Fried Pickles (vg) Recipe
Homemade basket of beer-battered dill chips | Served with cajun ranch.
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Ingredients
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Fried Pickles
Cajun Ranch
Finishing
Method
Cajun Ranch
Make the sauce
In a medium bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, cayenne, smoked paprika, cajun seasoning, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust heat or salt. Cover and chill in refrigerator while preparing pickles so flavors meld (at least 15 minutes).
Fried Pickles
Prep pickles
Drain pickle chips in a colander and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove excess brine — very dry chips will help batter stick and prevent spattering.
Heat oil
Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 1.5 inches (enough to shallow-deep fry). Warm 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 rise immediately.
Make batter
In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, garlic powder and paprika. In a separate bowl whisk the egg with the cold beer until combined. Pour beer mixture into dry ingredients and stir gently until combined; some lumps are okay. If batter seems too thick to coat (should be like pancake batter), add up to 1/4 cup ice water a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Keep batter cold (set bowl over another bowl with ice if necessary) to help it puff when fried.
Dredge and batter
Place 1/2 cup flour for dredging in a shallow dish. Working in small batches (4–6 chips), lightly toss dried pickle chips in the dredging flour to coat — shake off excess — then dip into the beer batter, letting excess drip off before transferring to a plate or wire rack.
Fry pickles
Carefully add battered pickle chips to the hot oil in a single layer without crowding. Fry 2–3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove and drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or on paper towels. If oil temperature drops below 325°F, raise heat; if it exceeds 375°F, lower heat. Continue with remaining chips, allowing oil to return to temperature between batches.