For The Crispiest Fried Pickles, Don't Use A Batter

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Fried pickles are one of the absolute best appetizers in existence, and it's easy to see why: The tangy flavor of pickles pairs incredibly well with the salty, crunchy fried breading that surrounds them. Unfortunately, it can be made incredibly difficult to make them at home if you don't know how to coat the pickles properly. While using beer batter is one option, it's best to avoid using a wet batter, as this will give them a more fluffy, airy texture than what you're likely looking for. Using a breading technique similar to what you'd use for fried chicken typically produces much crispier results. 

To learn how to perfectly bread fried pickles, we spoke with Mariam Daud — author of "I Sleep In My Kitchen" and all-around comfort food expert — who walked us through her breading process. "Dry the pickles really well. Lightly dredge them in seasoned flour, then dip into egg, buttermilk, or a mix of both," Daud explained. When it comes to the seasoned flour, Daud typically includes cornstarch in the mix, but seasonings like paprika, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder are often added as well.

"Coat lastly in some panko," she suggested, and then "fry at about 350 to 365 degrees Fahrenheit until golden and crisp." While breading your fried pickles will be beneficial to their texture regardless of what you use to do so, panko is an especially great choice for the job. Panko, a type of Japanese breadcrumbs, is similar to Western breadcrumbs but makes the exterior of your fried foods more crispy than the alternatives.

Due to the fact that fried pickles are generally quite simple to make, it's important to get the most out of the few ingredients you're using. One way of doing this is picking the right shape for your pickles. While pickle chips work better if you intend on putting your fried pickles on your favorite sandwich for nice, crispy additions to the sub, Mariam Daud recommends using a different cut of pickles to get the most delicious outcome. "I personally prefer spears over chips because I just love the crunch, and I also just really love a good spear," she explained.

When it comes to actually cooking the pickles, doing so in very hot oil is an absolute must for getting the right texture and flavor, so use an oil like vegetable or canola rather than olive oil. These oils have higher smoke points, meaning they can get the job done without burning at the heat you'll want to be frying your pickles at (which is generally around 375 degrees Fahrenheit). Lastly, Daud gave a small piece of advice that, while some believe is a given, can often be forgotten: "Always serve fried pickles right away. They're best fresh!"