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
Thoroughly drying the pickles is essential to the batter sticking properly, so don't skip that step. Simply remove the pickle slices from the jar, and drain them on a paper towel. Then, use another paper towel to pat each side of the pickles dry before dropping them into the buttermilk mixture.
What is the secret of pickles? ›
Here are 10 tips for crunchy pickles:
- Choose Freshly Harvested Cucumbers. As soon as cucumbers are picked, the softening process begins. ...
- Use the Right Cucumber Varieties. ...
- Cut off the Ends of Cucumbers. ...
- Soak Cucumbers in Ice Water. ...
- Use Calcium Chloride. ...
- Add a Source of Tannin. ...
- Use Enough Salt. ...
- Don't Add Bacteria.
How to make homemade pickles crunchy and crisp
- Always use the freshest cucumbers possible. ...
- Cut off and discard the blossom end of the cucumber to prevent a soft pickle.
- Choose smaller cucumbers over extra-large ones. ...
- Never peel cucumbers before making homemade pickles. ...
- Add tannins.
Reheat leftover deep-fried dill pickles in an air fryer or place them under the broiler until they get crispy again.
How do you get breading to stick to pickles? ›
Dry the pickles well.
This is probably the most important step. Pickles live in liquid and they need to be very dry before frying if you want the breading to stick well.
Why does my breading always fall off? ›
It may be too watery. Dry the chicken first with paper towels. It helps to then coat it with a thin layer of flour, then in well-beaten egg whites which will help the coating stick. Then coat with breading and press on it lightly to help it stick.
What makes pickles taste better? ›
You can make your pickles more appetizing and appealing by adding multiple fresh herbs and spices into the mixture. Dill is perhaps the most iconic herb for pickles, and for a good reason. With its feathery leaves and unmistakable aroma, dill adds a fresh, slightly bitter note to pickles that is simply irresistible.
What makes pickles taste so good? ›
The process of fermentation gives pickle its distinctive flavor that serves as the perfect balance of spicy, sour and bitter to have along with a meal. The diversity of flavors in a single bite is what makes the dish truly complete.
What makes pickles taste good? ›
The acetic acid in vinegar or the lactic acid produced by brine gives the pickle its salty, sour taste. Brine also can contain a variety of spices to add flavor to pickles. Common spices added to brine include garlic, horseradish, dill, and white mustard seeds.
Why are my fried pickles soggy? ›
Naturally juicy, pickles have a lot of moisture that can alter the dry ingredients in breading mixes and make the frying process result in a soggy mess.
Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature.
What chemical makes pickles crunchy? ›
Calcium chloride is mainly used in canning to make crunchy pickles. It can also be used in lacto-fermentation! Fermentation tends to soften vegetables, so using calcium chloride helps keep the vegetables crunchy.
Can you prep fried pickles ahead of time? ›
You can prep the dredge ingredients 1-2 days in advance. You can dredge the pickles up to 30 minutes before frying and place them in the fridge to help the dredge set. You can fry them and keep them warm in the oven for about 15 minutes, but not longer as they will lose their crispiness.
How do you make fried pickles less salty? ›
Assuming that these pickles are already done fermenting or have been processed, then you could soak them to decrease the salt (and the acid) - especially if you are going to eat them right away. If you going to eat them "later" (after more than 2 hours), then you will need to store them in the refrigerator.
Why does my batter come off when frying? ›
Not shaking off the excess flour
Excess flour will create a thick coating that prevents the egg mixture from latching onto the meat. Therefore, if you want your breading not to fall off from the meat when deep-frying, you must shake off the excess flour before proceeding.
How do you get batter to stick to fish for frying? ›
The base of the breading mixture will be a cup of all-purpose flour and a cup of yellow corn meal. This gives the fried fish the classic gritty breading texture. Corn starch is essential to fish breading. Add a heaping tablespoon of it because it will help the batter adhere to the fish.
How do you keep batter from sticking? ›
Non-stick helps to ensure that the batter doesn't get stuck to the pan itself. Cast Iron pans retain the heat and give a more golden-brown colour. Regardless of what you use, ensure your pan has plenty of time to heat up and lubricate it with either oil or butter to prevent the pancake mixture from sticking.
Why does the batter come off the fish? ›
Usually it's the thickness (or lack thereof) that causes it to fall off during cooking. When breading fish, you should always start by coating it with flour. Then beaten whole eggs, then breadcrumbs. Make sure you press the breadcrumbs into the fish and if you want it extra crispy, repeat the egg and breadcrumbs steps.
