Beer-Battered Onion Rings

Method

1. Peel the onions and slice them into half-inch-thick rounds, then gently separate the rounds into individual rings. Save the smallest inner rings for another use, since the larger rings fry most evenly.

2. Pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy pot so it is about 2 to 3 inches deep, leaving plenty of room at the top. Clip on a thermometer and heat the oil to 375 F over medium-high heat.

3. While the oil heats, put 1/2 cup of the flour in a shallow bowl for dredging. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup flour, baking powder, salt, paprika, and pepper.

4. Whisk the cold beer and egg into the dry ingredients until you have a smooth batter about the thickness of pancake batter. Cold beer and a light hand keep the batter airy and crisp.

5. Working in batches, toss a handful of rings in the plain flour to coat lightly, shaking off the excess. This dry layer helps the wet batter cling to the slippery onions.

6. Dip the floured rings into the beer batter, letting the extra drip off, then carefully lower them into the hot oil a few at a time. Do not crowd the pot, which drops the oil temperature and makes them greasy.

7. Fry the rings for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until they are deep golden brown and crisp all over. Keep an eye on the thermometer and adjust the heat to hold the oil near 375 F.

8. Lift the rings out with a spider or slotted spoon and drain them on a wire rack or paper towels. Sprinkle them with a little salt right away while they are hot so it sticks.

9. Let the oil come back up to 375 F between batches before adding the next round of rings. Serve the onion rings hot and crisp, ideally right out of the fryer.

Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.