Easy Crispy Onion Strings - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Why are my crispy onions not crispy? ›

For onion crisps, you need to deep fry in plenty of oil, as the comments suggest. You should take care that your onion slices of pieces are the same size. Deep fry until golden, then remove from oil and drain well. You should be able to crisp onions in a few minutes.

Don't skip the frying thermometer though—it's important to make sure you're frying at the right temperature so your onion rings come out crispy, crunchy, and delicious. If the oil isn't hot enough, your onion rings can turn out soggy; too hot, and the oil can start to smoke.

Crisp fried onions

Crispy deep fried onions are called "French fried onions" in Southern cooking of the United States. Smaller and irregularly shaped (from being deep-fried until they are crunchy) onions are an integral part of the American dish green bean casserole.

The first is to make sure that you aren't overcrowding the pan when frying the onion. A second reason would be that the oil is too low in temperature which results in soggy onions. Also, make sure to drain the fried rings on a paper towel to soak up any residual oil and then onto a plate.

It was as she explained to me, to cook off the bitterness. I think all it did was soften them quickly before the sugars started to caramelize. As far as I know, there is no way to “plump” onions. But indeed sautéing onions in water gets them soft and clear with less shrinkage compared to sautéing in a fat.

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.

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!

To soften them up, you can add a little hot water to them while they are cooking. Once they are soft, if you want to let them cook longer for a caramelized taste, you turn the heat up a little more until they are golden brown and remove them.

Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy. This is why rice flour is often used when making tempura because it produces a very thin and crispy, dry crust.

It's worth noting that, in most cases, McDonald's uses rehydrated onions on its burgers. The exception to the rule is that it will use freshly sliced onions for its Quarter Pounders. Dehydrated onions come to McDonald's locations in a package.

What is McDonald's onions? ›

To get the best balance and taste profile, we use a couple of types of onions. Quarter Pounders get a diced white onion, while red onion and caramelised onion feature in our Gourmet Creations burgers. For the Big Mac and cheeseburger we use dehydrated onion that is mixed with pure New Zealand water.

Sprinkle corn flour on the slices and toss them. Heat oil in a deep pan till medium hot but not smoking hot. Reduce the flame to medium. Add few onion slices at one time and deep fry until crisp.

If made ahead, let cool, wrap airtight, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, spread onions in a single layer on a shallow rimmed baking sheet. Heat in a 350ºF oven for 2 to 3 minutes.

Keep storage onions in a cool, dark, and dry place. Moisture and light lead to mold (ew) and sprouting (annoying, though not a deal-breaker), so stow your storage onions (red, yellow, and white as well as shallots and the diminutive pearl and cippoline) in a dry, well-ventilated basket, bin, or large bowl.