fried pickles with ranch
Fried pickles are one of those snacks that shouldn’t work on paper but absolutely do in real life. Salty, tangy pickles get a crunchy, heavily seasoned panko coat, then go straight into hot oil until they’re golden. The homemade ranch is the real closer here; cool, herby, and garlicky. Serve them hot, dip aggressively, and don’t expect leftovers.
What is the history of fried pickles?
Fried pickles are a Southern bar food legend that most sources trace back to Bernell “Fatman” Austin, who started serving them in the early 1960s at the Duchess Drive-In in Atkins, Arkansas - usually as thin, breaded pickle chips fried until crisp. From there they spread through the South as a cheap, addictive snack that hits every craving at once: salty, sour, crunchy, and greasy in the best way. By the 1990s and 2000s fried pickles had gone national thanks to chain restaurants and sports bars, and now they’re basically a standard menu item anywhere that understands the power of “we can fry that”.
How to make fried pickles?
Now let’s fry some pickles! To make the ranch whisk together sour cream, buttermilk and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Season it with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and pepper. Whisk in minced garlic, parsley, chives, dill, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate. Set out 3 deep plates next to the stove. On the first one place flour, second the eggs, and on the last one the panko breadcrumbs. Whisk the eggs until even color, then heavily season the flour and breadcrumbs with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, Lawrys seasoning salt, Dan-O’s spicy seasoning, garlic salt, and pepper. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels. In a medium pot heat vegetable oil to 350f. Then take a pickle and roll it in the flour, then dip in egg wash, and roll it in the breadcrumbs. Fry until golden brown and set on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest. Serve immediately with the prepared ranch!