Corn Dog Tots

Sometimes a recipe sounds like such a good idea when I read it.  Here is one with all the elements of things we like at my house.  Hot dogs, corn dog batter, mustard.....all in a bite size morsel.  What's not to like?  Corn dogs are one of the main reasons to go to any fair, right? This, my friends, was a tale of failure in my kitchen.

I share it with you because with a few tweeks it could probably be pretty darn good.  I will never make them again, but perhaps someone out there will.  I can especially see how this might be a fun appetizer to serve at a kids party.  Here is where the recipe goes wrong.  It says not to let the oil go above 340 degrees.  I followed these instructions and what we ended up with were oily, soggy, corn dog tots.  I ended up throwing the whole lot of it away.  I would highly suggest increasing the oil to at least 350 degrees and just keep turning those little puppies so they don't burn.  Oh well, they all can't be winners in my kitchen!

Corn Dog Tots

Vegetable Oil
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, buttermilk, shaken
1/4 cup corn starch
6 beef hot dogs, cut into 1-inch medallions

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. (For draining the corn dogs after frying.) Pour your oil in a cast iron skillet, dutch oven until it reaches about 3-inches up the sides of the pot or skillet. Heat oil until your thermometer reads 340 degrees F. (Please note my suggestion of increasing the oil to 350 deg.)  If the oil is too hot the corn dog batter will be gooey on the inside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, yellow corn meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne. In a measuring cup, measure out the buttermilk and crack the egg in; beat until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, all at once, and mix until combined. (Note: If you step away from the batter for a few minutes, it might thicken up on you; if so, simply add a teaspoon of buttermilk at a time until it becomes the right consistency.)

Pour the cornstarch into a small bowl. One by one, lightly coat each hot dog medallion with the corn starch. When the oil is hot, using a fork or skewer, dip the hot dogs in and out of the batter, allowing any excess batter to run off. Immediately place the corn dog tots into the hot oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to the paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Place the baking sheet in a warm oven until you've cooked all of the tots.