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Restaurants›Cinemark Legacy and XD›Fried Pickle Spears Recipe

Fried Pickle Spears Recipe

Name: Cinemark Legacy and XDs FRIED PICKLE SPEARS Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 24 pieces dill pickle spears (from jar), drained; 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (for batter); 0.25 cups cornstarch; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper, ground; 0.5 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked); 1 cups cold beer (lager or pilsner); 0.25 cups ice water (optional, to adjust batter); 1 piece egg (large); 0.5 cups all-purpose flour (for dredging); 0.25 cups cornmeal (optional, for crunch); 0.5 tsp kosher salt (for dredge); 1.5 cups vegetable oil (for frying); 0.5 cups mayonnaise; 0.25 cups buttermilk; 0.25 cups sour cream; 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 0.5 tsp dried dill or fresh dill, minced; 0.5 tsp lemon juice; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.25 cups mayonnaise; 1 tbsp sriracha or hot sauce; 1 tbsp ketchup; 0.5 tsp smoked paprika; 0.25 tsp garlic powder; 0.5 tsp honey

Inspired by Cinemark Legacy and XD

Time45m

Serves4

Beer battered pickle spears served with buttermilk ranch and Cinemark Slap Sauce®.

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Ingredients

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Pickle Spears & Fry Batter

24 pieces dill pickle spears (from jar), drained

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (for batter)

1/4 cups Cornstarch

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper, ground

1/2 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)

1 cups cold beer (lager or pilsner)

1/4 cups ice water (optional, to adjust batter)

1 piece egg (large)

Breading & Frying

1/2 cups all-purpose flour (for dredging)

1/4 cups cornmeal (optional, for crunch)

1/2 tsp kosher salt (for dredge)

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Buttermilk Ranch

1/2 cups Mayonnaise

1/4 cups Buttermilk

1/4 cups Sour cream

1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Watkins garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried dill or fresh dill, minced

1/2 tsp ReaLemon lemon juice

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Cinemark Slap Sauce® (approximation)

1/4 cups Mayonnaise

1 tbsp sriracha or hot sauce

1 tbsp Ketchup

1/2 tsp Smoked paprika

1/4 tsp Watkins garlic powder

1/2 tsp Honey

1/2 tsp Apple cider vinegar

1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt

Garnish

4 pieces lemon wedges (optional)

1 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Method

Pickle Spears Prep

Drain pickle spears well in a colander, then pat each spear dry with paper towels. Excess brine will make the batter slip off and cause oil splatter.

If the spears are very wet, place them on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes to air-dry while you assemble batter and dredge.

Batter & Dredge

In a large bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp paprika until homogenous.

In a separate small bowl, beat 1 large egg. Add 1 cup of very cold beer and whisk together. If beer is not very cold, add up to 1/4 cup ice water to keep batter chilled.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the beer-egg mixture in; whisk until just combined. The batter should be thick enough to coat but still a little loose—aim for a texture slightly thicker than pancake batter. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. Keep batter chilled (set bowl over another bowl with ice if needed).

In a shallow dish combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal (optional), and 1/2 tsp kosher salt for dredging. This dry dredge helps the batter adhere to the pickles.

Frying

Pour 1.5 cups vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 1.5–2 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter: it should sizzle and brown within 30–45 seconds.

Working in batches (do not crowd the pot), dredge each dried pickle spear in the flour/cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess. Then dip the dredged spear into the chilled beer batter, coating entirely and letting excess drip off for 2–3 seconds.

Carefully lower battered spears into the hot oil with tongs or a slotted spoon. Fry 3–5 spears at a time depending on pot size so oil temperature stays steady. Fry for 2.5–3.5 minutes, turning once, until batter is golden brown and crisp.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried pickles to a wire rack set over a baking sheet (not paper towels) to drain and stay crispy. Season lightly with a pinch of salt while still hot. Let oil return to temperature between batches.

Repeat until all spears are fried. Keep cooked spears warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on the wire rack if making ahead, for up to 15–20 minutes (longer will soften them).

Buttermilk Ranch

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup buttermilk, and 1/4 cup sour cream until smooth.

Stir in 1 tbsp chopped chives, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dill, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve; flavors meld after 20–30 minutes.

Cinemark Slap Sauce® (Approximate)

Whisk together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp sriracha, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, and a pinch (1/8 tsp) salt until smooth. Adjust heat/sweetness to taste. Chill briefly before serving.

To Serve & Garnish

Arrange fried pickle spears on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with small bowls of buttermilk ranch and Slap Sauce® for dipping. Offer lemon wedges on the side if desired.