Onion Rings Recipe

Peel the onions and slice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick rings. Separate the rings carefully so they remain intact; discard the small inner cores or save for another use.

Place the separated rings into a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak 10 minutes to remove some sharpness and help rings firm up. Drain and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Dry rings will help batter adhere and reduce oil splatter.

Prepare three adjacent work stations: (1) flour mix, (2) wet batter, (3) breadcrumbs. In a shallow bowl or plate whisk together the 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp paprika. Reserve about 1/4 cup of this dry mix for dusting the rings.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg with 1 cup milk. Stir in 1/2 cup beer if using (for lighter, airier batter) and 1/4 cup of the previously reserved dry mix to make a smooth batter. The batter should be thick enough to cling but still pourable — similar to pancake batter. If too thick, add a tablespoon of milk; if too thin, add a tablespoon of flour.

Place the 1 cup breadcrumbs or panko in a shallow bowl for final coating.

To bread: light-dust each dried onion ring in the reserved dry flour mix (this helps the wet batter stick). Shake off excess, dip into the wet batter letting excess drip back into the bowl, then press into the breadcrumbs to fully coat. For extra-crispy onion rings, double-dip: after breadcrumbs, return briefly to the batter and breadcrumbs again. Place coated rings on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to rest for 10 minutes — this helps the coating set and prevents falling off in the oil.

Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or a deep fryer so it is about 2 to 3 inches deep (approximately 1 liter here). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle and rise to the surface steadily without browning immediately.

Fry in small batches (do not overcrowd) — 3 to 6 rings at a time depending on pot size. Gently lower coated rings into the hot oil using tongs or a slotted spoon. Fry 2.5 to 4 minutes, turning once, until coating is golden brown and crisp. Adjust time according to thickness: thicker rings may need closer to 4 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried rings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain. While still hot, season lightly with 1 tsp fine sea salt (or kosher salt) and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Let oil return to temperature between batches. Serve onion rings hot for best texture. Recommended accompaniments: ketchup, spicy mayo, ranch or barbecue sauce.