Korean Corn Dog Semrushtools

If you’ve watched any K-drama or are remotely interested in Korean culture, you’ve seen Korean corn dogs: beautifully fried, golden battered hot dogs with mozzarella on a stick, dusted with a sparkling sprinkle of sugar.

What is a Korean corn dog?

Korean corn dogs are hot dogs, rice cakes, fish cakes, or mozzarella cheese coated in a batter (and sometimes panko, french fry pieces, or ramen) and deep fried. They’re finished with sugar and a signature squirt of your condiment of choice: ketchup, mayo, mustard, or all three. They’re sweet and salty and completely delicious.

Some Korean hotdogs are made with a yeasted batter and some are made with a rice flour batter. There are a lot of variations.

What makes Korean corn dogs different?

There are a couple of differences between the corn dogs you know and Korean corn dogs. The main difference between corn dogs and Korean corn dogs lies in the batter. American corn dogs are battered in a cornmeal batter and Korean corn dogs are battered in a yeasted dough or a rice flour batter.

Korean corn dogs are also finished with a sprinkling of sugar. And last of all, Korean corn dogs don’t actually have to have hot dogs in them. There are plenty of Korean corn dogs that are just mozzarella cheese, fish cake, or rice cakes.

How to make a Korean corn dog

1. Assemble. Start by cutting the hot dogs in half. Cut the block of mozzarella cheese into sticks roughly the size of the halved hot dogs. Use a stick and skewer, hot dog, then cheese. Place in the fridge to keep them cold.
2. Make the batter. In a bowl, mix together flour, milk, an egg, baking powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt until thick and smooth. Pour the batter into a tall cup so it’s easier to dip the hot dogs. Like the hot dogs and cheese, it’s best to keep this in the fridge so it stays cold.
3. Dip. Hold on to the stick and dip the hot dogs, coating completely, making sure that the batter is clinging to the hot dog and cheese.
4. Coat. Immediately take the battered hot dog and coat it in panko, being sure to press on the panko gently, ensuring that it’s completely coated in panko.
5. Fry. Heat up the oil over medium high heat. You want the oil temperature to be between 350°F and 375°F. When you add your corn dogs, the oil temp will drop, so aim for 375°F to start with. I use an instant read thermometer to make sure I’m in the right range. Fry the coated corn dogs, without crowding until golden and crispy. Use a pair or tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully scoop them out and let them drain on wire rack.
6. Enjoy. Sprinkle or roll the golden corn dog in sugar and finish with a squiggle of ketchup, mustard, or both.

Air fried Korean corn dogs

You can air fry Korean corn dogs that have already been deep fried to reheat them. To air fry, put the frozen corn dogs in the air fryer and fry at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally, until crisp, golden, and warmed through.

How to make Korean french fry corn dogs

Gamja-hot dogs are super popular and because of frozen fries, they’re really easy to make.

Buy frozen crinkle cut fries and let them thaw on the counter. When they’re soft enough, cut the fries into small 1/2 inch pieces and place them in a shallow bowl or on a plate. You want enough fry pieces to completely cover the bottom of the plate or bowl.

Follow the recipe below, but instead of dipping in panko before frying, dip the battered corn dog in chopped up french fries, gently pressing to make them stick to the batter. Lightly coat with panko (if desired) then fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden and crispy. Enjoy!

How to check your oil temperature

I really recommend getting an instant read thermometer so you get perfect corn dogs. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can check if your oil is ready with the thick wooden skewer or disposable chopstick. Place the skewer into the oil. Also key is having enough oil so the corn dogs can float. This is how you’ll get an even golden brown color.

Where to buy a Korean corn dog

If you don’t want to make these Korean corn dogs at home, don’t worry, I’ve gotchu! They sell frozen Korean corn dogs at Korean grocery stores – especially H-Mart. Just pop them in your air fryer for a couple of minutes and you’re good to go. You can also try Korean corn dogs at popular Korean corn dog chains like: Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog or Myungrang Hot Dog.

Korean corn dog variations

There are about a thousand different kinds of Korean corn dog coatings that you can get in Korea. Here are some ideas for you if you’ve tried the original and want to expand your corn dog world!

• Gamja-hot dog – Gamja hot dogs are french fry hot dogs. Gamja is potato in Korean and what they do is either chopped up french fries to coat instead of panko. The fries are crispy and salty and are amazing with hot dogs and cheese.
• Cornflake dogs – Instead of panko, use crushed up cornflakes for a true play on corn dogs. The toasty corn-y flavor of cornflakes pairs exceptionally well.
• Ramen dogs – Crushed up instant ramen packets add immense crunch. You can also sprinkle on the seasoning packet for extra instant ramen vibes.
• Crispy rice – Crispy rice puffs are a nice addition – you can either crush up rice crackers or search out Korean rice puffs and roll your corn dog in rice instead of panko.
• Hot cheetos – Hot cheetos add crunch and spice. Drizzle some lime and mayo on and it’s AMAZING, especially if you do a mozzarella dog.

FAQ

• Can you make Korean corn dogs and freeze them?
  Deep fry the corn dogs until they are cooked through and then cool completely before freezing individually on a tray then putting them in freezer bags. You can reheat them in the air fryer or oven bake them.
• Can you bake Korean corn dogs?
  If you want to reheat Korean corn dogs in the oven, you can place already deep fried frozen corn dogs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping occasionally until heated through and crisp.
• Can you pan fry Korean corn dogs in a skillet?
  You can but it takes a bit more skill and heat management. Your corn dog may end up uneven looking and deep frying is superior. To shallow fry, place at lease 1/2 inch of oil in frying pan and heat it up until the tip of a wooden chopstick bubbles around it. Gently place the corndogs in the hot oil and fry, turning as needed until all the batter cooks through and all the sides turn golden brown.

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