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Authentic Onion Rings Recipe United States of America, North America

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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though

Introduction & history

Preparing onion rings may seem simple, but there is a whole set of rules to follow to make them perfectly crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. First, large onions — preferably yellow ones — are peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch-thick slices. Flour is mixed with salt and other optional dry ingredients such as pepper, paprika, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and cornmeal. Eggs are used in most recipes, and the main liquid ingredient depends on the recipe and can include milk, buttermilk, beer, mineral water, vodka, or cream. Dry and liquid ingredients are then combined into a thick batter in which the onion rings are dipped. Alternatively, the onion rings can be dipped in flour first, then immersed in a mixture of eggs and the main liquid ingredient, and dipped in flour or breadcrumbs once again. The rings are fried shortly in deep, hot oil heated to a temperature ranging from 350 to 375˚F. Fried onion rings are drained from excess oil on paper ... Read more

Cooking tips

  • onions

    Yellow onions, preferably of Vidalia or Texas sweet onion variety, are most commonly used for the original American onion rings. Red and white onions can also be used, although the yellow varieties are most suitable for frying. To avoid tearing, peel the onions and chill them in a refrigerator or a freezer, or soak them in a bowl of ice-cold water for 30 minutes. The onions should be cut crosswise ... Read more
  • flour

    The batter for onion rings is most commonly based on simple all-purpose wheat flour. Cornmeal is sometimes added, especially in the south, and the flour is often combined with baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and seasonings such as salt, black or cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, or granulated sugar.
  • oil

    Peanut, canola, or other vegetable oils are the best options for frying onion rings since they can endure high temperatures. For an old-school version, fry the onion rings in lard.
  • liquid

    There is a number of liquids which can be used in the onion rings batter. Milk and beer are the most common, and some recipes suggest buttermilk, mineral water, cream, or vodka. Alcohol is included in the batter because it limits the gluten formation, hence resulting in a crisper crust. Eggs are usually included in the batter, but some recipes omit them completely.
  • technique

    There are two techniques for coating the onion rings. The first one is to mix the dry and wet ingredients into a batter, dip the rings, drain them slightly, and fry. The second one suggests that onion rings should be coated in flour first, then dipped into a mixture of wet ingredients, and then dipped again in dry ingredients such as flour or bread crumbs.
  • frying

    Onion rings are usually fried in deep oil — either in a frying pan, a Dutch oven, or in a deep fryer. If the oil is too cold, the batter will soak up too much oil, and if it’s too hot, the batter will burn leaving the onion inside uncooked. Ideally, the oil should be heated to a temperature between 350 and 375˚F, which can easily be determined with a food thermometer. The onion rings should be drained ... Read more
  • keeping warm

    Since onion rings should be fried in small batches, keep the ones you have already fried in an oven heated to 200-250˚F. This will keep them warm until all the frying is finished.
  • serving

    Onion rings are usually served as a side to various fast food dishes, or individually, as a snack paired with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard or sour cream dip.

Recipe variations

The Original Onion Rings

PREP 15min

COOK 10min

READY IN 25min

4.1

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Published in the 1802 cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined, this is the oldest known recipe for onion rings.

Ingredients

6 Servings

The Original Onion Rings

6 large mild onions

100g flour

1/4 cup cream

pepper

salt

3 eggs

1/4 lb parmesan cheese

lard, for frying

melted butter with mustard, for serving

Preparation

1

The Original Onion Rings

Step 1/7

Peel the onions, remove their top and bottom, and cut them into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Step 2/7

Prepare the batter by mixing flour, cream, salt, pepper, and eggs for 10 minutes.

Step 3/7

Grate the parmesan cheese finely and add it to the batter. Mix well.

Step 4/7

Heat lard for frying in a large pan.

Step 5/7

Dip the onions in the batter so they are fully covered. Take them out using a fork, and fry in lard until they are brown and crispy.

Step 6/7

Drain the onion rings on a paper towel.

Step 7/7

Serve hot, with some melted butter with mustard.

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