Onion Rings
Onion rings are a popular American side dish item that is usually served alongside burgers or other fast food varieties, and they are usually accompanied by ketchup, mayonnaise, or some other dipping sauce. These crispy rings are commonly found in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Asia, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
This popular side dish is made by dipping onion rings in batter, then deep-frying them until golden and crispy. It is still unknown who made the first onion ring, but the earliest recipe for this caloric side dish is found in John Molland's 1802 cookbook titled The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined, where the recipe suggested that the rings should be fried with parmesan cheese.
Today, numerous restaurants claim that they invented the onion rings, one of them being Pig Stand from Oak Cliff, Texas. Regardless of the inventor, there is a large variety of onion rings today, such as beer batter onion rings, blooming onion rings (using whole onions), and kanda bhajiya, a fritter with gram flour batter.
Onion rings are so popular that there is even a National Onion Ring Day, celebrated every year on June 22.
Recipe variations
The Original Onion Rings
READY IN 25minPublished in the 1802 cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined, this is the oldest known recipe for onion rings.
Baked or Fried Onion Rings in Beer Batter
READY IN 25minThis recipe was adapted from onions-usa.org, the official website of The National Onion Association. It offers two techniques for preparing the onion rings — they can be baked in an oven, or deep-fried until crunchy.
Crunchy Onion Rings
READY IN 18minThe following recipe shows how to make extra crunchy onion rings using breadcrumbs as the final coating. The onion rings are first dipped in a mixture of flour, salt, and baking powder, then dipped into beaten eggs and milk, and finally coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
Southern-Style Onion Rings
READY IN 25minAdapted from cooking.nytimes.com, this recipe showcases the onion rings preparation method in the American South, with the ubiquitous cornmeal and some cayenne pepper as the main ingredients.
Onion Rings in Beer and Vodka Batter
READY IN 1h 45minThis recipe, adapted from seriouseats.com, suggests freezing the onion rings shortly — this way, the inner membrane is easily removed, and the onion becomes tender. A batter with beer and vodka ensures a crisper crust.
Spicy Onion Rings in Beer Batter
READY IN 1h 15minThe thing that sets apart this onion rings recipe from others is the fact that the batter is made with beer and that it's heavily seasoned and spiced. It is adapted from Epicurious.com.
Onion Rings Authentic recipe
Published in the 1802 cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined, this is the oldest known recipe for onion rings.
WHERE TO EAT The best Onion Rings in the world (according to food experts)
