Onion Rings Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak onions before making onion rings? ›

Soaking onions in water for 15-20 minutes helps to neutralize the flavors of the onion and lessen the “bite”. It also brings out a sweet flavor and makes them a bit crunchier.

For the aspiring chefs out there, Ramsay revealed that he whipped up the batter for his onion rings with a mixture of flour, rice flour, salt, beer and, surprisingly, gin. “It [the gin] comes from Japan,” he said. “And it's an incredible way of making a beautiful batter that gives a touch of authenticity.

When it comes to batter, ensure it's not too thin or it will drip right off your onion ring. Also, make sure your batter is ice cold, as this makes for a lighter coating when it's fried. In contrast, ensure your oil is piping hot at around 360 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit before dropping in your battered rings.

Too much batter.

This is almost worse than having batter that's too thin. Instead of staying light and crisp, an onion ring with too much batter will retain too much internal moisture, and as soon as it comes out of the oil, the batter starts getting soggy.

Then you just have to wait long enough for the vinegar to do its job, rinsing away the harsh sulfurous compounds, softening the onion, and giving it a pleasantly tart pop of flavor. If you use red wine vinegar, my personal favorite, the onions also turn an amazing hot-pink color.

Avoid these catastrophes by ensuring the batter adheres to the surface of the onion so each bite results in the perfect combination of flavors and textures. To achieve this goal, the key is to dust your onions with a common household pantry item -- cornstarch -- before plunging them into the batter.

Use a canola oil or vegetable oil for the best-flavored onion rings. Olive oil doesn't get hot enough and you'll end up with a greasy onion ring and no-one wants that!

Onion Ring Students form an inner and outer circle facing a partner. The teacher asks a question and the students are given time to respond to their partner. Next, the inner circle rotates one person to the left. The teacher asks another question and the cycle repeats itself.

Whisk 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and salt together in a bowl until smooth. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Working in batches, dip onion rings in batter until evenly coated; arrange in a single layer on a plate.

Fried foods

French fries, onion rings, and the like contain difficult-to-digest fats and can lead to problems with diarrhea and bloating. Fried foods also can encourage harmful gut bacteria. Instead of frying foods, we suggest you look to other cooking techniques, such as roasting or boiling.

What is the purpose of soaking onions? ›

Onions - soaking in cold water to soften the flavor

When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor. However since soaking too long will dilute the flavor, soaking in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended. Squeeze out excess water before using.

Some people choose to soak their onions in a salt water mixture before pickling, but I don't find it necessary. In theory, this step draws out extra moisture to keep the texture of the onions nice and crisp even as they sit in the vinegar mixture.

There seems to be general agreement about preparation of fried onion rings, either for home consumption or in a restaurant: the onion rings should be soaked in cold milk and/or water before frying. It crisps them up. Rather like putting parsley in a plastic bag with the water left from rinsing it to perk it up.