Hot Dog Hush Puppies

Ingredients

Frying oil, enough to fill a tabletop fryer or go 2 1/2 inches up the sides of a long or wide pot or pan, plus 2 tablespoons
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Coleman’s dry mustard, 2/3 palmful,
2 teaspoons paprika, 2/3 palmful,
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/3 palmful, or 1 tablespoon hot sauce (add with liquids)
1 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion, 1/3 palmful
1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic, 1/3 palmful

3/4 cup cornmeal
1 large egg
1 cup milk
8 all-natural hot dogs, beef or pork, finely chopped
BBQ sauce and yellow mustard or jalapeño mustard for dipping or drizzling

Yields: about 24 hush puppies

Preparation

Heat oil to between medium and medium-high heat (about 335°-340°F) for frying. Preheat oven to 250°F.

Whisk flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl and combine with salt, pepper, mustard, paprika, cayenne (if using), and onion and garlic powders. Stir in cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, hot sauce (if using) and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stir the wet into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until smooth, then stir in the chopped hot dogs.

With a small ice cream scoop or a heaping tablespoon, scoop heaping, rounded spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil in batches. Fry to deep golden all over, 3-4 minutes. Drain hush puppies on cooling rack set over a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while you finish the rest of the batter.

Serve with sauces for dipping or drizzling.