Steakhouse Onion Rings

The hubby and I are both huge fans of steak, and we grill that more than anything else throughout the summer months. And some of the winter months, as well. (We don't have much for in-between seasons in North Dakota.)

We're always looking for yummy side dishes, and onion rings are one of my favorite steak accompaniments -- not necessarily the onion rings that I'd eat with a burger or a hot dog (like Dave's), but really crispy onion rings with a fried chicken-like coating. I like to eat the steak and onion in the same bite, so the salty, crunchy taste of the coating adds to the flavor of the steak.

This recipe is based on one from Cuisine at Home, and is super simple to make. Plus, the onion rings are so crispy that they can sit at room temp for a long time before they get soggy. I couldn't help but snack on the leftovers all evening long.

Steakhouse Onion Rings
Serves 4

1 large yellow onion (preferably Vidalia), sliced into rings
2 c. buttermilk
2 c. flour
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

1. Dip onions rings in buttermilk. In a separate bowl, combine flour and seasonings. Dredge onion rings in the flour mixture, a few at a time.

Cuisine at Home had this genius idea of using a wooden skewer to move the onion rings around between the wet and dry batters, and for dropping them into the hot oil. Worked like a charm!

2. Dip rings into buttermilk a second time.

3. And then back in the flour mixture, we go.

4. Set rings on a rack adn refrigerate them while the oil heats, about 15 minutes.

This sets the batter so it's less likely to pull away from the onion rings when they're dropped in the oil.

5. Heat 1" of oil to 365 degrees in a large pot over medium-high heat. Fry onion rings in batches until light brown, about 2-3 minutes per batch.

6. Drain on paper towels, and season with additional kosher salt while the onion ring are still hot.