Fried pickles are unique morsels of Americana, courtesy of Bernell “Fatman” Austin of Atkins, Arkansas, otherwise known as the “Pickle Capital of the World.” In 1963 Austin, owner of Duchess Drive-In located across from Atkins Pickle Company, astutely figured out how to capitalize on southerners’ mania for fried food when he came up with his recipe for fried dill pickles. The salty fried snack spread across the south and by the 1980s it had become a common southern appetizer and bar food. It took two more decades until the late 2000s for fried pickles to become a national munchie. Since 1992, the city of Atkins has hosted its annual Picklefest during the third weekend of May. The festival honors the hometown fried specialty with pickle eating contests, pickle juice drinking contests, arts and crafts, a rodeo, parade, and lots of pickles.
Recipe Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 1½ cups dill pickle slices or spears, drained
- 4–6 cups oil, for deep-frying
Directions
- Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce in a small bowl.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in another small bowl.
- Dip each pickle into the buttermilk mixture and then dredge each one in the seasoned flour to coat.
- Heat oil in a deep-fryer or heavy saucepan to 375°F.
- Place some of the pickles into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Fry the pickles for 3–4 minutes, until crisp and golden.
- Transfer the fried pickles to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Continue frying the pickles in batches until all are prepared.
- Serve fried pickles hot with a dipping sauce on the side such as ranch dressing, if desired.
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