Onion Rings Recipe

Prepare onions

Peel the onions and slice into 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick rings. Gently separate rings; set aside any small broken pieces for snacking or discard.

Make batter base

In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika until evenly combined.

Add wet ingredients

In a separate small bowl whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons milk. Pour egg mixture into the dry mix. Slowly add 1 cup of cold beer (or cold sparkling water) while whisking until a smooth, slightly thick batter forms. The batter should coat the back of a spoon but still be pourable; adjust with a tablespoon more beer or a tablespoon more flour if too thick or thin. Chill the batter in fridge for 10 minutes while preparing remaining components—cold batter yields crisper rings.

Prepare coating station

On a shallow plate combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. On a second shallow plate spread 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs. This three-step station will be: dredge in flour, dip in batter, press in panko.

Dredge and coat

Working in small batches (6–8 rings at a time to avoid batter cooling), dredge each onion ring in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip the ring into the batter, letting excess drip back into the bowl, then press into panko to fully coat. Place coated rings on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat until all rings are coated. If batter thickens, whisk briefly and chill for a minute; if panko gets soggy, refresh with more breadcrumbs.

Heat oil

Pour neutral oil into a deep heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 to 2.5 inches (about 1 liter used). Attach a thermometer and heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with one breadcrumb — it should sizzle and brown in ~45–60 seconds.

Fry rings

Fry coated onion rings in small batches (4–6 rings depending on pot size) for 2.5–3.5 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp. Do not overcrowd the pot or oil temperature will drop. Maintain oil around 350°F; adjust heat as needed.

Drain and season

Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer fried rings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Immediately sprinkle lightly with the extra 1 teaspoon salt while still hot. Let the oil return to temperature between batches before adding more rings.

Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon paprika until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill until ready to serve.