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The original American street food, corn dogs come in many different varieties, from a plain ol’ weiner sausage in cornmeal batter, to cheese-filled corn dogs, ‘cornbrats’, made with German bratwurst, and even vegetarian corn dogs. You can try making your own with this simple recipe for homemade corn dogs, or spice things up a little with these fiery jalapeño corn dogs.
In fact, the corn dog has become popular in several other countries, so there are now varieties of corn dog from all over the world. South Korea, in particular, has taken the corn dog to a whole new level, and people are going crazy for the Korean interpretation of everyone’s favourite fried sausage on a stick.
What is a Korean corn dog?
A Korean corn dog, also known as Korean hot dog, is basically a corn dog with the volume turned up to eleven, taking elements from different types of fast food and smashing them together into one glorious creation. The basic version is made with sausage, mozzarella or both, encased in a yeasted batter and panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crispy. They are then dusted with sugar, like a doughnut, and drizzled with ketchup and tangy yellow mustard, like a hotdog.
But it doesn’t stop there. There are several variations on the standard Korean corn dog, with the most famous being the gamja-hotdog (감자핫도그), which has French fry pieces cooked into the batter. Other versions replace the hotdog with spam, rice cake, fish cakes, squid, or cheddar cheese, while toppings cooked into the batter can also include crispy rice or ramen noodles.
Korean corn dogs recipe
If you like the sound of these super-sized snacks, follow our simple, step-by-step recipe to make your own at home. Our recipe is for the popular gamja-hotdog, which is coated in French fries, and shows you how to make both the sausage and mozzarella versions.
Ingredients
For the batter:
All-purpose flour,
2 cups,
Salt,
½ tsp
Sugar,
3 tbsp
Water,
1 ¼ cups, slightly warmed.
Dried instant yeast,
1 ½ tsp
Other ingredients
Hot dogs,
3
Mozzarella sticks,
3, cut to roughly the size of the hot dogs.
Frozen French fries,
2 cups, thawed and cut into cubes
Panko breadcrumbs,
1 cup
Flour,
For dredging
Oil,
For frying
Sugar,
To garnish
Ketchup,
To garnish
American mustard,
To garnish
Preparation
Step 01
Make the batter
- Mix the flour, salt and sugar together in a bowl.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm water, followed by the yeast
- Leave for a minute to allow the yeast to rehydrate
- Stir well with a wooden spoon for around 3 to 5 minutes, working from the centre outwards. You should now have a smooth, wet dough with no lumps.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave for approximately 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Step 02
Prepare the corn dogs
- Skewer the sausages and mozzarella sticks with wooden skewers or disposable chopsticks, pushing them in until about an inch from the end.
- Take a large baking sheet and arrange the French fry pieces on one half, and the panko breadcrumbs on the other.
- Keep checking the batter, and when it is risen, pour some oil into a frying pan, making sure it is deep enough to fully cover your sausages and their coating. Heat on the stove until it reaches 350°F.
- Dredge the sausages and mozzarella with the extra flour and dip them into the dough, turning them round by their skewers until fully coated.
- Roll each battered corn dog in the French fry pieces until covered, pressing them on with your hands to encourage them to stick.
- Move to the other side of the baking tray and repeat the process with the panko breadcrumbs
- Place the skewers into the hot oil in batches of two, and fry for 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown, turning once to make sure they cook on both sides.
- When cooked, dust each corn dog with plenty of sugar, and drizzle with ketchup and mustard.
Storage
Korean corn dogs are very filling, and you may find you’ve made more than you and your friends can eat. If so, simply store them in an airtight container in the fridge and they should last for up to 3 days. You can also freeze corn dogs for up to 1 month. When you’re ready for them, reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
Tips
Try experimenting with different types of sausage in your corn dogs. You can use different meats, from a simple hotdog weiner to beef, pork, chicken or even turkey. Try using specialty sausages like currywurst, spicy chorizo or sausages with cheese and herbs. You can even make a vegetarian version using veggie sausages.
There are also a few substitutions you can make if you find you don’t have all of the ingredients. If you’re out of yeast, or you don’t want to wait around for the batter to rise, simply add 3 teaspoons of baking powder and you can skip the waiting time. You can also substitute regular breadcrumbs or crushed crackers for panko if you don’t have any.
If you’re hungry for more Korean treats, take a look at our guide to 10 traditional Korean specialities you must try.
