1930s. Over in Minnesota, Pronto Pup sellers say they came up with the idea in 1941. The Cozy Dog Drive-in in Illinois claims they were the first to put corn dogs on sticks in 1946. Meanwhile, in California, Dave Barham opened the first Hot Dog on a Stick spot the same year.
Nowadays, corn dogs are enjoyed worldwide with different names and variations. In Canada, they’re called “pogos” and are served with yellow mustard. Australians have Dagwood Dogs, Pluto Pups, or Dippy Dogs. In Argentina, they munch on “panchukers” sold near busy areas. New Zealanders fry up sausages on sticks and dip them in tomato ketchup. In Japan, they’re known as “American Dogs” or sometimes “French Dogs.” South Koreans love their street food “hot dogs.” In the US, you can find cheesy versions with melted cheese inside or even cheese-stuffed hot dogs. There’s also the “cornbrat,” using bratwurst instead of a regular sausage or hot dog, sometimes mixed with pork or turkey. And don’t forget the mini versions like “corn puppies,” “mini corn dogs,” or “corn dog nuggets” that are a hit with many people.
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