This Surprising Ingredient Is The Secret To Extra-Crispy Fried Pickles

A staple on many Southern restaurants' menus, fried pickles are one of those foods actually pretty easy to make, but still manages to be super impressive each time you prepare them at home. That's mainly because it’s easy to miss that perfect crisp factor. How sad to whip up soggy pickles, right?

Why You Need Hot Oil To Fry Pickles

If your oil isn’t hot enough, your pickles won’t fry in a way that achieves that perfect super crispy texture. While you’re prepping your pickles and batter, you need to get the oil hot, really hot. About 375 degrees Fahrenheit is great.

Fried Pickle Pointers

• Choose the right vessel: Try to use a vessel that is two times as large as the amount of oil inside of it, that way you’re less likely to crowd the pot; overcrowding brings down the temperature. 
• Shape matters: While some recipes call for spears, pickle chips tend to be easier for beginners as they dip and coat quickly and cleanly.
• Pre-dipping tips: Speaking of dipping, before you place the kosher dill pickles of your choice (whether store-bought or homemade) in your batter, dry them off, dip them in cornstarch, and shake off the excess. This will help the batter bind to your pickle, which in turn will lend itself to that crispy texture.

Why Liquids Matter To Batter

When it comes to fried pickle batter, you’ll find recipes that use a variety of different liquids, most often water, milk or buttermilk, and beer.

• Water is perfectly fine
• Regular milk adds a bit of creaminess
• Buttermilk's acidity is a great tenderizer—that’s why it works so well for fried chicken.
• Beer is great because the carbon dioxide and foaming agents in it bubble up in the hot oil and help to create a lighter texture, which ultimately leads to a crispier pickle. 

The Winning Combination

Half water and half vodka (roughly ¾ cup of each), is the best combination for the crispiest fried pickle.

Don’t worry, the alcohol cooks out so it’s still perfectly safe for those who don't need or want alcohol. Since alcohol evaporates faster than water, it doesn’t have to cook as long either, but the vodka will actually help crisp your fried pickles in a few different ways.

Vodka: Why It Works So Well

When you drop your battered pickle into the hot oil, the liquid vaporizes, causing the batter to dehydrate and begin to brown. The alcohol in the vodka makes this happen faster, but it also has the ability to stop the production of gluten that automatically begins when flour and water are combined.

That results in a lighter, thinner batter that in the end will give you the lightest and crispiest possible fried pickle—or really anything you choose to deep fry.

The Perfect Recipe Is Simple

Equal parts flour, cornstarch, and cornmeal and then a 1:1 ratio of water and vodka (roughly ¾ cup of each), plus whatever spices your heart desires. Garlic, onion, salt, cayenne pepper, and chili powder are all great options that add a little spice and pizazz to your pickles.

Make sure to keep an eye on your pickles, as they will cook up faster than you think. Three minutes per batch should be perfect for the crispiest fried pickles.