Fried Pickles

We probably fry foods at home more frequently than we ought to…but when those fried treats are as tasty as these fried pickles, it’s totally worth it! Even better? This version is gluten-free!* The corn flour and corn meal offer such a nice flavor to the final product that we have made them our go-to products for breading and frying. Adjust the spice level to your preference, but we recommend giving a try with our suggested level of heat - it plays really well against the cornmeal and pickle. Finally, if you’re looking for a dipping sauce to go along with the pickles, use your favorite mustard or try out the quick remoulade recipe down in the notes below.

Yield: about 4 appetizer servings

Ingredients

• 1 (24 oz.) jar of pickle spears**

• Frying oil (we recommend sunflower oil, but other light oils, like vegetable oil would work as well)

• Dutch oven

• 2 baking sheets

• 2 cooling racks

• Thermometer (for oil)

For the batter:

• 2 cups buttermilk

• 1 cup corn flour*

• 6 dashes hot sauce (such as Crystal’s hot sauce)

• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the breading:

• 1 cup cornmeal (medium grind preferred),* plus a little extra in case it’s needed

• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon chili powder (if your chili powder is mild, add in another 1/2 teaspoon cayenne)

• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

Instructions

Remove the pickles from the jar and gently pat dry with paper towel. If the pickle spears are pretty large, and you’d prefer more of a “pickle fry,” slice the pickles in half along the length. Place the pickles in a gallon-size zip-top bag. You can also use a shallow baking dish, just place the pickles in a single layer in the dish. Add the ingredients for the batter in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. The texture should remind you of a thin pancake batter (except this time, you’ll be aiming to whisk out the lumps). Pour the batter over the pickles, seal or cover, and refrigerate for about two hours. We usually place the bag inside a baking dish in case of any leaks. About halfway through the refrigeration time, flip the pickles over in the batter (either by turning them in the dish or flipping the bag over).

Once the pickles are done with their buttermilk bath in the fridge, combine the breading ingredients in a shallow dish and mix well (we usually use a small loaf pan or round cake pan). Prepare the first rack by placing one cooling rack in one of the baking sheets for the breaded pickles. Prepare the second rack by lining the other baking sheet with paper towel and place the other cooling rack upside down on the paper towel, to catch your fried pickles. This may seem weird, but it allows the paper towel to wick away some of the oil from the final product, without the pickles just resting on the paper towel (Thanks, Alton Brown, for this great tip!).

Remove one or two pickle spears/fries from the batter mixture at a time and press into the breading, turning to fully coat. Place the breaded pickles onto the first rack. Repeat with the remaining pickles. Allow the breaded pickles to rest on the rack for about 20 minutes before frying. This resting step is important to allow the breading to adhere to the pickle.

Meanwhile, begin heating the frying oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add enough oil so that you have a depth of around 2 inches. You’re aiming for an oil temperature of about 350°F to 375°F. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this temp range.

Once the pickles have rested, and the oil is at temp, it’s time to fry! Fry the pickles in batches for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and the breading is firm. Place the fried pickles on the second rack to cool slightly. Lightly season the fried pickles with kosher salt, to taste.

Notes

*In order to ensure that the final product is gluten free (if that’s important to you), make sure to use a corn flour and cornmeal that is certified gluten free. Some are prepared on shared equipment with wheat products, and therefore may not be gluten free. Additionally, for the cornmeal, we absolutely love using the heirloom variety, bloody butcher cornmeal. We think it provides a superior texture and flavor. It also makes amazing cornbread!

**If you’re feeling industrious, feel free to use an equivalent amount of homemade pickles. You can also use pickle chips/rounds, if you prefer that style of fried pickle.

Remoulade Dipping Sauce:

Combine 1 cup mayo (we prefer Duke’s mayo, if you’re using store bought), 2 tablespoons finely diced pickle relish, 6-12 dashes hot sauce (such as Crystal’s hot sauce), 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder in a small bowl. Mix well. Store in the fridge for up to about a week.