Corn Dog & Fries Recipe

Prepare hot dogs

Pat hot dogs dry with paper towels. Insert wooden skewers into each hot dog lengthwise, leaving a 3–4 inch stick exposed for holding. Lightly dust each hot dog with cornstarch — this helps the batter adhere.

Make batter

In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, whole milk, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until smooth, no large lumps remain. Batter should be thick enough to coat a hot dog; if too thin, add 1–2 tbs flour, if too thick, add up to 2 tbs milk.

Heat oil

Pour at least 1 inch of vegetable oil into a medium deep-sided pot or Dutch oven (about 3–4 cups if using a small pot) and heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a bit of batter — it should sizzle and float immediately.

Batter the hot dogs

Pour batter into a tall glass or jar (this makes dipping easier). Holding the skewer, dip each cornstarch-dusted hot dog into the batter, turning to coat completely. Lift and allow excess batter to drip back into the glass.

Fry

Carefully lower each battered hot dog into the hot oil. Fry in batches so the pot isn’t crowded, 3–4 minutes per side, turning once with tongs so the corn dog becomes evenly golden brown. Internal temperature of hot dog should be hot and batter crisp.

Drain and keep warm

Use tongs to remove corn dogs to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain briefly. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while frying remaining batches.

Prepare potatoes

Cut potatoes into 1/4–1/2-inch sticks for classic fries. Rinse cut fries under cold water until water runs clear to remove surface starch. Pat fries thoroughly dry with clean towels — moisture will cause oil to splatter and will prevent crisping.

First fry (blanch)

Heat 3 cups of vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 300°F (150°C). Fry potatoes in batches (do not overcrowd) for 3–4 minutes until they are softened but not browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let cool 10 minutes — you can refrigerate briefly to speed up.

Second fry (crisp)

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry the blanched potatoes in batches for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove to a wire rack or paper towels and immediately season with kosher salt, black pepper, and optional paprika. Keep fries in a single layer to stay crisp.

Arrange corn dogs and fries on plates or a shared platter. Serve hot with yellow mustard and ketchup on the side for dipping.