Buttermilk Fried Pickles + Red Hot Ranch
Ingredients
For the Fried Pickles:
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 16 oz. jar dill pickle slices, pat VERY dry
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken well
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce, I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce
For the Red Hot Ranch:
- 1/4 cup Ranch dressing
- 2 Tbsp. sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. Frank's Red Hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp. chipotle hot sauce, optional
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
Dipping sauce options:
- Ketchup+ Sriracha sauce
- Barbecue sauce
- Remoulade sauce
- Garlic aioli
- Avocado Ranch
Instructions
Before frying:
- Mix together your dipping sauce (options above). Prepare a paper-towel lined surface.
For preparing pickles:
- Drain all liquid from pickle jar. Lay pickles out between layers of paper towels. Pat dry. If pickles are too soggy and wet, the breading will not stick.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce.
- Working 3-4 slices at a time, coat pickles in flour mixture, gently shaking off excess. Dip in buttermilk-egg mixture, then coat with flour mixture again. Shake off excess flour.
When ready to fry pickles:
- Fill a large pot with oil, for frying (about 2-3 inches deep). Set to medium heat.
- To test oil readiness, flick a bit of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles, your oil is ready. Lower heat to medium-low.
- Carefully drop 3-4 pickles at a time into the oil. Fry about 90 seconds on each side, until light golden brown.
- Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove pickles from oil. Place on a paper towel lined surface.
- Serve pickles warm with your desired dipping sauce.
- Enjoy!