Email to Cat      

Corndog Pups with Honey of a Mustard Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Appetizers" by Denise Gee


Recipe Introduction

"These little charmers are winning tailgating treats. They sport a fun look, can be made in advance, and hold up pretty well. Making them is easy but time-consuming without some kitchen assistance via family or friends to help you get a handle on them (quite literally). For the dipping sauce, yellow mustard's fine, but honey mustard is finer—and offers a sweeter tanginess. For the skewers, cut eleven 12-inch bamboo wood skewers into fourths."

List of Ingredients

Honey of a Mustard Sauce:
â—¦ ¾ cup Dijon mustard
â—¦ ½ cup mayonnaise, plus more if needed
â—¦ ¼ cup honey, plus more if needed
â—¦ â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Corndog Pups:
â—¦ One 14-ounce package cocktail-size smoked beef sausages
â—¦ Vegetable oil for frying
â—¦ 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ â…“ cup yellow cornmeal
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
â—¦ 1 egg
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups buttermilk


Recipe

To make the sauce:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, honey, and cayenne (if using). Taste and adjust the flavor and consistency with more mayonnaise and honey, as desired. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)

To make the corndog pups:
Line two plates with paper towels. Insert a skewer into each sausage, leaving 1 inch of each skewer exposed. Place the skewered sausages on one of the prepared plates to drain. Set aside.

In an electric fryer, Dutch oven, or large, deep, heavy skillet, add vegetable oil to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Add 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings and heat to 375° F. (If not using an electric fryer, use a fry/candy thermometer to ensure the temperature stays consistent.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another medium bowl (preferably one with a pour spout, like a 2-cup glass measuring cup), lightly beat the egg. Add the buttermilk and remaining 1 tablespoon bacon drippings (make sure the drippings aren't piping hot or your milk will curdle). Stir in the dry ingredients. (The mixture will begin to get somewhat foamy and rise.) Pour some of the mixture into a smaller measuring cup or coffee mug, which will nicely hold the sausages in the batter without the skewers becoming submerged.

Dip four or five skewered sausages into the batter, making sure each sausage is covered thoroughly. (The batter should be thick enough to coat the sausages without much sliding off.) Take one sausage by the skewer, twirling it a bit to evenly coat and allow any excess coating to drip back into the cup. Holding the end of the stick, carefully place the sausage straight down into the oil to quickly seal it before releasing it to float around in the oil. Quickly repeat with the other skewered sausages. Cook until the corndogs are evenly golden brown, using a slotted spoon to gently turn them in the oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove each corndog from the oil and place it on the second prepared plate to drain. Serve the corndog pups with the sauce.

Serves 10
(Makes about 4 pups each and 1 ½ cups sauce)






✰ Notes:

Don't exclude the bacon drippings, which gives the pups that made-at-the-carnival flavor.

The corndogs look and taste their best if eaten within 2 hours of cooking. (If necessary, refrigerate the cooked corndogs between layers of wax paper in an airtight container up to 24 hours before serving. To reheat, cook them in a 200-degree oven on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack for 15 to 17 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even heating.)