Dutch Oven Corn Dog Bake Bars Kids Can Dunk in Ketchup-Mustard Sauce
Mix a cornmeal batter, pour it into a lined, greased 12-inch Dutch oven, and press in 8 hot dogs. Bake over about 16 coals on the lid and 8 underneath for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Slice into 8 bars and serve with a ketchup-mustard dunk. Total time is about 45 minutes.
Corn dogs are a kid favorite, but frying at camp means hot oil and a lot of wiggly helpers. This version skips the fryer. You pour a sweet cornbread batter into a Dutch oven, press hot dogs into it, and bake it like a pan of cornbread. Every bar has a hot dog in the middle.
Kids can do most of the work. They measure, stir, press in the hot dogs and mix the dunk. An adult handles the coals and the hot lid. Leftover bars are good cold the next morning.
Dutch Oven Corn Dog Bake Bars Kids Can Dunk in Ketchup-Mustard Sauce
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals (about 375°F oven heat)
- Pack weight
- 4 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch Dutch oven with lid
- Charcoal briquettes or a campfire with coals
- Lid lifter and heat-proof gloves
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk and spatula
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Toothpick or thin skewer
Steps
-
Start the coals
Light about 30 briquettes or burn a fire down to coals. You need roughly 24 hot coals in all. Set them aside on a fire-safe spot while you mix.
-
Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Kids can do this part.
-
Whisk the wet
In a second bowl or big measuring cup, whisk the milk, eggs and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Pour it into the dry mix and stir until just combined. A few lumps are fine. Fold in the cheddar.
-
Ready the oven
Cut a parchment circle to fit the bottom of a 12-inch Dutch oven. Grease the parchment and sides with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Pour in the batter and smooth the top.
-
Press in dogs
Lay the 8 hot dogs in two rows of 4 on top of the batter. Press them in until they are about half covered. The batter will rise around them.
-
Bake with coals
Put the lid on. Place about 8 coals under the oven and 16 on the lid. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, turning the oven a quarter turn every 10 minutes so it browns evenly.
-
Check for doneness
Lift the lid with a glove or lid lifter. A toothpick in the cornbread should come out clean, and the hot dogs should be steaming hot, at least 165°F inside. If the top looks pale, bake 5 more minutes.
-
Mix the dunk
While it bakes, stir the ketchup, mustard and relish together in a small bowl. Taste and add more mustard if the grown-ups want a kick.
-
Rest and slice
Let the bake sit 5 minutes with the lid off. Lift it out with the parchment and cut between the hot dogs into 8 bars. Serve warm with the dunk.
Trail Notes
At home, mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a zip bag. At camp, dump it in a bowl and add the wet ingredients. Hot dogs, milk, eggs and cheese stay in the cooler at 40°F or below until you use them.
Use turkey franks, chicken sausages or plant-based dogs. For a no-Dutch-oven version, use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with a tight lid over low flame for 20 to 25 minutes. Watch the bottom, since it browns faster.
Swap the fresh milk for shelf-stable milk and use shelf-stable cheese or skip the cheddar. Bring the hot dogs and eggs only on a short, cold-packed trip. Eat any leftovers within 2 hours, or toss them.
Let coals burn out fully and cool, then pack out the ash if the site has no fire pit. Pack out the parchment, and wipe the oven with a paper towel before washing it 200 feet from water.
Campers ask
Can you make corn dogs at a campsite without frying?
Yes. Baking cornbread batter around hot dogs in a Dutch oven gives you the same flavor with no hot oil. Cut the pan into bars when it is done.
How many coals do I need for a 12-inch Dutch oven at 375°F?
Use about 16 coals on the lid and 8 under the oven. Rotate the oven every 10 minutes, and add a few fresh coals if the bake needs more time.
How do I know the corn dog bake is done?
A toothpick in the cornbread should come out clean, and the top should be golden. The hot dogs should be steaming hot and at least 165°F inside.
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