How to make Fried Dill Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

About the recipe

Salty and tart, fried dill pickles are truly a perfect appetizer. Drying the pickles before dredging in the flour mixture will ensure a crust that’s both light and crisp without any clumps. As you add the breaded pickles to the hot oil, be sure to separate any of the pickles that are stuck together. Homemade ranch dressing is a tasty accompaniment to the hot fried pickles.

We prefer Texas Pete hot sauce and Duke’s Mayonnaise in this recipe.

Serves: 4

Hands On Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup sour cream

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fried Pickles

Vegetable oil, for frying

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (16-ounce) jar dill pickle chips, drained and patted dry

Instructions

To make the buttermilk ranch: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the fried pickles: In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 inches of the oil to 350 degrees over medium-high heat. Alternatively, heat the oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer following the manufacturer’s directions. Line a large plate with paper towels.

While oil is heating, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, salt and cayenne in a large bowl. Toss the pickles in the flour mixture to completely coat. 

When the oil is hot, remove pickles from the flour, shaking off any excess, and fry in two batches until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the prepared plate. Serve hot with the buttermilk ranch.