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{{short description|Deep-fried, corn-battered hot dog on a stick}}
{{redirect|Pluto pup|the fictional dog|Pluto (Disney)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Corn dog
| image = CornDog.jpg
| country = United States
| creator = Disputed (in current form, circa late 1930s – early 1940s)
| main_ingredient = [[hot dog|Wiener]], [[cornmeal]] batter
| variations = 100+
| calories = 263
}}
A '''corn dog''' (also spelled '''corndog''' and also known by [[#Name variations|several other names]]) is a [[Hot dog|wiener]] on a stick that has been coated in a thick layer of [[cornmeal]] [[Batter (cooking)|batter]] and [[Deep frying|deep fried]]. It originated in the United States and is commonly found in [[American cuisine]].
==Name variations==
In Canada, corn dogs are often called "Pogos" after the popular brand produced by [[Conagra]].<ref name="pogo"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.conagrabrands.ca/en/brands |title=Our Brands |website=[[Conagra]] |access-date=February 26, 2024}}</ref>
In Australia, where they have become a popular food at agricultural shows and carnivals, they are known as either "Pluto pups", "Dagwood dogs", "dippy dogs" or (historically) "pronto pups".<ref name="timeline">{{cite web | url=https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/dagwood-dog/#:~:text=The%20Dagwood%20Dog%20is%20named,debacles%20of%20the%20Bumstead%20household. | title=Dagwood Dog vs Pronto Pup – Australian food history timeline | date=September 18, 1940 |quote=The Pronto Pup was a type of corn dog developed by a hot dog salesman named George Boyington who launched his invention in 1941 at the Pacific International Livestock Exposition in Portland, Oregon. He later licensed his product.}}</ref> The name "Pluto pup" likely derives from the [[Disney]] character [[Pluto (Disney)|Pluto]], who is a dog.<ref name="timeline"/> "Dagwood dog" is derived from the name of a character from the American comic strip ''[[Blondie (comic strip)|Blondie]]'', which was created in 1930. In the comic strip, Dagwood, Blondie's husband, has a dog named Daisy.<ref name="timeline"/>  Historically, the name "pronto pup" was originally used as a brand name in the United States in 1941, although this name had become obsolete as early as 1949 and was replaced by the name "Pluto pup".<ref name="timeline"/> Some have suggested that Pluto pups are made in factories, while Dagwood dogs are prepared on site.<ref name="timeline"/>
In France, the term {{lang|fr|beignet de saucisse}} is used, which literally translates to "sausage donut".<ref>{{Cite book|lang=fr|title=GEOguide Californie|editor=Gallimard Loisirs|date=June 28, 2019|publisher=Éditions Gallimard Loisirs |isbn=978-2-7424-4235-5|quote=Dans la découverte de la junk food ou des traditions so american, tentez le corndog, une monstruosité calorique consistant en un beignet de saucisse, le Reuben sandwich, du pain de seigle garni de fines tranches de bœuf fumé, [...]}}</ref>
In Japanese, the most common name for them is {{nihongo|"American dog"|アメリカンドッグ|amerikan doggu}}.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://oishibook.com/american-dog/#:~:text=American%20dog%20is%20a%20popular,in%20Hokkaido%20in%20northern%20Japan | title=American Dog (アメリカンドッグ : Corn Dog) }}</ref>
In New Zealand, the name "hot dog" or "mini hot dog" is often used.<ref>{{cite web |first=Warren |last=Elwin| url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/eatwell/recipes/mini-hot-dogs/Z5ETM3VFU7PTO2ZI2QEDA22I4Y/ | title=Eat Well – Recipe – Mini hot dogs |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] | date=June 25, 2023 }}</ref>
==History==
[[File:corn dog 001.jpg|alt=|thumb|Corn dogs, with [[Cross section (geometry)|cross-section]]]]
Newly arrived [[German Texan|German immigrants in Texas]], who were 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-science-of-corn-dogs/ |first=Rome |last=Neal |date=October 4, 2002 |title=The Science Of Corn Dogs |work=[[CBS News]] |access-date=January 5, 2014 |quote=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.}}</ref>  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:<ref>{{cite web |author=Jenkins, Stanley S. |title=Combined Dipping, Cooking, and Article Holding Apparatus |work=Abstract of Patent Number 1,706,491 |publisher=United States Patent & Trademark Office |date=March 26, 1929 |url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US1706491?oq=patent%3A1706491 |access-date=March 1, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://portland.daveknows.org/2010/07/21/the-oregon-pedigree-of-the-corndog/ |title=The Oregon Pedigree of the Corndog |date=March 1, 2013 |publisher=Dave Knows Portland |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref>
{{quote|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 {{convert|390|F|C|disp=sqbr|-1}}, 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-Barth wholesale catalog of hotel and restaurant supplies.<ref>{{cite book |title=Soda Fountains & Supplies |date=1926 |publisher=Albert Pick & Company and L. Barth & Company, Inc. |url=https://archive.org/details/sodafountainssupplies/page/n97/mode/2up}}</ref> The 'korn dogs' were baked in a corn batter and resembled ears of corn when cooked.<ref name="FoodTimeline">{{cite web |url=http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmeats.html#corndogs |title=Corndogs & Pronto Pups |publisher=Lynne Olver |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref>
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.<ref name="FoodTimeline"/>  [[Pronto Pup]] of [[Rockaway Beach, Oregon]], claims to have invented the corn dog in 1939.<ref name="FoodTimeline"/><ref>{{cite news |first=Roger |last=Schlueter |title=Deep-fried Coke sounds ... interesting |publisher=Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. |date=September 10, 2006}}</ref>  [[Cozy Dog Drive-in]], in [[Springfield, Illinois]], claims to have been the first to serve corn dogs on sticks, on June 16, 1946.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cozydogdrivein.com/history.html |title=History of Cozy Dog Drive In |publisher=Ed Waldmire&nbsp;— Cozy Dog Drive In |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522163325/http://www.cozydogdrivein.com/history.html |archive-date=May 22, 2008 |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref> Also in 1946, [[Dave Barham]] opened the first location of [[Hot Dog on a Stick]] at [[Muscle Beach]] in [[Santa Monica, California]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hotdogonastick.com/aboutus.aspx |title=Hot Dog On A Stick |publisher=HDOS Enterprises |access-date=April 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126125456/http://www.hotdogonastick.com/aboutus.aspx |archive-date=January 26, 2011}}</ref>
==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 corn dogs just before serving.<ref>{{cite web |first=Rachel |last=Kessler |url=http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=7203 |title=The Social Life of Street Food&nbsp;— Seattle&nbsp;— Corn Dog |publisher=Index Newspapers |year=2001 |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref> Some corn dog purveyors sell pre-made frozen corn dogs, which are then thawed and fried again, or browned in an oven.
Corn dogs can also be found at almost any supermarket and [[Convenience Store|convenience store]] in North America as frozen foods as well as served hot and ready to eat.  Pre-made frozen corn dogs can also be heated in a [[microwave oven]], but the [[cornbread]] coating will lack texture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.google.com/patents/US5431092.pdf |title=Corn dog fryer - United States Patent Number: 5431092 |year=1995 |access-date=April 28, 2012}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cornellsun.com/node/25537 |author=Niesenbaum, Charlie |title=Month-Old Onion Rings and Frozen Corn Dogs&nbsp;— Adventures in Snacking |publisher=Cornell Daily Sun |date=October 24, 2007 |access-date=April 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404100417/http://cornellsun.com/node/25537 |archive-date=April 4, 2012}}</ref>
=={{anchor|pancake on a stick}}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 [[hot dog|wiener]] or [[hot dog]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2005/08/04/battered-brats/ |title=Cooking Cheap - Battered Brats |date=August 4, 2005 |publisher=cooking.mvmanila.com |access-date=April 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429062017/http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2005/08/04/battered-brats/ |archive-date=April 29, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1806142 |title=corn brats |author=MrsCorrie |publisher=recipes.sparkpeople.com |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://community.tasteofhome.com/community_forums/f/31/t/654691.aspx |author=BobbiJoAZ |title=Corn Puppies (recipe) |date=June 25, 2008 |publisher=Taste of Home |access-date=April 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716193226/http://community.tasteofhome.com/community_forums/f/31/t/654691.aspx |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 Drive-In|Sonic]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dfwsonic.com/sonic_menu.htm |title=Sonic Breakfast Menu |publisher=dfwsonic.com |access-date=October 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006082356/http://www.dfwsonic.com/sonic_menu.htm |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> but it is now made by companies such as [[Jimmy Dean (brand)|Jimmy Dean]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jimmydean.com/products/pancakes-sausage/original-pancakes-sausage-on-a-stick |title=Original Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick |publisher=Jimmy Dean |work=jimmydean.com |access-date=October 1, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006084816/http://www.jimmydean.com/products/pancakes-sausage/original-pancakes-sausage-on-a-stick |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Both vegetarian corn dogs and corn dog nuggets{{Clarify|reason=what is a nugget?|date=November 2017}} are made as meatless alternatives by many of the same companies that produce [[vegetarian hot dog]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Are they nuts? No, they're vegans The strictest vegetarians shun honey, leather and dairy products |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23099255.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611132037/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23099255.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 11, 2014 |publisher=The Buffalo News (Buffalo, NY) |date=March 9, 1999}} {{link note|note=Partial story rendition from HighBeam.com}}</ref>
===By country===
==== Argentina ====
[[File:Panchuker.jpg|thumb|Panchukers in Argentina]]
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 places of the inner country—like the cities of [[La Plata]], Villa Albertina, and [[Cipolletti|Cipoletti]] —and, in [[Buenos Aires]], they can be found in [[Barrio Chino (Buenos Aires)|Barrio Chino]] and [[Belgrano, Buenos Aires|Belgrano]]. They are particularly popular in certain regions in the Northwest, such as the [[province of Tucumán]].<ref>[http://www.lagaceta.com.ar/nota/112768/Informacion_General/Se_venden_unos_8.500_panchuques_dia.html Se venden unos 8.500 panchuques por día]. ''La Gaceta''. May 3, 2005 (Spanish)</ref>
==== 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Festival Food in Australia: Dagwood Dogs |url=http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/08/festival-food-in-australia-dagwood-dogs.html |author=GegeMac |date=August 22, 2010 |publisher=seriouseats.com |access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref>  Variants use wheat-based or corn-based batters.<ref>{{cite web |first=Alison |last=Adams |url=http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/17875/beer+battered+pluto+pups |title=Beer Battered Pluto Pups (recipe) |date=September 2007 |publisher=Taste.com.au |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref> These are not to be confused with the Australian [[Battered sausage#Australia and New Zealand|battered sav]], a [[saveloy]] deep fried in a wheat flour-based batter, as used for fish and chips, which generally does not contain cornmeal.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207193149/http://www.batteredsav.com/article.php?articleID=14 |archive-date=February 7, 2006 |url=http://www.batteredsav.com/article.php?articleID=14 |title=Battered Sav&nbsp;— Recipe & Taste Test Demo |access-date=April 21, 2014 |publisher=Batteredsav.com}}</ref>
They are popular at agricultural shows and carnivals, such as the [[Sydney Royal Easter Show]].
==== Canada ====
In Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador, a battered hot dog on a stick is called a "pogo" and is traditionally eaten with [[Mustard (condiment)#American/yellow mustard|ordinary yellow mustard]], sometimes referred to as "ballpark mustard". The rest of Canada refers to them by the non-trademarked term "corn dog".<ref name="pogo"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Andrea |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1030438212 |title=Montréal |date=2018 |isbn=978-1-64049-314-8 |edition=1st |location=Berkeley, CA |oclc=1030438212}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Calgary Stampede prepares for summer event with 18,000 pound order of corn dog batter - 660 NEWS |url=https://www.660citynews.com/2020/01/17/calgary-stampede-prepares-for-summer-event-with-18000-pound-order-of-corn-dog-batter/ |access-date=July 9, 2021 |website=www.660citynews.com|date=January 17, 2020 }}</ref> It is named after the trademarked name of a [[Conagra]] frozen product available in all of the country since the 1960s but whose main market is the province of [[Quebec]].<ref name="pogo">{{cite news |first=Konrad |last=Yakabuski |title=Ad campaign leaves a bad aftertaste |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ad-campaign-leaves-a-bad-aftertaste/article18450291/ |website=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=May 8, 2008 |quote=While the brand has some leverage outside the province, Pogo sales are still disproportionately a Quebec story.}}</ref>
==== Japan ====
In Japan, the equivalent food is usually called an {{Nihongo|"American dog"|アメリカンドッグ}} based on the idea of where the food is believed to originate. The batter is usually made with [[wheat flour]], and [[fish sausage]] may be used. In eastern regions of Hokkaido, a variant with [[granulated sugar]] instead of usual ketchup topping is called {{Nihongo|"French dog"|フレンチドッグ}}.<ref>{{cite web |author=柴山ロミオ |date=2021-10-09 |title=アメリカンドッグに砂糖をかけたら「フレンチドッグ」!? |url=https://tenki.jp/suppl/romisan/2021/10/09/30626.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112040528/https://tenki.jp/suppl/romisan/2021/10/09/30626.html |archive-date=2024-11-12 |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=tenki.jp |language=ja}}</ref>
==== New Zealand ====
A New Zealand Hot Dog is invariably a deep-fried battered [[saveloy]] or pre-cooked sausage on a stick that is then usually dipped in tomato sauce (ketchup). The saveloy or sausage used is thicker than a frankfurter, and is coated in a thinner batter layer than American corn dogs. The batter can be cornmeal based or corn flour based. The distinction is not particularly important.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mini hot dogs |url=http://www.bite.co.nz/recipe/9787/Mini-hot-dogs/ |website=www.bite.co.nz|date=June 25, 2023 }}</ref> The sausage in a bun that is called a hot dog in other countries is known as an "American Hot Dog" and is usually available at the same locations. If a further descriptor is needed to avoid confusion between the two, the New Zealand standard hot dog can be described as a hot dog on a stick.
==== South Africa ====
In South Africa, a corn dog is a popular cafe/fair food.{{Citation needed|reason=Native South African, never heard of this food|date=May 2024}} A corn dog is usually called "[[Yankee]]" in the Afrikaans language. It is usually served with a sweet pink sauce made from a mixture of mayonnaise, tomato sauce and condensed milk.
==== South Korea ====
[[File:Korean potato corn dog.jpg|thumb|A French fry–encrusted corn dog, as sold at the [[Heunginjimun]] in 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 ({{lang|ko|핫도그}}), creating confusion with a genuine hot dog.  A French fry–encrusted corn dog, or "Kogo," has especially attracted the attention of Western visitors,<ref>[https://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/10/28/koreas-kogo-is-the-ultimate-french-fry-encrusted-corn-dog/ Korea's Kogo is the ultimate French-fry-encrusted corn dog]. ''SoraNews24''. October 28, 2014 </ref> including [[veganism|vegans]] (using vegan hot dogs).<ref>{{cite web |title=French Fry Corn Dog (Korean Street Food, 'Veganized') |url=https://www.peta.org/recipes/french-fry-corn-dog-korean-street-food-veganized |author=People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ("PETA") |date=May 25, 2016 |publisher=peta.org |access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
==Annual celebration==
[[National Corndog Day]] is a celebration of the corn dog, [[tater tots]], and [[Beer in the United States|American beer]] that occurs on the first Saturday of [[March Madness]] every year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.corndogday.com/ |title=National Corndog Day |publisher=corndogday.com |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Foodie Facts: A Food Lover's Guide to America's Favorite Dishes from Apple Pie to Corn on the Cob |author=Ann Treistman |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GoroBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT73 |date=2014 |isbn=9781629149561}}</ref>
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Corn dog with mustard.jpg|A corn dog with mustard
File:US Navy 040703-N-3986D-034 Electrician^rsquo,s Mate Fireman Noel Martinez of Patterson, N.J., places corn dogs on a tray to be baked in the galley aboard USS George Washington CVN 73.jpg|A sailor aboard the [[USS George Washington (CVN-73)#Sixth deployment, 2004|USS ''George Washington'']] places corn dogs on a tray to be baked in the [[galley (kitchen)|galley]] <!-- (July 2004) -->
File:Corn dogs in Japan Feb 15 2019 09-51PM.jpeg|Corn dogs heating up at a Japanese convenience store
File:Texas State Fair corny dogs.jpg|"Corny dogs" being eaten at the [[State Fair of Texas]] <!--  (October 2008) -->
File:Tornado corn dogs.jpg|Tornado corn dogs sold in Korea
File:Ciudad de México - Colonia Industrial 2583.jpg|Corn dogs from a Christmas ''tianguis'' in the streets of ''Colonia Industrial'', [[Mexico City]]
File:Corn dog, Poznan.jpg|A corn dog served with [[horseradish sauce]] in [[Poznań]]
File:Korean corn dog & fried dumplings - KOGI to-go Korean kitchen.jpg|Korean-style corn dog that is half cheese, half sausage, and coated in sugar
</gallery>
==See also==
{{Commons category|Corn dogs}}
{{wiktionary|corn dog}}
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Bagel dog]]
* [[Battered sausage]]
* [[Hot dog variations]]
* [[Hushpuppy]]
* [[Pepperoni roll]]
* [[Pigs in a blanket]]
* [[Pronto Pup]]
* [[Sausage roll]]
* [[Saveloy]]
* [[Toad in the hole]]
{{div col end}}
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Hot dog variations}}
{{Corn}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corn Dog}}
[[Category:Hot dogs]]
[[Category:Deep fried foods]]
[[Category:Skewered foods]]
[[Category:Maize dishes]]
[[Category:Cuisine of the Southern United States]]
[[Category:Frozen food]]
[[Category:American meat dishes]]
[[Category:Texan cuisine]]
[[Category:Australian cuisine]]