Whisk together the cornmeal, the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together the egg with the buttermilk the pour it along with the oil into the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth then pour the batter into a tall glass or quart-sized jar.
Pour 4 inched of oil into a pot and heat on medium high to 325°F, about 10 minutes. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the temperature by sticking a wooden spoon into the oil. If it bubbles around the spoon, it should be ready for frying.
Gently poke the sticks into the hot dogs about halfway, leaving enough sticking out to be a suitable handle. Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Sprinkle flour onto a plate and roll each hot dog in the flour until it’s coated.
Dip the hot dog into the batter and then add to the oil. While turning the corny dogs with tongs a couple of times, cook until golden brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on the paper towels.
While frying, keep an eye on the oil. If it gets too hot, either turn down the heat or add more oil to the skillet. If the oil rises above 375°F, the batter will cook to fast and may burn on the outside while remaining raw on the inside. will be raw in the middle.
Serve warm with mustard.
Notes
For the sticks, some people use chopsticks. I used sticks designated for candy apples.