Home » Appetizer » Best Fried Pickles Recipe
To me, the most important step when making a deep-fried pickles recipe is the breading process. The pickles have to be extra crispy on the outside. In this fried pickle recipe, I will show you exactly how to achieve that, and what is the best breading method and ingredients to use. So keep reading and follow these simple steps for the best-fried pickles recipe ever.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Pickle spears. You can also use rounds, but I think using spears is easier and faster than using rounds
- All-purpose flour. It helps the egg and bread crumbs still to the pickles
- Eggs will help bind the bread crumbs to the spears
- Panko bread crumbs are essential in this recipe. I think they produce the crispiest breading. They are way better than regular breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Garlic and onion salt to flavor the breading
- Ranch dressing for serving or your favorite sauce.
How To Make Fried Pickles?
- Cut the spears in half if you think they are too thick. Prepare your dredging station by placing the flour in one shallow dish, the beaten eggs in another, and the panko bread crumbs in a third one.
- Season the flour with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Dredge the pickle spears in the flour until completely coated, shaking any excess. Next, dip them into the beaten eggs until completely covered, and lastly, cover them evenly with the panko bread crumbs.
- Let them rest for about 5-10 mins, this will harden the breading a little bit and prevent it from falling while frying them.
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat and fry the pickles in batches until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Dips and Sauces for Fried Dill Pickles
My favorite sauces for this amazing fried pickles recipe are:
- Ranch dressing
- Fry sauce (ketchup and mayo)
- Buffalo sauce
- Mayo with chopped dill, onions, relish, ketchup, and vinegar
- Thousand Island dressing.
Tips For Crispy Pickles:
- Pat dry the pickle spears before breading them so the breading can stick to them.
- Shake any excess flour from the spears. We want a thin coat.
- Make sure the spears are fully covered with egg before dipping them into the bread crumbs. The egg is what will make the crumbs stick to the spears.
- Use Panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs. They are way crispier.
- Let the pickles rest for 5-10 mins before frying them so the breading can harden a little and not fall off into the skillet.
Make sure the oil is hot before placing the pickles into the skillet. If the oil is not hot enough, the pickles will come out soggy instead of crispy. To test it, throw a little piece of breading into the oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready.
Freeze Fried Pickles?
You can, but I recommend placing them on a baking sheet or plate in a single layer and into the freezer until they are hard. Then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Can You Reheat Fried Pickles?
You can reheat them in the toaster oven, or by pan-frying them in a little bit of oil. Remember to let the oil get hot before placing the pickles into the pan.
Best Fried Pickles Recipe
This fried pickles recipe makes the crispiest fried pickles you’ve ever tried!
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 78.7 kcal
Ingredients
- 12 large pickle spears, drained and patted dry
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- Vegetable oil
- Ranch dressing or fry sauce for dipping
Instructions
Slice any large spears in half to make them thinner. Prepare your dredging station by placing the flour, eggs and panko bread crumbs in three different shallow dishes. Season the flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Dredge the pickles first in the flour (shake any excess), then into the eggs (make sure they are fully covered in egg), and lastly into the panko bread crumbs. I like to use two forks to do this so I won't get my fingers dirty.
Let the breaded spears rest for 5-10 mins and pour about ½ inch of oil into a medium-sized skillet. Heat the oil over medium-heat until hot, and fry the spears in batches until golden brown. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a few bread crumbs into it and if they sizzle, it’s ready. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 78.7kcalCarbohydrates: 13.3gProtein: 2.8gFat: 1g
FAQs
A problem that plagues both fried and oven-fried pickles is the coating falling off either mid-cooking or mid-bite. The easiest way to prevent this is to make sure that your pickles are well-dried. Drain the pickles of their juices and then spread the pickles into a single layer and pat dry with paper towels.
What is fried pickle batter made of? ›
Combine pickle juice, egg, 1 Tbsp flour and hot sauce(to taste). Stir well and set aside. Combine remaining flour with red pepper, garlic powder, salt and paprika. Blend well.
What can I add to pickles to make them taste better? ›
Known for its rich, syrupy consistency and sweet-tart taste, balsamic vinegar can elevate your pickles to new gourmet heights. Balsamic vinegar is very strong, so use it rarely or mix it with another vinegar to dilute the taste and get a more balanced flavor. Rice vinegar is another option worth exploring.
How do you make fried pickles crispy again? ›
Using an air fryer. To reheat fried pickles in the air fryer, begin by preheating the gadget to approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it's heated, spread your pickles in a single layer in the fryer basket without overcrowding. Ensuring each pickle has enough room is crucial for even reheating.
What makes pickles so crispy? ›
The best way to keep your pickles crisp is by taking an extra moment to remove the blossom from the end of the cucumber. By adding this extra cut, you have a crisper pickle. Other ways to ensure a crisp pickle is by adding grape leaves to your jar. I tend to cut off both ends of the cucumber as I quickly process them.
What ingredient keeps pickles crisp? ›
The calcium chloride reinforces the cell walls in the pickles, keeping them sturdy throughout the canning process. This is also optional but is a sure shot way to guarantee perfectly crisp pickles when canning at home.
How unhealthy is fried pickles? ›
While pickles are a high-sodium food item, the deep-fried pickle is significantly higher. One deep-fried pickle spear contains 1,220 milligrams of sodium, versus 210 milligrams in a regular spear. One deep-fried pickle gives you more than half of the daily recommended intake, which is 2,300 milligrams a day.
What are the two main ingredients to pickle something? ›
The classic ratio is super easy to remember and is easily scale-able depending on how many pickles you're making. It's 100% vinegar, 50% water, 25% sugar and 12.5% kosher salt by weight. So for example, 200g vinegar, 100g water, 50g sugar and 25g kosher salt (again, you can scale this up or down!).
What is the additive for crisp pickles? ›
Two calcium chloride products sold are Ball's Pickle Crisp® and Mrs. Wages Xtra Crunch®. To use, add a small amount to each jar of pickles before sealing. Follow the manufacturer's directions on the jar.
What is the crisping agent for pickles? ›
In addition to crisping up pickles, calcium chloride can also give a bit of a salty taste, while not adding any sodium to your food.
The cornstarch is key: it absorbs excess moisture from the wet pickles which results in an even crispier fried coating. Another important step in frying is to make sure you fry at the correct temperature of 375 degrees. Any lower and your breading will absorb too much oil which will make it soggy and less crispy.
What seasonings are good on pickles? ›
I recommend using mustard seeds, black peppercorns, or red pepper flakes, and at least one of the sweet spices (allspice, cinnamon, or cloves), and then as many of the other spices as you like.
Who makes the best pickles? ›
The Best Store-Bought Dill Pickles, Ranked
- 7th Place: Mt. ...
- 6th Place: Dietz & Watson Kosher Pickle Spears.
- 5th Place: Yee Haw No Frills Dills.
- 4th Place: Suckerpunch Snappy Classic Dill Spears.
- 3rd Place: Vlasic Zesty Dill Spears.
- 2nd Place: Grillo's Pickles Classic Dill Spears.
- 1st Place: Claussen Kosher Dill Spears.
What To Serve With Fried Pickles. Fried pickles are nearly perfect on their own, but fried pickles and Ranch Dip are truly perfect. We think that our all-time favorite dipping sauce–Fry Sauce–would make another superb fried pickle dip.
How do you keep batter from falling off? ›
Seal the plate gently with a length or two of plastic cling wrap. Don't pull it too tight, but make sure that all of the edges are sealed. Place the plate into the refrigerator and let the food sit for at least 60 minutes. This helps the coating to harden a bit, which will keep it on the food.
How do you keep batter from sticking? ›
For example, workers should season each basket by dipping it in the hot fryer oil before adding food. This layer of oil helps prevent the batter from sticking to the metal.
Why does my batter come off when frying? ›
Most home cooks often struggle with getting the breading part right because they do not let their meat dry properly. If the meat is wet, it will make the flour soggy. In that case, breading will not stick properly and may fall off when deep frying.
How to get flour to stick to pickles? ›
Dip the pickles in seasoned flour and then dunk them in buttermilk. Once they are wet by the buttermilk dredge them heavily in seasoned flour again. I like to incorporate a little corn meal in the second flour mixture for texture.
