Beer-Battered Onion Rings

Thick sweet onion rings get a light, crisp lager batter and are fried in small batches for a familiar bar-and-grill appetizer with two easy dips.

45 min

6 appetizer servings

Ingredients

2 large sweet onions

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg

1 cup cold lager beer

4 to 6 cups neutral high-heat oil, as needed for 1 1/2 to 2 inches in the pot

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tsp hot sauce

Heavy Dutch oven · Clip-on frying thermometer · Wire rack and rimmed sheet pan · Spider or long tongs · Shallow bowl · Mixing bowl

Keep the coating crisp

Drain on an open wire rack instead of paper towels, and avoid stacking rings where trapped steam softens the crust.

Serve them hot

Put the platter out as soon as the last batch drains; the crisp edges are best right after frying.

01. Cut onions into 1/2-inch rounds, separate the rings, and dry thoroughly; dry surfaces help the batter cling and limit oil splatter.

02. Stir hot sauce into ketchup, set both dips out, and place a wire rack over a sheet pan; heat the oven to 200 F for brief holding.

03. Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot, keeping it under halfway full, until a thermometer reads 350 F.

04. Reserve 1/2 cup flour for dredging; whisk the rest with cornstarch and seasonings, then gently mix in egg and cold lager.

05. Flour a few dry rings at a time, shake away extra flour, then dip them in batter and let excess fall back into the bowl.

06. Fry 3 or 4 rings for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once; wait for the oil to return to 350 F and reduce heat if it exceeds 365 F.

07. Drain rings over the pot, arrange in one layer on the rack, and salt while hot; use the warm oven only to bridge batches.

08. Turn off the burner and serve with ranch and spicy ketchup; leave the pot undisturbed until oil is fully cool, and never add water.