Corn Dog

Ingredients

• 8 hot dogs
• 8 wooden skewers
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup for dusting
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• Yellow mustard and ketchup, for serving

Before you cook

• Pat the hot dogs completely dry with paper towels and push a skewer into each one lengthwise, stopping about an inch short of the far end.
• Dust the dried franks all over with the 1/4 cup of flour and shake off the excess so the batter has something to grab.
• Whisk the cornmeal, 1 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper together in a tall drinking glass or quart jar.
• Whisk the milk, egg, and 2 tablespoons oil into the dry mixture until smooth and very thick, then let the batter rest 10 minutes.

Steps

1. Pour the frying oil into a deep heavy pot to a depth of at least 4 inches and heat it to 360 degrees.
2. Hold a floured frank by its skewer and lower it straight down into the glass of batter until it is submerged to the base of the stick.
3. Pull the frank up slowly, twisting as you go, and let the drips fall back into the glass for a few seconds.
4. Lower the battered dog into the hot oil at an angle, holding the stick and letting the coating set for 5 seconds before releasing it.
5. Fry two at a time for 3 minutes, rolling them with tongs, until the crust is deep golden and firm all around.
6. Lift the corn dogs onto a wire rack to drain.
7. Let the oil come back to 360 degrees before frying the next pair.
8. Serve the corn dogs hot with mustard and ketchup for dipping.