Description
These beer battered corn dogs are dotted with jalapeno peppers and savory cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 gallon peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup fine ground cornmeal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, deseeded and stem removed
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2/3 cup pilsner style beer (I use Modelo)
- 1 egg
- 1 TB milk
- 3 TB honey
- 2 TB cornstarch
- 8 skinless beef franks, regular length (bun length franks are too long and you won’t have enough batter)
Instructions
- Heat the peanut oil over medium high heat in a large, heavy bottomed pot. A 5 quart Dutch oven works well here. You can also use a stock pot. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot (or whichever thermometer you prefer to use) to monitor the temperature of the oil. We want it to reach 365 degrees F.
- While the oil is heating up, make the batter. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Add the deseeded jalapeno pepper and shredded cheese and pulse until well blended. You shouldn’t see any large chunks of either cheese or pepper. It should be almost difficult to see the cheese.
- Pour the dry ingredient mixture into a mixing bowl and add the beer, beaten egg, milk and honey. Use a spatula to fold everything together until a thick, cohesive batter forms. It should drop off of the spatula in large “plops.” Set the batter aside and prepare the hot dogs.
- Pat the franks dry with a paper towel and push a skewer into one end of each frank. The skewer should go about 3/4 of the way through the hot dog and not come out the other end.
- After all the franks have skewers, add the cornstarch to a shallow bowl or plate. Gently roll each hot dog in the cornstarch and use your hand to cover and brush it over the entire hot dog. They don’t need to be encrusted in it, just a dusting on the outside. Be sure to do this over the plate of cornstarch to catch the excess as you coat each hot dog. Set the prepared hot dogs aside.
- Give the batter another mix with the spatula and fill a tall glass (Collins or highball works well) up to about an inch from the top with batter. By now, the oil should be close to temperature.
- When the oil has reached 365 degrees, dunk a prepared hot dog in the glass of batter, sinking it completely into the batter to cover the entire hot dog. Swirl it a bit to make sure the batter is well above the hot dog and onto the stick, and gently remove it from the glass.
- Working quickly, allow a little of the excess batter to fall from the hot dog, and then carefully drop it into the hot oil. Repeat right away with a second corn dog, and allow them to fry for about a minute. The batter should puff up and the corn dog will take shape within a few seconds.
- Use a spider skimmer to remove the corn dogs from the oil once they are deep golden brown. Check the oil temperature to make sure it has rebounded (the temperature will drop once the corn dogs are added) and continue repeating the process until all the corn dogs have been fried. Allow the finished corn dogs to rest on a wire rack set over a sheet of tin foil.
- As soon as you’re done frying the corn dogs, remove your pot of oil from the heat, shut off the burner and let the oil cool to room temperature before cleaning up.
- After the corn dogs have rested for 5-10 minutes, serve hot with your choice of condiments!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 corn dog
- Calories: 552
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 1397.2 mg
- Fat: 33.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.5 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 132.2 mg