Buttermilk Onion Rings

My month of fried things continues with another undeniably delicious item that I personally adore - onion rings.  What's not to love about onion rings?  Well, onions, if you are an onion-phobe like my husband.  When I make this recipe, I get them all to myself because John inexplicably detests onions.  Not that I would complain about an extra serving (or 3) of onion rings.

I think even non-onion-lovers will go crazy for these onion rings, because a short bath in buttermilk removes any of the egregious raw onion flavors.  (Not that I could get John to even glance at these - his loss)

These were literally the best onion rings I have ever tasted, and one of the best things I have ever made.  They are that good.  Life changing good.  Onion-loving-converting good...if you are willing to try them.    

If you are like me, the worst part about onion rings is that with that first bite of onion the entire oniony ring comes into your mouth, burning your tongue and making the rest of the ring just beer batter.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love just eating fried dough, but the goal was to eat fried dough with onion.  Miraculously, homemade onion rings do not have this Achilles heel, so you are even more inclined to eat plate after plate of them.  Whether this is the right decision for you is your call.  I know it is the right decision for me.

There was a time when I was advocating we buy a deep fryer, because I knew how much fun it would be.  Now that I have made this recipe, I know that a deep fryer is the last thing I need to own.  If I did, all I would do it make buttermilk onion rings and the occasional doughnut.  This is no problem for me because I would be eating my veggies in the form of onion rings, but poor John would be vegetable deprived - eating a diet of only doughnuts.  Alas, my deep fryer dream must die.

Hopefully I have a few readers who actually like onions and onion rings.  I promise this recipe will not disappoint!

Buttermilk Onion Rings

1 cup buttermilk
1 large onion, sliced into rings
Enough canola oil to provide 2 inches of oil in your pot

Beer batter:
1 bottle of beer
1 1/2 cups flour
Shake of kosher salt
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Sprinkle of black pepper
Sprinkle of Cayenne pepper

1/2 cup flour for dredging
Kosher salt, to taste after frying

Heat canola oil in large dutch oven at 375 degrees.  Cut onion into 1/4 to 1/2 inch-wide rings.  Separate rings and allow them to soak in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes to remove the strong onion flavor.  Add one bottle of beer to a large bowl and sift in 1 1/2 cups flour.  Add kosher salt, garlic powder, and black pepper and whisk until combined.  Dredge onions in 1/2 cup flour and then coat then in beer batter.  Fry in 375 degree oil (be careful not to over crowd the oil), stirring oil occasionally to cook both sides evenly.  Remove when onion rings are browned, about 4 minutes.  Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt and keep warm in 200 degree oven or eat immediately.