Smoked Sausage Corn Dogs with Chipotle Aioli
By Steve Gow, Smoke Trails BBQ & Byron Apple, App Backyard BBQ
There are corn dogs, and then there are BBQ corn dogs.
This recipe takes the classic fairground corn dog and gives it a serious backyard barbecue upgrade. Instead of starting with a basic hot dog, we're using full-sized sausages, smoking them first to pick up some wood-fired flavour, then coating them in a slightly sweet cornmeal batter and frying them until they're crisp and golden.
And because we're already taking things a little over the top, we're finishing them with a smoky chipotle-lime aioli, crispy fried onions, and fresh green onion.
The result is crunchy on the outside, juicy and smoky on the inside, and packed with the kind of flavour that makes these a perfect game-day appetizer, backyard party food, or excuse to fire up the smoker and deep fryer at the same time.
For this cook, sausages like Sausage Boss Jalapeño Cheddar work especially well. The cheese and jalapeño inside the sausage pair perfectly with the slightly sweet cornmeal batter and smoky chipotle sauce, but you can use just about any fully cooked sausage or bratwurst you like.
Why Smoke the Sausages First?
You could technically take a cooked sausage, dip it in batter, and fry it.
But where's the fun in that?
Smoking the sausages first does two things.
First, it adds another layer of flavour. Even 30 to 45 minutes of smoke is enough to give the outside of the sausage a noticeable BBQ character without overpowering everything else.
Second, warming the sausages on the smoker means the inside is already hot before they hit the fryer. The frying stage can then focus on cooking and crisping the cornmeal coating instead of trying to heat a cold sausage all the way through.
Run the smoker at around 275°F and give the sausages about 30–45 minutes.
While they're cooking, try to position them as straight as possible. That might sound like a minor detail, but a relatively straight sausage is much easier to skewer, batter, and lower into the fryer.
Once they're hot and lightly smoky, pull them off and let them cool enough to handle.
The Most Important Step: Dry the Sausages
Before you start battering, take a minute to thoroughly dry the outside of each sausage with paper towel.
Moisture is the enemy of a good corn dog coating.
A wet or greasy exterior can cause the batter to slide off instead of forming an even crust. After drying the sausages, insert a wooden skewer lengthwise through each one and give them a very light coating of flour.
You don't need much.
That thin layer of flour gives the wet batter something to grab onto and makes it much easier to get a thick, even coating.
Making Corn Dog Batter That Actually Sticks
Corn dog batter needs to be considerably thicker than something like pancake batter.
We're using equal parts yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour as the base. The cornmeal gives you that recognizable corn dog texture and flavour, while the flour provides enough structure to keep the coating together.
A little sugar adds the slight sweetness you expect from a traditional corn dog, and baking powder keeps the coating from becoming too dense.
We're also adding a teaspoon of BBQ rub.
It's a small addition, but it carries some of the seasoning from the barbecue side of the recipe into the batter itself.
Buttermilk brings everything together and adds a little acidity and richness.
When you mix the batter, don't beat it aggressively. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until everything is combined.
You want a thick batter that clings heavily to the sausage.
One of the easiest tricks for getting a good coating is to pour the finished batter into a tall drinking glass or narrow container. Instead of trying to roll a sausage around in a shallow bowl, you can simply lower the entire sausage into the batter and pull it straight back out.
It's faster, cleaner, and gives you much better coverage.
Fry at 350°F
Bring your frying oil to 350°F.
Oil temperature matters a lot with this recipe.
If the oil is too cool, the batter absorbs excess oil and becomes heavy and greasy. If it's too hot, the outside can get dark before the batter has fully cooked.
Around 350°F gives you a crisp exterior with enough time for the coating to cook through.
Dip one flour-dusted sausage into the batter and make sure it's completely covered. Lift it out and let the excess batter drip off for a few seconds.
Then carefully lower it into the oil.
Depending on the size of your fryer or pot, you'll probably want to cook only one or two at a time. Overcrowding the fryer can drop the oil temperature dramatically, and freshly battered corn dogs can stick together if they're touching.
Fry for approximately 3–4 minutes, turning as needed, until the exterior is deeply golden and crisp.
Then transfer them to a rack or plate and let them rest for a minute or two.
Chipotle-Lime Aioli
The corn dogs are great on their own, but the chipotle-lime aioli is what really ties everything together.
It's also incredibly simple.
Combine mayonnaise with adobo paste and fresh lime juice.
The mayonnaise provides richness, the chipotle gives you smoke and a little heat, and the lime cuts through both the fried coating and the richness of the sausage.
If you've got a squeeze bottle, use it.
Not only does it make these look better, but it lets you spread the sauce evenly over the entire corn dog instead of ending up with one giant blob of sauce.
And if you don't want to make the aioli, regular mayonnaise works perfectly well too.
Finish Them While They're Hot
As soon as the corn dogs have rested for a minute or two, drizzle them generously with the chipotle aioli.
Then immediately add crispy fried onions and finely diced green onion.
The sauce helps the toppings stick to the corn dog, while the fried onions add another layer of crunch on top of the already-crispy cornmeal coating.
The green onion brings some freshness and colour to an otherwise very rich bite.
Eat these while they're hot.
That's when you've got the best contrast between the crunchy exterior, juicy sausage, melted cheese if you're using a cheese-filled sausage, and creamy chipotle sauce.
What Sausage Should You Use?
You have a lot of freedom here.
A jalapeño-cheddar sausage is an excellent choice because it already brings heat, richness, and cheese into the equation.
You could also try:
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Smoked cheddar sausages
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Bratwurst
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Spicy Italian sausage
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Andouille
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Polish sausage
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Beef sausage
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Regular hot dogs for a more traditional corn dog
Just make sure you're using a fully cooked sausage unless you're adjusting the smoking stage to safely cook a raw sausage through before frying.
The larger the sausage, the more substantial the finished corn dog will be, so keep that in mind if you're serving these as appetizers.
Tips for Better Smoked Corn Dogs
The biggest challenge with homemade corn dogs isn't the frying — it's keeping the batter attached.
Start with a dry sausage, dust it lightly with flour, and make sure your batter is thick.
If the batter seems too thin and immediately runs off the sausage, add a small amount of flour or cornmeal.
If it's so thick that you can't evenly coat the sausage, loosen it with a splash of buttermilk.
It's also worth checking your frying oil with an instant-read or frying thermometer between batches. Dropping several large sausages into the fryer can reduce the temperature quickly.
Let the oil recover to around 350°F before starting the next batch.
And finally, don't skip the smoke.
The cornmeal crust, chipotle sauce, and fried onions are all big flavours. Giving the sausage some actual wood smoke underneath everything else is what makes this feel like a barbecue recipe instead of just a homemade corn dog.
Smoked Sausage Corn Dogs with Chipotle Aioli
Author: Steve Gow, Smoke Trails BBQ & Byron Apple, App Backyard BBQ
Cuisine: BBQ
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45–60 minutes
Servings: 6
Smoked sausages dipped in a slightly sweet cornmeal batter, deep-fried until crisp and golden, then finished with smoky chipotle-lime aioli, crispy onions, and diced green onion.
Special Equipment
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Smoker
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Deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot
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Wooden skewers
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Instant-read thermometer
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Squeeze bottle, optional
Ingredients
Smoked Sausages
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6 fully cooked sausages or bratwurst
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1 tbsp BBQ rub
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6 wooden skewers
Recommended: Sausage Boss Jalapeño Cheddar sausages work especially well.
Corn Dog Batter
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1 cup yellow cornmeal
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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2 tbsp granulated sugar
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1 tbsp baking powder
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1/2 tsp kosher salt
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1 tsp BBQ rub
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1 large egg
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2 cups buttermilk
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2 tbsp additional all-purpose flour, for dusting the sausages
Chipotle-Lime Aioli
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1/2 cup mayonnaise
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1 tbsp adobo paste
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1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Optional: Regular mayonnaise also works well.
For Frying and Finishing
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Neutral frying oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
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1/2 cup crispy fried onions, lightly crushed
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1/4 cup finely diced green onion
Directions
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Preheat the smoker to 275°F. Place the sausages on the smoker, positioning them as straight as possible to make skewering and battering easier later.
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Smoke the sausages for 30–45 minutes, or until heated through to at least 155°F internally and lightly smoky.
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Remove the sausages from the smoker and allow them to cool slightly. Pat the exterior of each sausage completely dry with paper towel.
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Insert a wooden skewer lengthwise into each sausage.
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Lightly dust each sausage with flour. Shake off any excess. The flour helps the cornmeal batter adhere to the surface.
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Make the chipotle-lime aioli. Whisk together the mayonnaise, adobo paste, and fresh lime juice until smooth. Transfer to a squeeze bottle if desired and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Make the corn dog batter. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, and BBQ rub.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. The finished batter should be thick enough to heavily coat the sausage without immediately running off.
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Pour the batter into a tall glass or other narrow container. This makes it easier to completely submerge each sausage.
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Heat the frying oil to 350°F.
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Dip one smoked sausage into the batter, turning if necessary to coat it completely. Slowly lift it out and allow excess batter to drip off for a few seconds.
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Carefully lower the battered sausage into the hot oil.
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Fry for approximately 3–4 minutes, turning as necessary, until the corn dog is deeply golden brown and crispy.
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Work in small batches to prevent the oil temperature from dropping too far and to keep the corn dogs from sticking together.
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Transfer the finished corn dogs to a rack or plate and allow them to rest for 1–2 minutes.
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Drizzle generously with the chipotle-lime aioli.
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Immediately sprinkle with crushed crispy fried onions and diced green onion.
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Serve hot and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
For the best batter adhesion, make sure the smoked sausages are completely dry before dusting them with flour.
Maintain your frying oil as close to 350°F as possible. Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches.
If the batter is too thin to cling to the sausage, mix in a little additional flour or cornmeal. If it's excessively thick, add a small splash of buttermilk.
These are best served immediately while the cornmeal coating is hot and crisp.