In a Pickle: CO2 vs. N2O for Fry Batters – Fried Pickle Recipes
Crispy. Sweet. Sour and a little salty. And…warm?! Yes friends, a good fried pickle is certainly something to love. At Flip Burger Boutique found in Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL, fried pickles are one of the most popular items on the menu. The secret to their success? Chef Andrew Nix of Flip tells all in the Birmingham News blog post, utilizing an iSi Creative Whip to create his vodka-tempura batter. The result is a lighter and crisper fried pickle – no soggy or greasy gherkin found here! While Chef Nix prefers to create his batter with an iSi cream charger, other chefs go for the soda charger. Naturally, we had to test it both ways:
Fairly simple in execution, there are the basic rules to remember: Don’t overmix your tempura batter and keep in mind basic frying 101 rules (keep the heat consistent)!
The results? Yes, there are some differences in the batter, but the differences were subtle. The batch made with the soda charger produced an especially light and airy tempura batter that tasted almost grease-free. However the batch made with the cream charger seemed a bit heavier, producing a grainier, more bread-like texture.
Which do you prefer? Either way, these babies will put a smile on your face. After all, who doesn’t love a good fried pickle?
FLIP BURGER’S FRIED PICKLES RECIPE
Ingredients for tempura batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour
1 cup light beer
¾ cup vodka
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon honey
Combine all-purpose flour and rice flour together in mixing bowl and slowly add in liquid ingredients. Pour into a 1-pint iSi Creative Whip and screw on an iSi soda or iSi cream charger. Shake and let stand 10 minutes.
Ingredients for fried pickles:
1 cup bread and butter pickles, sliced thinly (about ¼ inch)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup tempura batter (see recipe above)
1 teaspoon dill, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
Place pickles into mixing bowl, straining first. Toss pickles into all-purpose flour, shake off excess flour and place in clean, mixing bowl. Spray tempura batter lightly on pickles and toss until thoroughly covered. Shake off excess tempura batter and drop into fryer set at 325F. Fry until golden brown and crisp.
To serve:
Once pickles are done, place pickles into clean mixing bowl (you can line it with a paper towel to help absorb excess grease) and season with salt and pepper. Add dill while pickles are still hot.
Post by Bao Ong
Photos courtesy of Tom Henning
Post and photo by Judiaann | PUBLISHED: February 28, 2011
