Tobacco Onions
Thinly sliced sweet onions soaked, seasoned, and fried until shatteringly crispy. The one-hour soak is the step that makes all the difference.
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 320kcal
Ingredients
For the Onions
- 1 pound sweet yellow onions, thinly sliced (no more than ¼ inch thick)
- 2 cups buttermilk
For the Coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For Frying
- Canola oil, for frying, the amount will vary depending on the size of your pot
Instructions
- Place the sliced onion rings in a shallow dish, pour the buttermilk over them, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Remove from the refrigerator and drain off all the excess buttermilk.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Working in 2-3 batches, toss the onion slices in the seasoned flour until fully coated. Shake off any excess and set aside on a plate.
- Add canola oil to a large heavy-duty pot and heat to 350°F.
- Add a quarter of the coated onions to the hot oil and fry for 3-3½ minutes until dark golden and crispy.
- Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining onions.
Notes
- After the soak step: Pour the onions and buttermilk into a pasta strainer over the sink and shake well — it's the fastest way to get rid of excess liquid without losing any onion rings.
- After the flour coating step: Don't skip shaking off the excess flour. Too much coating on the onions will clump in the oil and give you a thick, doughy texture instead of a light crispy one.
- After the frying step: Don't move the onions around too much once they hit the oil — let them fry undisturbed for the first minute so the coating sets before you separate any that are sticking together.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 952mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 667IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 3mg
