The ingredients are basic and probably in most pantries. While a fried pickle may sound strange, it is a tasty blend of the tang and crunch of pickles with the intensity frying brings to many dishes.
Make Fried Pickles the Easy Way
Ingredients:
- About 20 dill pickle ovals or chips.
- ¼ cup of corn starch
- ½ cup of corn meal
- ½ cup of buttermilk or whole milk
- Canola oil (or another neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point)
- Chili powder (approximately ½ teaspoon)
- Ground black pepper (approximately 1 teaspoon)
- Optional:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Pepper sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Bacon bits
Preparation:
- Shake off excess pickle juice. Place pickles on a plate approximately 15 minutes before the frying process begins. Pickles at room temperature will not drop the temperature of the oil as drastically; therefore, the cooking will occur more evenly.
- In shallow bowls or plates, create a dredging station. One plate will contain the corn starch (all-purpose flour can be used as a reasonable substitute if corn starch is not available). Another will contain the buttermilk. The final plate will contain the corn meal to which the ground pepper and chili powder will be added and stirred together. Use chili powder and pepper in amounts according to taste.
- Dredge the pickles one at a time through the corn starch and shake off any excess. The pickles should be lightly dusted with corn starch, they should not be caked with it. A cake of corn starch will cause the fried crust to fall off the finished pickle.
- Pass the pickles through the milk then place directly into the corn meal. Spoon the corn meal mixture over the pickles or turn them in the corn meal by hand until coated. The crust should not be thick.
- Move to the frying station. The pickles can be fried in a deep fryer; however a cast iron skillet with about ¼ to ½ inch of oil will provide a larger frying surface and keep the pickles from sticking together. Bring the oil to about 365 to 375° Fahrenheit. When a small drop of water sizzles, the oil is ready. If the oil begins to smoke, reduce the heat. Test fry one pickle.
- Watch carefully to ensure the pickles fry to a golden color but do not burn. Each pickle will fry in about 2 ½ to 3 minutes; turn each at the half way point. Pickles that are fried in appropriately hot oil will not be greasy.
- Remove to a cooling rack or plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve with Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, or ranch dressing. The ranch dressing can be topped with a few bacon bits.
Once you make fried pickles, they will become a party staple at your house.
Fried Pickle Tips
Fried pickles can be made with spears rather than chips or ovals; in this case, increase the depth of the oil to cover the spears. The time to fry the spears will increase, as well, depending on the size of the dill spears.
If you prefer a different taste to the crust, use dried thyme or dill in the corn meal instead of chili powder. The subtle hint of these spices can add a personal flare to the fried pickles.
Tom Wolsey - Tom Wolsey, Ed.D., is an educator and author. His articles on literacy have appeared in professional publications such as Action in ...
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