Fried Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Today is going to be a very special day :) My brother and sister-in-law are having their baby girl today!! My Mountain Man and I got the call yesterday and immediately packed up our stuff and left Savannah for Atlanta. I can't wait to finally meet my niece. They haven't picked a name yet, but right now it's between Molly, Caroline, or Chandler. Anyway, it is still football saturday... even though we might not be able to watch the Alabama vs. Florida game. So, for today, I'm posting Fried Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. I love me some fried pickles (especially right out of the fryer). This recipe is obviously from Paula Deen because she's a southern-fried queen. They are crispy on the outside, but still juicy & acidic in the middle, and they are always best served with some ranch for dipping. So enjoy this recipe and I'll make sure to post some pretty pictures of the new baby! Have a great weekend :)

Fried Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

For the Fried Pickles:

1 24oz Jar of Dill Pickle Slices

1t Garlic Powder

½C Hot Sauce

½C Buttermilk

1Q Peanut Oil, For Frying 

1 ½C Self-Rising Flour

¼C Self-Rising White Cornmeal

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, For Dipping*

Directions:

1. To Make the Fried Pickles: Drain the juice from the pickle jar and refill the jar with garlic powder, hot sauce, and buttermilk. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. Heat your oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees. Once the pickles have marinated, drain them from the buttermilk mixture. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Toss the pickles in the dry mixture to coat thoroughly. Shake off the excess flour and deep-fry the pickles in batches for 3-5 minutes. When golden brown, remove the pickles from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with salt.
2. Serve hot & with some homemade buttermilk ranch dressing for dipping!

source: fried dill pickles a la paula deen.

*I used my favorite recipe for Buttermilk Ranch Dressing from my Fried JCT Salad*