Corn Dogs ultimately find their heritage in the sausage makers of Germany, and by extension those who immigrated to Texas. The German Texans apparently weren’t finding their sausages well received, and it’s said that they innovated and dipped it in a delicious breading and fried it.
- The first record of the corn dog we have is in 1927, when a patent was submitted to the US Patent Office describing the process thusly: 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.
- Stanley S. Jenkins, you sweet angel baby. Despite many individuals trying to take credit for this food invention, Jenkins holds the patent of the corn dog. Many people attribute Neil Fletcher with the creation of this match made in heaven at the Texas State Fair in 1942, but Stanley Jenkins was a few steps ahead. Pronto Pups of the Minnesota State Fair also claims to have invented the corn dog in 1941. Today, corn dog’s original inventor remains one of the world’s most heated food debates.
- The Texas State Fair sells 630,000 corn dogs per season (which is only 24 days). 630,000 corn dogs equates to 600,000 pounds of wieners, 25 tons of cornmeal mix, 21,000 pounds of oil, 1,500 gallons of mustard and 800 gallons of Ketchup.
- Corn dogs are not just an American staple. Argentina calls corn dogs “panchukers” and enjoys them with cheese. Australians will often use a white or wheat-based batter on their dogs known as “Dagwood dogs, Pluto pups or dippy dogs” depending on the region. New Zealand, South Korea and Japan are also known to enjoy this American indulgence.
- In South Korea, they call this street food “Kogo”, and it’s deep fried in both batter and french fries.
- The Latest Hybrid: Spicy Tuna Corn Dog. Culinary Bro-Down take the carnival staple and combine it with a sushi bar favourite: spicy tuna roll. It may seem out of left field for at first but the tasters and experts on Food’s Greatest Hits all think it tastes amazing.
- Corn dogs are not sandwiches. They are dipped in batter and deep fried. That’s a good thing, Corn dogs are tasty as an occasional treat. But a corndog is not a sandwich, any more than fried chicken or a deep fried candy bar is a sandwich.
- In one day, Monogram Comfort Foods in Bristol, IN can produce 246,042 pounds of corndogs!
- In 2015, Monogram sold enough King Cotton hot dogs to equal the weight of 108 African elephants!
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