Onion Rings-The Crispiest Onion Rings Ever

By cooksalot

Ingredients

• 2 jumbo sweet onions (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
• 1 gallon vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 cups potato starch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup beer, plus more if necessary
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Step 1

Trim off the top and bottom of the onions, carefully peel, and slice the onions into ½-inch discs. (If you’re an obsessive-compulsive type, you can only use the bigger rings, then use the smaller ones for sautéing or something else). Separate the discs into rings and reserve.
Fill a 6-quart pot just under halfway with oil (yes, it’s a lot of oil. Frying does not do you any favors, especially deep-frying.) Heat the oil to 350°F. Use a candy or deep-fry thermometer, and if you don’t have one, drop a torn-off piece of white bread into the oil; it should sizzle and begin to brown and crisp immediately, but not too fast – if it sort of self-incinerates in the oil, your oil’s too hot (again that thermometer…)
In a large bowl whisk together the potato starch, flour, baking soda, paprika, smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne, beer and water.

Using tongs or your hands, dip the rings into the batter and add them to the pot a few at a time. Don’t crowd/overfill the pot! These babies need some swimming room so they a.) don't stick together and b.) don’t take that oil temperature down too far. Fry them, flipping halfway through when the underside, 2-3 minutes total. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and more smoked paprika, if desired.
*Can use cornstarch instead of potato flour.