Make Crispy Fried Pickles Without A Deep Fryer

Making fried pickles at home is easy and doesn't require a deep fryer. You can use a large pot or skillet to fry the pickles. The key to making fried pickles is to use thicker dill pickle chips, or to slice your own chips from whole dill pickles, as this will give you a better pickle-to-breading ratio. You can use a variety of oils for frying, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. The process is simple: coat the pickles in a batter of flour, egg, and seasonings, fry them in hot oil, and serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

Choose your oil

When making fried pickles, it's important to choose an oil with a high smoke point that can withstand higher temperatures. This is because the oil needs to reach a temperature of around 375°F (190°C) for the pickles to turn out crispy.

Some oils that are suitable for frying include:

• Vegetable oil
• Canola oil
• Peanut oil
• Shortening
• Lard

It is best to avoid using olive oil for frying pickles.

Prepare the pickles

Fried pickles are typically made with dill pickles, but you can also use other pickled vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, sweet peppers, or winter squash. You can either buy pre-sliced pickle chips or slice your own pickles. If you slice your own, cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices. Blot the pickle slices with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. This helps the batter adhere and keeps them crispy.

Next, prepare your breading mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and any seasonings of your choice. You can also add in other seasonings like paprika, cayenne pepper, or dried dill. Once you have whisked the dry ingredients together, add in water and hot sauce and whisk until you have a smooth, creamy batter.

Now you are ready to start frying your pickles! Working in batches, add dried pickles to the batter and gently toss to coat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pickles from the batter, letting any excess batter drip off.

Make the batter

Making the batter for fried pickles is a simple process. In a medium bowl, combine flour and your choice of seasonings. You can use Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, or go for paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. You can also add in baking powder for an extra crispy texture.

Next, add liquid to the flour mixture to create a batter. You can use buttermilk, milk, or water, along with an egg. Whisk everything together until you have a smooth, creamy batter. For a spicier kick, add in some hot sauce or horseradish.

Now your batter is ready for the pickles!

Fry the pickles

Frying the pickles is the most important part of the process, so it's important to get it right. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Firstly, you will need to heat your oil to the right temperature. This should be 375F (190C). Use a thermometer to check this, and make sure it is suspended in the oil and not touching the bottom of the pan.

While the oil is heating up, you can prepare your pickles for frying. If you are using whole pickles, slice them to around 1/4-inch thickness. Blot the pickle slices with paper towels to remove moisture. This will help the batter stick and keep them crispy.

Next, you will need to coat the pickles in the batter. For this recipe, you will need to coat the slices in the flour mixture, shake off the excess, then dip them in the buttermilk/egg mixture, and finally coat them with the flour mixture again.

Once the oil has reached the correct temperature, carefully transfer the battered pickles into the oil. Fry in batches of 3-4 pickle slices at a time, for 90 seconds on each side, or until they are golden brown. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate.

It is important to let the oil return to the correct temperature before frying the next batch. Fried pickles are best served warm, and are great with a dipping sauce.

Serve with a dip

There are many dips and sauces that go well with fried pickles. Here are some ideas:

Creamy dips

Anything creamy is a good choice to go with fried pickles. You can use store-bought dips, or make your own. Here are some options:

• Buttermilk ranch dressing
• Blue cheese dressing
• Aioli (you could try chipotle aioli for a twist)
• Comeback sauce (very similar to Zax Sauce)
• Homemade ranch dressing
• BBQ sauce
• Ketchup
• Mayonnaise
• A mixture of mayonnaise, horseradish, ketchup and Cajun seasoning

Other dips

If you're not a fan of creamy dips, you could try something with a little more kick, like Tabasco sauce.

Other ideas

You could also try serving your fried pickles with celery and carrot sticks for a healthier, low-fat alternative to potato chips.

Frequently asked questions