Buttermilk Crisped Vidalia Onion Rings

Incomparable to frozen onion rings and infinitely easier than homemade french fries…you must make these if you and your family are onion ring lovers.  Keep some buttermilk in the frig and you’ll be ready to turn superhero. “Hey, who wants onion rings instead of plain old potato chips with those burgers?? No problem!”

Buttermilk Crisped Vidalia Onion Rings

Serves 6
By author margaret @ The Right Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3-4 Large Vidalia onions (peeled, sliced into rings, small inner pieces discarded or saved for another use)
  • 2-3 cups buttermilk (well shaken)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2-3 cups flour
  • peanut oil (for frying)

Directions

1. Place onion rings in a large bowl and cover with buttermilk. Let sit at least 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times to make sure all the onions are well coated.
2. Meanwhile, stir flour together with a couple of teaspoons of salt and pepper each. Taste to make sure flour is nicely seasoned. Prepare a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Remove a couple of onion rings at a time from the buttermilk, shake a bit to drain off excess then dredge quickly in the seasoned flour. Place coated rings on waxed paper and let rest for about 15 minutes to give the batter a chance to set. Repeat with remaining onions.
3. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet (a wok works really well) over high heat until hot. (350-375 degrees or test with an onion ring…it should sizzle immediately). Fry onion rings in batches of 6 or so at a times, being careful not to crowd the pan too much, and turning the rings a couple of times to brown evenly. It will only take a few minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain, season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. May be kept warm and crispy in a 200 degree oven while you cook the remaining rings. (They stay crispy at room temperature as well…another reason I love this recipe)
  • roger stockburger banners broker ponzi
    February 8, 2013 at 12:29 pm

    Hello, just wanted to mention, I loved this article.
    It was practical. Keep on posting!

  • kristy @ Gastronomical Sovereignty
    January 26, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    oooooh! i make my own onion rings too – yours look very similar to mine! maybe we should have an onion-ring-off? 🙂

  • Diane Balch
    January 21, 2013 at 9:58 am

    I just wanted you to know that I included your recipe in a post about onions. I will be tweeting and pinning it all this week.

  • Lokness
    January 18, 2013 at 1:12 pm

    WOW!!! Your onion rings look perfect! My husband and I absolutely love onion rings, but the onion rings in restaurants are not always good. The only place we like is Wahoo’s fish taco. Sweet and crispy. I definitely need to try out your recipe! Thanks!

  • wee eats
    January 17, 2013 at 7:30 pm

    Yum!

  • Oh My Veggies (@ohmyveggies)
    January 16, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    Wow, these look absolutely perfect! I just ate dinner and this photo is making me hungry all over again…

  • ChgoJohn
    January 16, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    OK … I’m in. I love onion rings and quit buying pre-made because they’re not rings but are made of minced onion, instead. Bleh! Thank you for this recipe. I will definitely give it a try.

    • therightrecipe
      January 16, 2013 at 9:55 pm

      Yeah, stay away from those frozen rings. And don’t you hate it when you bite into an onion ring and the onion pulls out and you are left with a just crunchy batter? Yuck! That won’t happen with my recipe.

  • therightrecipe
    January 16, 2013 at 6:22 pm

    Me too, Perry!

  • Dement, Perry
    January 16, 2013 at 11:12 am

    I just have to say that these always arrive in my mailbox when I’m starving!! Sure do wish I lived closer to your test kitchen!!