Beer Battered Bratwurst Corn Dogs

How about an all-time summer favorite taken to the next level? Instead of plain ol’ boring corn dogs, we have gone rogue with juicy, savory bratwurst. Dipped into our homemade beer-infused cornmeal batter and deep-fried to golden perfection, these tasty bites are a fun-filled treat. Our suggestion? Serve with an ice-cold beer and our homemade honey mustard dipping sauce.

Beer Battered Bratwurst Corn Dogs

Whoever says corn dogs are for kids has got it all wrong. They just haven’t had a hot bite of these delish beer-battered bratwursts yet. It is hard to go wrong with a lightly sweet corn meal breading wrapped around a savory bratwurst sausage.

Enjoy with an ice-cold beer because we are all adults here.

And honey mustard because we’re kids at heart and we like to dip our food. 🙂

Ingredients Needed for this Recipe:

• Bratwursts
• Wooden skewers
• Canola oil
• Flour
• Cornmeal
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Egg
• Beer of your choice, we recommend a good lager
• Mustard
• Mayonnaise
• Honey
• Spices (cayenne, garlic powder, salt + pepper)

Start this recipe with a high quality bratwurst for the best flavor. I love beer brats because it pairs well with the beer batter and balances the sweet batter.

The same goes for the beer you use. Sure, you can use a light beer if that is what you have on hand. But if you can, use a full bodied lager or “hoppy” beer because it will boost the flavor.

TIP: Be sure to whisk together your dry ingredients FIRST before adding the egg and the beer.

How to Make Beer Battered Bratwurst Corn Dogs:

• First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Arrange the bratwurst on the baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes. Cool.
• Then cut the bratwursts in half. Insert a wooden skewer into each half.
• Heat oil in a deep fryer (or deep pot) to 365 degrees.
• While the oil is heating, in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
• Next, whisk in an egg and the beer into the dry mix until combined.
• Pour the beer batter into a coffee mug or glass tall enough to dip the bratwurst into. One a time, dip a skewered bratwurst into the batter, letting the excess drip off.
• Holding the end of the stick, CAREFULLY and SLOWLY lower the battered bratwurst into the hot oil.
• Hold and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Finally, drain on a layer of paper bags.
• Repeat until finished and serve with mustard sauce.
• To make the homemade honey mustard stir together mustard, mayo, honey, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper until combined.

Since the deep-frying portion of this recipe is so quick, you should start with pre-cooked bratwursts. You can pan fry them if you’d like, but I love the ease of popping them on a baking pan and roasting them in the oven.

TIP: To make the battering easy, pour the prepared batter into a coffee mug or glass taller than the bratwurst. Just dip, then drip, then deep fry.

You definitely want to make sure the oil is at the perfect temperature. The breading should cook quickly. If the oil is too cool, the bratwursts will be greasy. If the oil is too hot, they will get too brown. Start your oil at 365 degrees and adjust as needed.

Because we are working with VERY hot oil, this recipe should ONLY be prepared by an adult. Use extreme caution while working with the deep-fryer.

More fun recipes to try:

Fried Green Tomato BLT’s

Roasted Tomato Jam

Patatas Bravas

BONUS: Don’t skip our oh-so-easy recipe for Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce. Zesty, tangy and just a little bit of honey-sweet, this sauce is the perfect condiment.

To make the mustard sauce, simply stir together mustard, mayo, honey, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Get the amounts in the recipe at the bottom of this post.

Tips for the best results:

• Start with pre-cooked bratwursts.
• Make sure your oil is at the perfect temperature.
• Work CAREFULLY and SLOWLY, cooking one at a time until golden.
• Drain the dogs on paper bags to absorb excess grease without sogginess.
• Whip up a batch of our honey mustard for a yummy treat.
• Double this recipe because it is going to be a hit!
• NOTE: This recipe has NOT been tested in an air fryer. Because the batter is so wet, it is not recommended. However, they can be re-heated in an air fryer.