The corn dog is an American snack food which consists of meat sausages that are dipped in cornmeal batter and deep fried. Corn dogs are a very popular snack in the US where they are sold during fairs, carnivals, and during ball games. These fried hot dogs are dipped into a cornmeal dough base and then served on a stick or without a stick. Different kinds of sausages or hot dogs can be used in corn dog and the filling will also vary according to the commercial manufacturer or the vendor who is selling the snack.
History of the Corn Dog
There is some debate to who exactly invented the corn dog recipe and the dish. But the snack appeared in different forms at fairs, carnivals and ball games since the 1920s. In 1927, a patent was filed and granted to a Combined Dipping, Cooking, and Article Holding Apparatus that would custom create corndogs for commercial use. The machine was given many names but a Krusty Korn Dog baker machine became popular in 1929 which created corn dogs in large amounts. But the actual originator of the corn dog recipe is still unclear. A number of modern day corn dog makers contest the claim with Carl and Neil Fletcher claiming that they created their corny dogs for sale at the Texas fair from 1938-1942. At the same time, Pronto Pups were also sold at the Minnesota State Fair in 1941. Another claim is also made by the Cozy Dog Drive-in who created the corn dog recipe and the snack at approximately the same time too. But in 1946, Dave Barnham created the first restaurant that served hot dogs on a stick at Santa Monica, California. There are many variations of the corn dogs that are found in different cultures like pogo sticks in Canada, and corn brats in the southern US. The actual corn dog recipe is almost the same everywhere though.
Ingredients and Popular Methods of Making Corn Dogs
Corn dogs can be found at all supermarkets as commercially prepared and frozen foods. A few vendors and restaurateurs do dip and fry the dogs just before eating to retain the fresh flavor. But most vendors use the frozen variant as per the corn dog recipe. These frozen versions just require thawing and then they can be fried or baked again. Corn dogs can also be created at home with a simple corn dog recipe. The actual hot dogs will vary according to your personal taste. The corn dogs are boiled and kept aside. The dogs are then dipped into a cornmeal base that is prepared from corn meal, eggs and milk. After dipping, the dogs are deep fried in peanut oil to create the typical crunchy taste.
Serving and Eating Suggestions For Corn Dog
Most corn dogs are eaten directly on the stick. They are served with ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. Relish, sauerkraut and pickles are also served with corn dogs. Gourmet restaurants do seve high end versions which have uniquely hand made sausages that are stuffed into potato crusts, into pancake coatings and even into wheat based coatings.
Nutritional Value of Corn Dogs
The nutritional value of the corn dog depends on the sausage and the corn dog mix that is used to make it. A few varieties of corn dog will also have cheese layers in between them. Usually, a single serving will contain about 460 calories. It is recommended to check the nutritional label on the dish to ascertain the food value of each serving of corn dog.