Buttermilk Onion Rings Recipe
When I look back at old family photos of me as a small child, I can’t help but notice that my family and I always appear to take all of our photos around the dining room table. Maybe it’s that there was always some type of cake, pastry, or junk food that lured us to the table, or it’s just that we all love our sweets… Whatever it was, everyone’s habits haven’t changed as our dining room tables have changed throughout the years. Family photos are still taken around the dining table, near some type of food.
After a few photos are taken of our family, we always dig-in. Within minutes. No- within seconds (that sounds about right), food disappears from the table. Right before anyone can say anything, someone rushes out of the kitchen right on time, ready to replenish the food that disappeared. It’s like a perfectly planned magic act that never goes wrong. My family loves food.
I wish I could say that my family had the same love for books as they did food. My mother and I are probably the only two people (out of the many people) from both sides of my family who appreciate great literature and great cookbooks.
When opening up a good cookbook, the photos bounce off the page, ingredients for recipes begin dancing around my face, and then the description of each thoroughly tested recipe pulls me in, and just compels me begs me to get into the kitchen.
I can say the same about Lorna Yee’s newly released cookbook, The Newlywed Kitchen. Before I opened the book, the photos on the cover popped and specifically told me that I would not be disappointed! WHAT? You don’t believe that the photos talked to me? They did, and guess what- if you don’t already have her book, you should get it to see if those photos talk to you, as well!
When opening the book, I skipped straight to the “Contents” page and made my way over to the “Meat, Poultry, and Seafood” section of the book (Don’t give me that look- I’m a dude! We like our burgers!) and immediately was smacked right in the face by three words that bounced off of the pages of the book to scream, “MAKE ME! Make me, NOW!”
I had to listen to the voices in the book, and boy- was I glad that I listened! These buttermilk onion rings are what you may now call your next go-to onion ring recipe. You’ll thank me for pointing you to the right recipe. You’ll thank Lorna for coming up with said recipe. You can go thank her over here…
After reading Lorna’s book (even if you are far away from being a newlywed, or have been married for years), you’ll be inspired to share great memories of food in your kitchen with your loved ones, and perhaps, you’ll even find yourself taking family photos around the dining room table, for decades to come!
Buttermilk Onion Rings
Slightly tweaked from The Newlywed KitchenYes, this recipe requires some frying. I know what you’re thinking, and my response is- feel guilty. Yes, swim in that river of guilt, but keep one thing in mind- these things are amazing! The original recipe calls for a very thinly sliced onion (about 1/8-inch slices)- I like my onion rings a little bit on the thicker side (about 1/4-inch slices) because I like the onion-y flavor, but slice it to what you’d prefer the rings to be like. This recipe feeds 2-3 (you’re pushing it if you try to feed four people), but you can easily double it or triple it.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups buttermilk
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced (⅛-inch to ¼-inch slices)2 cups flour
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 quart vegetable, canola, or peanut oil for frying
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the hot sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and the buttermilk. Submerge the onions.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for two hours.
In a shallow bowl or large dish, combine the flour with 1 tablespoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Dredge the onions in the seasoned flour evenly and shake off any excess.
Heat the oil In a large, deep pot until it registers 360ºF on a candy/deep-fat fry thermometer.
Fry the onions in three batches, turning them with a pair of tongs so they cook evenly and turn golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Remove the onion rings from the oil and drain on paper towels. Taste for seasoning and add a little extra salt, if desired. Serve with your favorite dip, and enjoy!
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43 COMMENTS
August 3rd, 2010
Wow! These look amazing! I love anything fried ;)
August 3rd, 2010
I can’t wait to start a family of my own to start developing these same traditions you point out here.
Oh, and there is no better feeling than getting drawn in by a good cookbook. I’m not much of a reader, but put a few good cookbooks in front of me and I’ll be good to go.
August 3rd, 2010
yummy, reminds me of the onion bhajiya/pakoda we make it at home,but this looks so divine !
August 3rd, 2010
Oh goodness Kam! These look yuuuuuuuum. They’d disappear quickly around our table, that’s for sure.
Loving your photography – just beautiful.
August 3rd, 2010
Okay, I have to admit it. I love anything deep fried. Can’t help it, that’s the southern girl in me. And, man do these fried onion rings look fabulous! My mouth is literally watering for some right now.
August 3rd, 2010
Kam, this is amazing… im def gonna try these at home. I enjoyed reading the part about your family… they sure do love to eat! and I’ve loved joining them at the dinner table over the past few years!
August 3rd, 2010
Yum… These look incredible! I want to make some for dinner tonight. Now I just have to go see if I have onions in the kitchen! :)
August 3rd, 2010
These onion rings looks so good, I am such a huge fan of onion rings, I believe I would have to devour them all!
August 3rd, 2010
Oh my gosh! These look amazing! I think the size is perfect, too. I hate super thick onion rings. Super pretty photos!
August 3rd, 2010
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August 3rd, 2010
Thanks for making a Lorna recipe! I have been considering getting her cookbook for a while now. You talked me into it :)
August 3rd, 2010
Buttermilk seems to be popping up everywhere. What a great recipe, no guilt just lots of good taste. Thanks!
August 3rd, 2010
shweta- you’re going to ruin the surprise of one of my upcoming posts (*whispers*- pakoras!) ;)
August 3rd, 2010
Oh, Kamran! They look crispy and delicious. Funny story about your family photos. Seems like many were taken around our table as well. And we CERTAINLY like food. I have never made onion rings. Your photos make me want to give them a try!
August 3rd, 2010
They look terrific, just the right amount of crispiness:)
August 3rd, 2010
What a great review of the cookbook. I love reading cookbooks, they are like novels to me. This is a treat that I could not resist :)
August 3rd, 2010
Sounds like me as a child. These look sooooooooo good.
August 3rd, 2010
Those sound too fabulous for words!
August 4th, 2010
Oh. I think I want to cry. Look at those simple little wonders. I love onion rings. I think I love photogenic onion rings even more.
August 4th, 2010
Now you’ve made me want to see those pictures of your family celebrations through the years! Another beautiful post, Kamran!
August 4th, 2010
I just bought this cookbook last week! We are yet again on the same wave-length, Kamran! The photos in this post are great. And are making me hungry…
August 4th, 2010
They do look fabulous; I am a die hard onion ring fan; seldom finding ones prepared anywhere that are good enough to bother and seldom preparing at home because of the guilt of frying. But the buttermilk maybe have swayed me to take the plunge, again.
August 4th, 2010
Beautifully done. I feel like I say this a lot, but seriously: every time I look at your site, I’m more impressed. These pictures are perfection.
August 4th, 2010
I wonder if these could be modified to go into the oven? That “oiled” smell makes me queasy.
The onion rings I make are dipped in batter and rolled in panko, then baked. They come out incredibly crunchy! But the batter isn’t the best.
Great post!
August 4th, 2010
They sounds (and look) incredible! I rarely fry, but I might have to make an exception!
August 5th, 2010
It’s almost 2 a.m. and I can’t sleep…figure I’ll open up the laptop and check in with a few of my favorite food blogs. And what do I find? A recipe I’m absolutely dying for…if I could ship you on over to make these for me right now I would. But there are all kinds of strategic issues with that :) So perhaps I’ll get over my fear of frying and give these a go. Great photos and recipe, Kam!
August 6th, 2010
mmm, i love onion rings. ones with a great crunch on the outside and soft, smokey onions on the inside. and having a tangy dipping sauce is the best. these look amazing to snack on.
August 8th, 2010
Hey Kamran, it was great hanging out with you at BlogHer this past weekend, especially at our super exclusive food blogger meet-up. :P
I wish I could get my family to both read AND eat good food. But alas…I think they are lost causes. That’s okay, though. More buttermilk onion rings for me!
August 9th, 2010
I adore onion rings and the spicy addition along with the deep fry and buttermilk is pure heaven. Yummy!!!
August 10th, 2010
My husband would love me forever if I made these. Onion rings are his Waterloo. They look amazing. It was great meeting you this weekend in New York!
August 10th, 2010
Good for you for only drinking ginger ale! I would have… not done that. But I suppose you were being watched. Beeeeeeautiful blog.
August 10th, 2010
These look delicious! Thanks for sharing!
August 10th, 2010
Instead of frying questions- I have not tried baking them, but I am sure that panko coating them and spraying them with canola oil and baking them at 450ºF for about 20-25 minutes will probably work.
August 10th, 2010
Just discovered you via thepioneer woman and you definitely deserved a shoutout. I’m still trying to figure out what is in the jar though. It looks very creamy and delicious.
August 10th, 2010
Hey, Kell- The creamy and delicious thing in the small bowl is some homemade garlic aioli. I am thinking that a grilled tomato aioli dipping sauce would work well with this, too! :)
August 10th, 2010
I found your blog through Pioneer Woman and so glad I did! Your recipes look amazing and I’m excited to try them!
August 11th, 2010
I keep hearing about this book and this recipe may have finally convinced me to buy it. I think even my husband will be convinced with this recipe too…REAL deep fried onion rings. Though we strive to live healthy lives, there are just some things that are not good baked, and onion rings fall in that category!
Gorgeous as always Kamran!!
August 13th, 2010
This is the first time checkin out ur blog and I am already trying out a recipe! The onions are submerged and sitting in the fridge now but I doubt I can wait 2 hours!I am hoping that isn’t that important a step cos Im going to break my fast (it’s ramadhan!)in about fifty minutes! Hope it turns out well!
August 25th, 2010
[...] Recipe from The Sophisticated Gourmet Buttermilk Onion [...]
September 2nd, 2010
I have just stumbled across your blog, via another tweeter, and this recipe caught my eye straight. This is largely due to the fact I love anything deep-fried and crunchy! Thanks, will definitely try this one out.
September 7th, 2010
[...] (Adapted from The Sophisticated Gourmet) [...]
September 29th, 2010
I love this recipe, it looks scrumptious! Love the blog, it’s so beautiful! Keep up the amazing work!
October 19th, 2010
[...] adapted from The Sophisticated Gourmet [...]