The Best Beer - Battered Onion Rings

How often have you ordered beer-battered onion rings just to be disappointed? Finding good onion rings is as rare (and just as welcome!) as finding a parking space in downtown Boston. Now, you can make onion rings that will bring "oohs" and "ahhs" right in the comfort of your own home. Prep time does not include time to marinate.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2  large sweet onions, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (such as Vidalia)
• 3  cups beer (two 12-ounce bottles, preferably an ale or lager like Bass or Sam Adams)
• 2  teaspoons malt vinegar (cider vinegar can be substituted)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2  quarts  peanut oil or 2  quarts  vegetable oil
• 3⁄4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place the onion rounds, 2 cups of beer, the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large zip-lock plastic bag; refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 hours (do NOT soak the onions longer than 2 hours or they will turn mushy).
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. (Use an instant-read thermometer that registers high heat, or clip a candy/deep-fat thermometer onto the side of the pot.) While the oil is heating, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup beer until just combined (some lumps will remain). Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of beer as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter falls from the whisk in a steady stream and leaves a trail across the surface of the batter.
3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Remove the onions from the refrigerator and pour off the liquid. Pat the onion rounds dry with paper towels and separate them into rings. Transfer one-third of the rings to the batter. One at a time, carefully transfer the battered rings to the oil. Fry until the rings are golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through frying. Drain the rings on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, season with salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to the warm oven. Return the oil to 350 degrees and repeat twice more with the remaining rings and batter.
4. Serve and enjoy!