Onion Rings Recipe

Prepare onions

Peel the onions and slice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick rings. Separate rings and set aside. For uniform cooking, discard the very small inner rings or reserve for another use.

Dry and chill

Pat the onion rings dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture. Place them in the refrigerator while you make the batter; cold onion rings help the batter stick.

Make batter

In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until evenly combined.

Add wet ingredients

In a separate small bowl whisk the egg lightly, then add the cold beer and ice water. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until mostly smooth; small lumps are fine. The batter should be thick enough to coat but pourable—add up to 1-2 tbsp additional ice water if too thick. If using panko for extra crisp, place the panko in a shallow bowl for dredging.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy pot or deep fryer to a depth of 2-3 inches. Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter: it should sizzle and rise steadily.

Batter and dredge

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, dip onion rings into the beer batter, letting excess drip off. For extra crunch, after dipping in batter press both sides lightly into panko.

Fry

Carefully lower battered rings into the hot oil and fry in batches for 2.5–4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Adjust time depending on ring thickness. Maintain oil temperature near 350°F; if it drops, wait for it to recover between batches.

Drain and season

Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove onion rings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot. Keep finished batches warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a rack while frying remaining rings.

Finish and serve

Once all rings are fried, serve them hot with the house-made Sriracha sauce on the side for dipping.

Combine mayonnaise, Sriracha, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust: add more Sriracha for heat, more honey for sweetness, or extra lime for brightness.

Chill briefly (10–20 minutes) to let flavors meld. Transfer to a serving ramekin and place alongside hot onion rings.