Corn dog

A corn dog (also spelled corndog) is a sausage (usually a hot dog) on a stick that has been coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and deep fried. It originated in the United States and is commonly found in American cuisine.

Corn dog

Place of origin	United States
Created by	Disputed (in current form, circa late 1930s - early 1940s)
Main ingredients	Hot dog, cornmeal batter
Variations	Many
Cookbook: Corn dog   Media: Corn dog

History

Corn dog (cross section)

Recently arrived German Texan sausage-makers, finding resistance to the sausages they used to make, have been credited with introducing the corn dog to the United States, though the serving stick came later.[1] A US patent filed in 1927, granted in 1929, for a Combined Dipping, Cooking, and Article Holding Apparatus, describes corn dogs, among other fried food impaled on a stick; it reads in part:[2][3]

I have discovered that articles of food such, for instance, as wieners, boiled ham, hard boiled eggs, cheese, sliced peaches, pineapples, bananas and like fruit, and cherries, dates, figs, strawberries, etc., when impaled on sticks and dipped in batter, which includes in its ingredients a self rising flour, and then deep fried in a vegetable oil at a temperature of about 390 °F [200 °C], the resultant food product on a stick for a handle is a clean, wholesome and tasty refreshment.

A "Krusty Korn Dog" baker machine appeared in the 1926 Albert Pick-L. Barth wholesale catalog of hotel and restaurant supplies.[4] The 'korn dogs' were baked in a corn batter and resembled ears of corn when cooked.[5]

A number of current corn dog vendors claim responsibility for the invention and/or popularization of the corn dog. Carl and Neil Fletcher lay such a claim, having introduced their "Corny Dogs" at the State Fair of Texas sometime between 1938 and 1942.[5] The Pronto Pup vendors at the Minnesota State Fair claim to have invented the corn dog in 1941.[5][6] Cozy Dog Drive-in, in Springfield, Illinois, claims to have been the first to serve corn dogs on sticks, on June 16, 1946.[7] Also in 1946, Dave Barham opened the first location of Hot Dog on a Stick at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, California.[8] The earliest known preparation of corn dogs, however, was in 1937. During a high school baseball game in Adel, Iowa, ballpark vendors ran out of hot dog buns in the middle of the third inning. Roger Newman, a local tavern owner in attendance, took the remaining hot dogs and breaded them in a cornmeal batter he had prepared for an upcoming fish fry, and returned to the ballpark with them. Patrons used a variety of means to hold the corn dogs, including wax paper, paper cones, and even pocket knives.[9]

Preparation

Corn dogs are often served as street food or as fast food. For the best and freshest preparation, some vendors or restaurateurs dip and fry their dogs just before serving.[10] Some corn dog purveyors sell pre-made frozen corn dogs, which have been thawed and then fried again or browned in an oven.

Corn dogs can also be found at almost any supermarket in North America as frozen food that can be heated and served. Pre-made frozen corn dogs can also be heated in a microwave oven, but the cornbread coating will lack texture.[11][12]

Variations

One cheesy variation is prepared either with melted cheese between the hot dog and the breading or by using a cheese-filled hot dog.

Another version is the "cornbrat" (or "corn brat"), which is a corn dog made with bratwurst instead of a wiener or hot dog.[13][14] They are also sold using different meats in the dog, such as pork and turkey.

Small corn dogs, known as "corn puppies", "mini corn dogs", or "corn dog nuggets", are a variation served in some restaurants, generally on the children's menu or at fast food establishments. A serving includes multiple pieces, usually 10.[15] In contrast to their larger counterparts, corn puppies are normally served stickless as finger food.

A breakfast version of the corn dog features a breakfast sausage in place of the hot dog, and pancake batter in place of the cornmeal. This variation is commonly called a "pancake on a stick". It was formerly served by the drive-in restaurant Sonic,[16] but now is made by companies such as Jimmy Dean.[17]

Both vegetarian corn dogs and corn dog nuggets are made as meatless alternatives by many of the same companies that produce vegetarian hot dogs.[18]

By country

Argentina

Panchukers in Argentina

A French fry-encrusted corn dog, as sold at the Heunginjimun in South Korea

In Argentina, a panchuker (or panchuque, pancho chino) is a hot snack that can be bought near some train stations and in some places of heavy pedestrian transit. They are more popular in the inner country cities. A panchuker consists of a sausage covered with a waffle-like pastry, and has a stick in it (like a corn dog) so that it can be easily consumed. Some versions contain cheese, and sauces may be served to accompany them. Some variations may be found in Uruguay and other South American countries. Generally, panchukers are offered as a low-price fast food and can only be seen at certain provinces of the inner country, like La Plata, Belgrano, Villa Albertina, Cipoletti, and in Buenos Aires they can be found in Barrio Chino. They are particularly popular in the province of Tucumán.[19]

Australia

In Australia, a hot dog sausage on a stick, deep fried in batter, is known as a Dagwood Dog, Pluto Pup, or Dippy Dog, depending on region.[20] Variants use wheat-based or corn-based batters.[21] These are not to be confused with the Australian battered sav, a saveloy deep fried in a wheat flour-based batter, as used for fish and chips, which generally does not contain cornmeal.[22]

Canada

In Canada, a battered hot dog on a stick is called a "pogo" and is traditionally eaten with ordinary, yellow mustard, sometimes referred to as "ballpark mustard".[23] It is named after the trademarked name of a Conagra inc. frozen product available in all of the country since the 1960s but whose main market is the province of Quebec.[24]

New Zealand

Outside of Auckland, a New Zealand Hot Dog is invariably a deep fried battered sausage on a stick that is dipped in tomato ketchup. The batter can be cornmeal based or normal flour based. The distinction is not important.[25] The sausage in a bun that is called a hot dog in other countries is known as an American Hot Dog.

Japan

In Japan, the equivalent food is usually called an "American Dog" based on the idea of where the food is believed to originate. It is also called "French Dog" in certain parts of Japan including Hokkaido. As presented in the Netflix version of Midnight Diner, season 1, episode 2, the hot dog can be substituted with a fish sausage.

South Korea

In South Korea, a corn dog is one of the most popular street foods. A corn dog is usually called "hot dog" in the Korean language (핫도그), creating confusion with a genuine hot dog. A French fry-encrusted corn dog, or "Kogo," has especially attracted the attention of Western visitors,[26] including vegans (using vegan hot dogs).[27]

Annual celebration

National Corndog Day is a celebration of the corn dog, tater tots, and American beer that occurs on the first Saturday of March madness (NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship) of every year.[28][29]

Gallery

• 
  A corn dog with mustard.
• 
  A sailor aboard the USS George Washington places corn dogs on a tray to be baked in the galley.
• 
  Corn dogs heating up at a Japanese convenience store.
• 
  "Corny dogs" being eaten at the Texas State Fair
• 
  Tornado corn dogs sold in Korea.
• 
  Corn dogs from a Christmas tianguis in the streets of Colonia Industrial, Mexico City.

See also

• Bagel dog
• Battered sausage
• Hot dog variations
• Hushpuppy
• Pepperoni roll
• Pigs in blankets
• Pronto Pup
• Sausage roll
• Saveloy

References

1. Neal, Rome (October 4, 2002). "The Science Of Corn Dogs". CBS News. Retrieved 2014-01-05. Corn dogs are a food that we know from fall festivals, carnivals and tailgating. It actually got its start when German immigrants moved into Texas. Some of these new German immigrants were sausage-makers by trade, but had a hard time selling their wares in Texas. So, as a ploy, they took sausages, rolled them in a cornbread batter and fried them. The sticks came later.
2. Jenkins, Stanley S. (March 26, 1929). "Combined Dipping, Cooking, and Article Holding Apparatus". Abstract of Patent Number 1,706,491. United States Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
3. "The Oregon Pedigree of the Corndog". Dave Knows Portland. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
4. Soda Fountains & Supplies. Albert Pick & Company and L. Barth & Company, Inc. 1926.
5. "Corndogs & Pronto Pups". Lynne Olver. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
6. Schlueter, Roger (2006-09-10). "Deep-fried Coke sounds ... interesting". Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.
7. "History of Cozy Dog Drive In". Ed Waldmire — Cozy Dog Drive In. Archived from the original on 2008-05-22. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
8. "Hot Dog On A Stick". HDOS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 2011-01-26. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
9. Offenburger, Chuck (1992). Ah, you Iowans!. Iowa State University Press. p. 137. ISBN 9780813818337.
10. Kessler, Rachel (2001). "The Social Life of Street Food — Seattle — Corn Dog". Index Newspapers. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
11. "Corn dog fryer - United States Patent Number: 5431092" (PDF). Google. 1995. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
12. Niesenbaum, Charlie (2007-10-24). "Month-Old Onion Rings and Frozen Corn Dogs — Adventures in Snacking". Cornell Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
13. "Cooking Cheap - Battered Brats". cooking.mvmanila.com. 2005-08-04. Archived from the original on 2012-04-29. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
14. MrsCorrie. "corn brats". recipes.sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
15. BobbiJoAZ (2008-06-25). "Corn Puppies (recipe)". Taste of Home. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
16. "Sonic Breakfast Menu". dfwsonic.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
17. "Original Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick". jimmydean.com. Jimmy Dean.
18. "Are they nuts? No, they're vegans The strictest vegetarians shun honey, leather and dairy products". The Buffalo News (Buffalo, NY). 9 March 1999. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. – via HighBeam (subscription required)
19. Se venden unos 8.500 panchuques por día. La Gaceta. May 3, 2005 (Spanish)
20. GegeMac (August 22, 2010). "Festival Food in Australia: Dagwood Dogs". seriouseats.com. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
21. Adams, Alison (September 2007). "Beer Battered Pluto Pups (recipe)". Taste.com.au. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
22. "Battered Sav — Recipe & Taste Test Demo". Batteredsav.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2006. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
23. "Le pogo". Québec : mode d'emploi. 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
24. "Ad campaign leaves a bad aftertaste". The Globe and Mail.
25. "Mini hot dogs". www.bite.co.nz.
26. Korea's Kogo is the ultimate French-fry-encrusted corn dog. SoraNews24. Oct 28, 2014
27. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ("PETA"). "French Fry Corn Dog (Korean Street Food, 'Veganized')". peta.org. Retrieved 2017-11-02.
28. "National Corndog Day". corndogday.com. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
29. Ann Treistman (2014). Foodie Facts: A Food Lover's Guide to America's Favorite Dishes from Apple Pie to Corn on the Cob. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9781629149561.