Description
These Sourdough Mini Corn Dogs are a delightful twist on the classic corn dog, featuring a flavorful sourdough discard in the cornbread batter. Perfectly golden and crispy on the outside with juicy cocktail sausages on the inside, they make a fun and tasty appetizer or snack that’s easy to prepare and sure to please a crowd.
Ingredients
Sausages
- 1 package cocktail sausages
Batter
- 140 grams fine yellow cornmeal (1 cup)
- 80 grams all-purpose flour (1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons)
- 25 grams sugar (2 Tablespoons)
- 6 grams baking powder (1/2 teaspoon)
- 0.5 gram salt (1/8 teaspoon)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 180 grams milk (3/4 cup)
- 60 grams sourdough discard (1/4 cup)
- 14 grams unsalted butter, melted (1 Tablespoon)
- 5 grams honey (1 teaspoon)
- neutral frying oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Heat the oil. Pour four inches of neutral frying oil into a Dutch oven or a large pot. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F, using a frying thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately.
- Prepare the sausages. Remove cocktail sausages from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. If using full-sized hot dogs, slice them into 2-inch pieces.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the sourdough discard, milk, honey, beaten egg, and melted butter until smooth. Active sourdough starter can be used as a substitute with the same weight in grams.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. It’s okay if the batter is slightly lumpy; avoid overmixing to ensure light cornbread texture.
- Coat the sausages. Place the cocktail sausages in a bowl, lightly sprinkle with flour and roll to dust evenly. This helps the batter stick better.
- Batter the sausages. Pour the cornbread batter into a tall glass. Insert a toothpick into each sausage and dip into the batter, lifting and allowing excess batter to drip off for about 5 seconds.
- Fry the mini corn dogs. Place the dipped sausage’s top end into the hot oil at an angle and fry for 5 seconds before sliding the mini corn dog off the toothpick carefully into the oil. Fry in small batches of 4-5 for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, turning with a wire spider strainer to cook evenly on all sides.
- Drain excess oil. Remove the mini corn dogs using a spider strainer and place on a wire rack lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Serve. Serve hot with your favorite condiments such as ketchup, mustard, or honey mustard. Enjoy your crispy Sourdough Mini Corn Dogs!
Notes
- Ensure the oil temperature is consistently around 350°F for optimal frying results and to avoid greasy corn dogs.
- Lightly dusting the sausages with flour is essential for batter adherence.
- Do not overmix the batter; lumps are normal and help keep the texture light and fluffy.
- You can substitute sourdough discard with active starter in equal weight measurements.
- Manage frying in small batches to maintain oil temperature and even cooking.
- Use a thermometer to accurately gauge frying temperature for best results.
