1 24 ounce jar of Rick’s Picks Hotties, or other spicy pickles marinated in sriracha sauce
12-14 ounces of pilsner beer, preferably highly carbonated variety like Miller High Life for a light batter
2 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted for batter, plus ½ to a ¾ cup of flour for dredging
2 teaspoons garlic powder, plus a dash more for the flour dredge
2 teaspoons chili powder, plus a dash more for the flour dredge
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ to 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
Oil for frying
Instructions
Mix together the flour, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Work in the cold beer a few ounces at a time with a whisk until it forms a paste and stir until all the flour lumps are broken down.
Then stir in the rest of the beer until the batter reaches the desired consistency. It should be thick, but not so thick and heavy it doesn’t drizzle off your whisk or spoon. It usually takes between 12-14 ounces of beer to reach this stage.
Cover with plastic wrap and let the batter rest in the fridge for at least 30 to 45 minutes and up to a few hours.
While the batter is resting, drain and pat dry your pickle slices.
On a small plate, toss a little flour with a dash of both the garlic powder and the chili powder. This way the seasoning carries through all three layers; pickle, flour, beer batter. You never want to have a “blank†layer of taste.
Lightly flour each one of the pickle slices, the flour will help the batter stick to the pickles, and set on a lined baking sheet.
Put the pickles in the freezer for at least 20-30 minutes so they’re easier to handle when coating and frying. If you’re not frying them right away, cover with plastic and just set in the refrigerator.
Once ready to fry, heat about an inch of oil in a frying pan to 350º.
Dip the pickles in the batter and drop in the hot oil.
Working in small batches — remember the first rule of frying is to keep your oil as hot as possible, and a crowded pan means cold oil and soggy, grease-soaked food – fry for a couple of minutes on each side. The batter should puff up and turn a nice golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and serve with ranch dressing and additional sriracha sauce for dipping.
Notes
Prep time includes batter resting time.
Recipe by sarah sprague at https://sarahsprague.com/2011/02/01/28-days-of-super-bowl-recipes-sriracha-fried-pickles/