Prepare the Sausages: Pat the sausages completely dry with kitchen paper. Insert a soaked skewer into each sausage, pushing it about two-thirds of the way through. Place them on a tray lined with baking paper and pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes. This firms them up, making them easier to dip and ensuring the batter clings perfectly.

Make the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. In a separate jug, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, whole milk, and honey until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk gently until just combined. The batter will be thick and look slightly lumpy, with a texture like a very thick pancake batter. Do not overmix.

Rest the Batter: Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let the batter rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. This crucial step allows the gluten to relax and the cornmeal to hydrate, resulting in a lighter, crispier coating. You'll notice the batter will have thickened slightly.

Heat the Oil: Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or a deep fryer, ensuring it's no more than half full. Heat the oil to 175°C (350°F). Use a kitchen thermometer for accuracy; the oil should shimmer and a small drop of batter should sizzle and rise to the surface immediately.

Dip the Sausages: Pour the rested batter into a tall, narrow glass or a deep pint glass. This makes dipping much easier and cleaner. Take a chilled sausage by the skewer and plunge it straight down into the batter, all the way to the bottom. Lift it out, letting the excess batter drip back into the glass for a few seconds. You want an even, thick coating without any bald spots.

Fry to Golden Perfection: Carefully lower the battered sausage into the hot oil. The batter will immediately puff and sizzle. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until the corn dog is a deep, golden brown and the sausage is cooked through. You'll hear the sizzle soften as it cooks, and the surface will feel hard and crisp to the touch.

Drain and Season: Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked corn dog to a wire rack set over a baking tray. This is far superior to paper towels, as it prevents the bottom from becoming soggy. While still piping hot, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Repeat with the remaining sausages, frying in batches of 2-3 to avoid overcrowding the pan and dropping the oil temperature.