It’s been a good year, football wise, for our family. Not so much for my team (the Redskins), but for my husband’s 49ers. It’s also been a good year for football snacks in our home, mainly in the form of these fried pickles. I’ve always loved pickles, and at first I was hesitant about the concept of deep frying them. I first tried them at one of my favorite places, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats (if you’re ever in Rehoboth, DE – go! Delicious local fare and craft beer await). After that, I was hooked. I tried a few recipes that were good – but diddn’t make my heart sing. Finally threw in the towel and just tried the battering method that I use for my fish tacos, and it worked like a charm! I’ve made them every Sunday afternoon for the past month, and we’re still not tired of them.
They’re a breeze to make, as I usually have everything on hand for beer batter. They’re also a super-cheap appetizer. While I’m sure they are wonderful with a premium cold-chilled pickle, I really like them with my store’s generic brand. They’re a thick cut pickle chip, and they have the ridges in them – which I think helps the batter adhere to the pickle. They also stay nice and crispy for a good while after serving, not that they’ll actually last that long!
With playoff parties and the Super Bowl upon us, definitely add these babies to your lineup. You won’t be sorry!
Fried Pickles
1 pint sliced dill pickles
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups beer (a lager or ale is perfect for this application)
vegetable oil, for frying
Ranch salad dressing, for dipping
Strain pickles from juice and lay the slices flat on a paper towel to drain out excess moisture. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a medium saucepan to 375 degrees.
While bringing the oil to temperature; combine 1 cup of flour, the kosher salt, and the beer in a medium bowl. Mix until combined, and no lumps remain. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour to a small resealable bag. Add the sliced pickles to the bag, about 10 at a time, and shake to coat with flour. Remove and add pickle slices to the bowl with the beer batter, using a fork to coat. Repeat with remaining pickle slices.
Fry battered pickle slices in hot oil until golden brown, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove to paper-towel lined plate to drain. Serve warm, along side ranch for dipping.
Source: Inspired by Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats
