Crispy Onion Rings

Out of all the different types of fried foods out there in the world, onion rings have never been at the top of my list. Maybe it's from having one too many soggy ones?? Or even over-cooked ones? Oh, or when all of the slimy onion comes out in one bite, leaving you with just a crispy fried batter shell? Yeah, onion rings aren't really my thing. Gimme a corn dog instead.

So, why am I writing a post for onion rings then? Well, a couple weeks ago I made the Steakhouse Burger to feature on my friend, Amber's blog. And when I was formulating the idea for said burger, I knew I wanted the crispy onion strings that some restaurants serve on their burgers. Which turned out surprisingly good in my book. And then led into homemade onion rings that I made for another burger recipe. Which were totally awesome in Adam's book. He said that I should've tripled the recipe so he would've had enough to snack on and still have some for dinner.

Crispy Onion Rings

1 small onion, cut into rings (thickness depends on how you like them. I sliced them super thin (1/8") to make the onion strings and sliced them 1/4" thick for thin rings that could be placed easily on burgers. For snacking, I would recommend 1/2" thick)
Vegetable oil for frying (I used approximately 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup + 1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp paprika

Line a 8x8 baking dish with a couple of paper towels. In a small frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, toss sliced onion with 1/4 cup flour. In another small bowl, pour buttermilk. In a third small bowl, combine 1/3 cup flour, panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, dill, and paprika. In small batches, take flour coated onion rings and dip them in buttermilk, completely coating them. Then transfer to the flour/breadcrumb mixture and completely coat. Place onion rings in the oil (I can fit about 6-7 onion rings in my pan). It is important to not crowd the onion in the pan because they won't cook evenly. When onion rings are a light golden brown, using tongs, remove onions from oil and place in the paper towel lined dish. Serve as a snack, side dish, or topping to your favorite meal!

Source: Elizabeth original