There’s nothing as good as a pile of crispy, spicy onion rings on a big platter! We are talking about an appetizer, a side dish for dinner, snack time, game time; anytime, even on the go, is a good time to eat onion rings. Let’s face it, what’s not to like about fried sweet onions dipped in a bath of buttermilk, beer, AND Craig’s BBQ Sauce — drooling yet? With all the love we get from our readers about this recipe, we can say these are fan faves. All bragging aside, it’s time to see why these crispy spice onion rings are that good.

Crispy Spicy Onion Rings; Texas Pepper Jelly Style

Besides these onion rings being delicious, they’re not that hard to make. Heck, cutting up the onion is the most challenging part! 

CHEFS TIP: To help prevent tearing up when cutting onions, try refrigerating peeled, halved onions or soaking them in ice water for 30 mins before cutting — dry completely first, before frying if you choose the soaking method.

Here’s how to make onion rings, Texas Pepper Jelly style.

EQUIPMENT:

• Dutch oven, heavy pot, or skillet
• Tongs
• Digital oil & candy thermometer 
• Cookie drying rack
• Paper towels
• Mixing bowl med-size
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons

ONION RING INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 large onions (we use Vidalia onions)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup beer
• 1/4 cup Craig’s BBQ Sauce
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (table salt is ok)
• Dash black pepper
• Dash garlic powder
• Dash oregano
• Vegetable oil, a few inches, in a heavy skillet or pot

DIRECTIONS: 

Line a cookie sheet with a double layer of paper towels.

• Peel and slice the onions and cut them into rings — the thickness is up to you. Separate all the rings. You can fry up the onion centers or discard them; your call.
• Mix all the ingredients (except the onions and oil) thoroughly in a shallow bowl. Your batter should have the consistency of pancake batter. So add more beer or flour if needed.  
• Using tongs, pick up each onion ring and dip it into the batter. Turn them over to make sure the rings are completely coated. Don’t try to cook all the rings at once; do just a few at a time. Crowding foods when frying can cause the oil temp to drop rapidly and result in uneven cooking.
• Fry the onion rings (turning them a few times) for about 5 minutes or until golden.
• Remove the golden brown onion rings with tongs and put them on the paper towel-covered drying rack. Sprinkle with a little more salt if desired, and serve immediately. Cooled onion rings also rock if you’re genuinely an onion ring fan.

ANOTHER CHEF TIP: If the batter isn’t sticking to your onion rings, sprinkle a little dry flour on them before dipping them into the batter. Some onions are more accepting than others.

Can you save fried onion rings for later?

Yep. Allow fried onion rings to cool completely on the drying racks. Lay cooled onion rings on a baking sheet, then freeze uncovered for 30 – 45 minutes. Once frozen, place onion rings in a zipper freezer bag and remove the air. Best eaten within three months. 

We like to enjoy our onion rings with Craig’s Habanero Ketchup. If you have spicy rings you might as well enhance them with a spicy condiment, too. And while you’re at it set out some TPJ Pepper Jelly – because, why not!