Make Homemade Onion Rings

Homemade onion rings take a bit of work, but they are worth the effort, as they make an excellent appetizer or side dish. The ones made from this recipe are covered in a batter that is tasty and crunchy.

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion
  • Frying oil
  • 1 cup sifted flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Paprika to taste

Steps

Preparing the Onions

  1. Peel the onion and slice it 1/4-inch (6.35mm) thick. Separate the onion rings.
  2. Add the onion rings to a bowl of ice water and let stand for 30 minutes.
  3. Place the rings onto paper towels to dry.

Making the Batter

  1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Separate the egg.
  3. Add the egg yolk to a small bowl and lightly beat.
  4. Add the beaten egg yolk, milk and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the flour mixture.
  5. Add the egg white to another mixing bowl and beat until stiff.
  6. Fold the egg white into the batter. Do this gently.

Cooking the Onion Rings

  1. Preheat 1-inch (2.5cm) of vegetable oil to 375ºF/190ºC.
  2. Dip the onion rings in the batter. Carefully place the dipped rings in the hot oil.
  3. Cook the onion rings until golden.
  4. Remove the onion rings using Use Kitchen Tongs or a similar long-handled implement. Drain the onion rings on paper towels. Once drained, they're ready to serve with the rest of your meal.
  5. Finished. Serve immediately while still hot and crispy.



Tips

  • Do not overload the hot oil with too many onion rings. Add a few at a time to keep the onion rings from becoming greasy and soggy.
  • Consider serving a range of dipping sauces for the onion rings. Honey Mustard and Ketchup are two standbys, but salad dressings such as Ranch and Thousand Island also provide good flavor. Thousand Island with horseradish added to taste will have a spicy flavor similar to some fast food restaurants "zesty" onion ring dip. Plain malt vinegar is also a good option for onion rings.
  • In general, the larger the onion, the sweeter it will be (relative to other onions of the same type). You can always add sugar to the batter if a sample onion ring does not have the proper flavor balance, but you cannot take sugar away from the batter.
  • The batter can be used for other vegetables, too, such as broccoli florets, sliced carrot, sliced sweet potato, and sliced zucchini. If members of your family are vegetable averse, this may be a way for you to add the veggies in a wonderfully delicious way.
  • There are many kinds of batters that will work well with onion rings: Panko batter, beer batter, seasoned batters, breadcrumb batters. Beer batter is especially easy to make: 3 cups of self-rising flour and 1 can of beer. (If you're allergic to eggs, this is the batter to try.)
  • The oil that you use for frying will make a marked difference in the flavor. Peanut oil is the best for deep-fat frying because of its high smoke point and neutral flavor, but other oils or shortenings can be used, such as olive, soybean, and canola oils. Clarified butter, also known as ghee, can add a deliciously rich butter flavor to the rings. You may also use bacon fat, rendered beef tallow, or coconut oil ... rings cooked in those fats may require more time to drain after cooking.

Warnings

  • Keep a pan lid handy to cover the oil in case of fire.
  • Use care when frying in hot oil.

Things You'll Need

  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Deep saucepan or skillet
  • Frying thermometer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Spoon

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  • Adapted from: Mom's Best Recipes Volume 2 by Shirley McNevich, Internet Archive
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