1. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl; stir in milk and egg until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook hot dogs in boiling water until heated through, about 7 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Insert one skewer into each hot dog and blot dry if wet. Pour chilled batter into a tall drinking glass.

4. Dip one hot dog into batter until well coated; transfer to hot oil. Repeat with as many hot dogs as can comfortably fit in the fryer without overcrowding (one or two more). Fry until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat to coat and fry remaining hot dogs.

Tips

If you have more time, refrigerate the batter in Step 1 for up to an hour. A colder batter works better to coat the hot dogs.

Editor's Note:

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of breading ingredients. The actual amount of breading consumed will vary. We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.