Beer Battered Onion Rings with Dipping Sauce

I crave these. Sometimes I just buy the big 5 lb bags of onions so that I can make as many onion rings as I can handle. They are that good! They also freeze well too and go great along side to our Bourbon Bacon Burgers (HERE ). Here's what you'll need to make one batch of onion rings:

Photo byLyuba Brooke

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup red ale can also use lager or ale
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 large onion white or sweet
• 3-4 cups peanut, canola, or vegetable oil for frying

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon prepared (bottled) horseradish
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

First, make the sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Cover, and let sit in refrigerator for one hour to marinate.

Prepare the Batter:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Then, pour in the beer and Worcestershire sauce, and whisk until the batter is smooth. Taste the batter and adjust the salt if necessary.

Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for about 30 minutes to enhance the flavor (if time permits).

Slice and Prepare the Onions:

Next, cut the onions into thick rings, about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch wide.

Pat the onion slices dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Heat the Oil:

In a large skillet, deep pan, or fryer, preheat the oil to 350°F to 365°F over medium heat. Avoid using a shallow pan to minimize splattering.

Line a large wire rack with paper towels and set it near your frying station to drain the onion rings after frying.

Fry the Onion Rings:

Dip each onion ring into the batter, ensuring it is well-coated, and carefully place it into the hot oil.

Fry until the onion rings are golden brown on one side, then flip and continue frying for a couple more minutes until golden brown on the other side.

Fry the rings in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can lower the oil temperature and affect crispiness.

Drain and Serve:

Use metal tongs or a metal slotted spoon to remove the fried onion rings from the oil and transfer them to the prepared wire rack to drain any excess oil.

Allow the onion rings to cool slightly before enjoying with your dipping sauce!

These are a nice side to my Bourbon Bacon Burgers recipe (HERE)

* Notes:

You can also use a non-alcoholic beer like O'Douls Amber or Premium version. Otherwise, you are welcome to use buttermilk, but it will change the texture of the batter a bit.