Fried Dill Pickles
Submitted by juliet
Fried dill pickles get a Southern roadhouse treatment with a double-dredge in yellow-tinted milk and seasoned flour, then a hot-oil dunk that delivers shatter-crisp coating and a tangy, briny pop in every bite.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThe trick to a fried pickle that crunches instead of sogs is the double-dredge. Milk first, flour next, back into the milk, back into the flour. That second coat is what gives you the craggy, almost-tempura texture that grabs onto hot sauce or ranch.
Drying the pickle slices on paper towels is a small step that does serious work. Wet pickles steam under the coating and turn the batter gummy. A few minutes face-down on a towel keeps the crust crisp.
The yellow food coloring is purely cosmetic, a nod to old-school Southern roadhouse style where fried pickles arrived looking like sunshine on a plate. Skip it if you’d rather not bother. The flavor doesn’t change.
Oil temperature is where most home cooks lose this battle. Drop the oil too cool and the coating absorbs grease instead of crisping. Use a thermometer and hold it steady at 350°F (175°C).
Pro Tips
- Fry in small batches. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and gives you soft, greasy pickles.
- Use dill pickle chips, not spears. Spears hold too much liquid and the centers stay cold while the coating burns.
- Serve immediately with ranch dressing or a horseradish-spiked aioli for dipping.
- Reheat leftovers in a 400°F (200°C) oven, never the microwave.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of cayenne to the flour for a Nashville hot pickle.
- Swap half the flour for cornmeal for a grittier, more textured crunch.
- Use buttermilk instead of milk for a deeper tang.
Ingredients
Directions
Spread pickles in single layer on paper towels to drain.
In small bowl, combine milk and enough yellow food coloring to produce a medium color.
Place flour, salt and pepper to taste in large, shallow bowl.
Set aside.
To small saucepan, add enough oil to come 1 inch up the side of the pan.
Heat oil to 350℉ (180℃) F over medium-high heat.
In small batches, submerge pickles in milk mixture.
Transfer to flour bowl and roll in flour to coat all sides well.
Separate slices if they stick together.
Repeat process by returning pickles to milk mixture and flour, again making sure slices are coated evenly and do not stick together.
Carefully drop one by one into hot oil and fry 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Drain on paper towels.
Repeat this process until all pickles are cooked.
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