Cooking for the Masses

For when you have to Cater for More than Just Family

When is the last time you and your family were at a State or County Fair? What do you remember most about your trip? If you're like my family, it's always about the food - the fair food, to be more specific. And, the first thing we eat when we arrive is always corn dogs!

Our State and County Fairs only come around once a year, which is way too infrequent for our love of fair food. We've tried to duplicate those corn dogs we get at the fair by making the pre-packaged corn dogs from the freezer department at the grocery store. Those corn dogs just weren't the same. So, of course, we decided to get out the Deep Fryer and make a batch at home.

Now, corn dogs may not be the most nutritional meal on the planet. However, as far as treats go, a corn dog doesn't have to be totally wasted calories, high in salt and sugar. The great thing about making your own corn dogs at home is that you get to control all the ingredients.

First there's choosing a Hot Dog. There was a time when all Hot Dogs were alike. Now you can choose a hot dog made with chicken or turkey, and even a hot dog stuffed with cheese. There are organic hot dogs and vegetarian hot dogs. If you prefer not to eat pork or beef, you'll find many options. Choices appear to be almost endless, so when it comes time to make a healthier choice, you'll find something for you.

You can also design your own coating. You'll want to stick with a few basic ingredients, like egg, flour, and cornmeal, but after that, the skies the limit. Throw in some herbs and spices if you want. This is where you can also cut back on salt if you prefer, and eliminate the added sugar. Yes, sugar is often added to pre-packaged corn dogs to get the kiddies to like them even more than they already do.

Now comes the part about the oil. When you get a corn dog at a county or state fair there's no telling what kind of oil they're using, or how long it's been frying, or how many corn dogs have been in that batch. For those reasons alone you probably are already considering making your corn dogs at home. You'll need to choose a good cooking oil that tolerates High Heat. Look for nice, clear oils with high "smoke points." Some recommended oils are refined safflower oil, refined sunflower oil, and peanut oil. Read the label on the oil bottle as this should tell you what you need to know.

Be sure to Get Your oil up to the temperature recommended by your deep fryer. If you are using a heavy skillet to fry your corn dogs, be sure to use a proper thermometer and check that the oil gets up to about 375 degrees before beginning. Fry only a couple corn dogs at a time. Don't crowd your deep fryer or skillet or the oil will cool down too much and the corn dogs will be left to soak in the oil and you'll end up with soggy corn dogs. Drain your corn dogs well using absorbent paper or clean flour cloth towels that have been spread on a rack so air circulates underneath. Cool, and you'll be ready to dig in!

The State and County Fairs are long gone, but the delicious memories still linger. Treat your family to a re-creation of those flavors with yummy corn dogs made right in your kitchen. What a fun way to bring the taste of summer home!

Making corn dogs at home is one way to bring the taste of summer into your own kitchen. Check out all the fun foods you can make right at home.