Dagwood Dog

Ingredients

Sausages

• 8thin pork or beef frankfurters, patted completely dry
• 8sturdy wooden skewers, about 20 cm
• 3 tbspplain flour for dusting

Batter

• 180 gplain flour
• 100 gfine cornmeal or polenta
• 2 tspbaking powder
• 1 tbspcaster sugar
• 1 tspsalt
• ½ tspmustard powder
• 1egg
• 300 mlfull-cream milk

To fry and serve

• 2 litrescanola oil for deep frying
• tomato sauce, in a squeeze bottle or a dipping cup
• a paper napkin, which you will need

Directions

1. Push a skewer lengthways up the middle of each frankfurter, leaving a good hand’s length of stick exposed, then pat the sausages dry with paper towel; any surface moisture will make the batter slide off in the oil.
2. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt and mustard powder together, then beat in the egg and milk until you have a smooth batter roughly the thickness of pouring cream.
3. Rest the batter for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates and the baking powder starts to work; it should thicken slightly and hold to a dipped spoon in an even coat.
4. Pour the batter into a tall narrow glass or jug, deep enough to submerge a whole sausage in one plunge.
5. Heat the oil in a deep pot to 175°C (350°F), using a thermometer; below 165°C (325°F) the batter drinks oil and goes greasy, above 185°C (375°F) it browns before the middle sets.
6. Dust each skewered sausage lightly with flour, then plunge it into the batter jug, swirl once and lift it out slowly, letting the excess run back so the coat is even and about 4 mm thick.
7. Lower it straight into the oil, holding the stick for the first 5 seconds so the batter sets into a torpedo rather than pooling on the bottom, then release and fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once.
8. It is done when the coat is deep golden brown, firm and hollow-sounding when tapped with tongs. Drain on a rack for a minute, then run a heavy stripe of tomato sauce down the length and eat it standing up.

Technique

• The name changes by state: Dagwood Dog in Victoria and Queensland, Pluto Pup in much of Victoria and Western Australia, Dippy Dog in Tasmania. All are the same show-ground battered sausage.
• It differs from an American corn dog by being sold with tomato sauce rather than mustard, and by usually using a thinner, more flour-heavy batter with less cornmeal.
• The flour dusting before dipping is the trick that stops the batter sliding off, and skipping it is the usual reason a home attempt fails.
• The batter must be thick enough to cling. If it runs straight off the sausage, whisk in another tablespoon of flour and test again.

Substitutions

• No cornmeal: use all plain flour for a paler, softer coat closer to the Australian show version, which is less corn-forward than the American one.
• Vegetarian frankfurters batter and fry exactly the same way; keep them very dry, as they hold more moisture.

Variations

• Pluto Pup batter is often plainer and thinner and the result is more crisp than cakey.
• A cheese Dagwood wraps the frankfurter in a strip of processed cheese before battering.
• Some show vans double-dip for a thicker, doughnut-like coat.

History

The signature food of agricultural shows, sold at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and known as a pluto pup elsewhere.

Frequently asked questions

What is Dagwood Dog?

Dagwood Dog is a street food from Australia: battered sausage on a stick, deep-fried and coated in tomato sauce. The signature food of agricultural shows, sold at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and known as a pluto pup elsewhere.

How long does Dagwood Dog take to make?

Dagwood Dog takes 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 sticks. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Dagwood Dog?

Yes, within limits. No cornmeal: use all plain flour for a paler, softer coat closer to the Australian show version, which is less corn-forward than the American one. Vegetarian frankfurters batter and fry exactly the same way; keep them very dry, as they hold more moisture.

What is the most important thing to get right in Dagwood Dog?

Lower it straight into the oil, holding the stick for the first 5 seconds so the batter sets into a torpedo rather than pooling on the bottom, then release and fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once.