Beer Battered Onion Rings

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Thick sweet onion rings get a dry-flour dredge before they hit an ice-cold beer batter, so the coating actually grips instead of sliding off in the fryer. The result is a shatteringly crisp shell with a sweet, still-juicy onion inside — the diner side dish done right at home.

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia or Walla Walla), about 1 lb each
• 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk (optional soak)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 12 oz lager or pilsner, refrigerator-cold

• 6 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• flaky salt, for finishing
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Trim the ends off the onions, peel them, and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Push the rings apart and keep only rings between about 2 and 4 inches across (save the small centers and any torn rings for another use). You should have 20 to 24 rings.
2. Optional but recommended: soak the rings in the milk or buttermilk for 15 minutes to soften their bite, then lift them out and let the excess drip off. If skipping the soak, pat the rings just barely damp with a wet paper towel so the dry dredge has something to cling to.
3. Whisk the dredge ingredients — 1 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, garlic powder, and pepper — in a wide shallow bowl. Toss the rings a few at a time in the dredge, coating them completely, then set them on a rack or sheet pan. This dry layer is what keeps the batter from sliding off in the oil, so don't skip it.
4. Pour the oil into a heavy 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Clip on a thermometer and heat over medium-high to 375°F. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan next to the stove.
5. While the oil heats, whisk the batter dry ingredients together: 1 1/4 cups flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Do not add the beer yet.
6. Stir the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire, and smoked paprika together in a small bowl for the dipping sauce. Refrigerate until serving.
7. When the oil is at temperature, pour the cold beer into the dry batter mix and whisk just until it comes together — about 15 seconds. A few small lumps are good; overmixing makes the coating tough. The batter should coat a spoon like thin pancake batter. If it is thicker, splash in another tablespoon or two of cold beer. Set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water to keep it cold while you fry.
8. Working in batches of 5 or 6, drop the dredged rings into the batter, lift each one out with tongs or your fingers, let the excess drip for a second, and lower it into the oil. Keep the rings separated for the first few seconds so they don't fuse.
9. Fry 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes, flipping once at the halfway mark, until deep golden and audibly crisp. Adjust the burner to hold the oil between 350°F and 375°F — it will dip when you add rings.
10. Transfer to the wire rack (not paper towels, which steam the bottoms) and shower immediately with flaky salt. Let the oil climb back to 375°F before the next batch, and re-whisk the batter briefly each time.
11. Serve hot, within 10 minutes, with the horseradish dipping sauce. To hold a large batch, keep the finished rings on the rack in a 200°F oven for up to 20 minutes.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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