One of the essential Southern side dishes is fried onion rings, and the key to great ones is the batter. Ours calls for buttermilk, cornmeal, hot sauce, and cayenne. The buttermilk and cornmeal will create a thick golden crust, and the hot sauce and the cayenne pepper give the rings a little kick.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oil in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. (For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.)
Step 2
Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, and egg in a large, wide dish. Slip in the onion slices, and allow them to soak for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Toss the flour and cornmeal together in a large brown paper bag, and season with the seasoned salt and cayenne. Drop the onion rings into the paper bag in batches, and shake until they are covered.
Step 4
Slip the onion rings into the oil, and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with kosher salt as they come out of the fryer.
ALTERNATIVE: Baked Onion Rings
Step 5
These are more tender than crisp, but that good onion flavor is still there.
Step 6
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray. Lay the battered rings out in a single layer on each sheet tray, and spray with the nonstick spray. Season with salt. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
