I’ve been asked by friends to share this recipe. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser!
I know I speak for more women when I say that my husband loves corndogs. Of course, being aware of whats in your standard grocery store deli or gas station dog has turned him off to the whole idea and it had been years since he had one. Imagine his surprise and delight when I clipped a recipe for homemade corndogs out of the Seattle Post Intelligencer newspaper some years ago. For appropriate reference purposes, the recipe originally came out of the Associated Press.
Now with easier access to a healthier hot dog that is made from organic, grass fed meats and free of preservatives and chemicals the base for a reasonably nutritious and delicious corn dog is finally here! Whole Living Magazine has some nice pictures of the naked dogs. Applegate Farms not only makes the “Natural” and uncured hot dog, but an organic version as well. They are also fairly low in fat and calories. You will also find a review of a veggie dog there.
As with any of my recommendations, a focus on quality is foundational. I recommend using the highest quality dogs, organic flours and dairy products, farm-fresh or organic eggs, and a high quality oil that stands up well to high heat.
We use a wok for deep frying, it is deep enough and radiates the heat well. The best oil to use for high heat frying is one that is “refined”, it can still be organic, but refined oils are more stable when exposed to high heats. For frying, I use organic, refined, high-oleic safflower oil. Oleic acid is a “mono-unsaturated oil” which means it only has one double carbon bond. Double bonds are more unstable, take less heat, and make an oil more prone to oxidation “Poly-unsaturated oils” will have many double bonds and therefore will be less stable when exposed to heat. Other oils that hold up well to high heat are avocado and almond oil, though I have not personally tried deep frying in them. Here’s a great resource by PCC in Seattle about what oils to use for certain types of cooking. Almond and avocado oils can be quite expensive, I buy mine here in San Diego at a small Mediterranean and Middle Eastern market, they’re not organic, but the price is right. I have heard that these oils are also available at Asian and other ethnic markets in larger cities.
For making gluten-free corndogs, I used sorghum flour in place of the wheat flour and fried them first to avoid the risk of cross-contamination. Cross-contamination, meaning unintended exposure to gluten that is on food preparation surfaces (cutting boards and knives), in cooking mediums (fryer oil), in appliances (toasters), or on foods (croutons removed from salad or bun taken of burger after initial contact) is a serious issue for people with celiac disease and a concept that needs to be well understood by the gluten-intolerant among us.
I have not yet tried the recipe with other gluten-free flours such as rice or quinoa, but I have a feeling that enjoying corndogs with friends is in our future this summer and I’ll be experimenting with different flours. I’d love to hear from any of you who try the recipe with any other alternative ingredients. Those with food allergies or sensitivities may also need to use substitutes for the buttermilk (neutral flavor coconut milk with lemon juice) and egg (gelatin, flaxseed with water, xantham gum, or commercial egg replacers).
All right, here’s the recipe!
Serves: 10 Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 10 minutes
1 cup all purpose flour (or gluten-free option)
1 cup finely ground yellow corn meal (go organic!, Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (or regular milk or milk substitute with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar)
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 quarts refined high oleic safflower oil (or enough to fill a large skillet to a depth of 1 inch)
Ten 7-8 inch wood skewers (soaked in water for 1/2 hour)
10 beef, chicken, or veggie dogs
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, corn meal, baking soda and powder, salt and cayenne. Set aside
- In another medium bowl, whisk the egg until frothy, then add the buttermilk and honey and whisk until well incorporated
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently stir with a wooden spoon until just well mixed.
- Ladle some of the batter into a tall drinking glass, slightly longer than the hot dog
- In a large, deep skillet (wok) or a deep fryer (do people really have one of those at home?!) heat about 1 inch of oil to between 350 and 375 F, it should just barely be starting to move and bubble. Heat the oven to 275 F to keep the finished dogs warm while the others cook.
- One at a time, skewer each hot dog, inserting the skewer through one tip of the dog and pushing it about halfway up the length of it. Dip the skewered hot dog into the glass of batter, slowly twirling it as you pull it out to ensure even coating of the batter.
- Place the skewered, battered hot dog into the oil (the stick can go in the oil). Fry, using tongs to turn to corn dogs occasionally until all sides are a deep golden brown, about 30-45 seconds. Two to three corn dogs can be fried at the same time.
- Transfer the corn dogs to paper towels to drain, then place them on a baking sheet in the oven. Repeat with remaining hot dogs.
