Cooking with Beer – Amber Ale Battered Onion Rings

Festive foods take on new meaning when made with serious beer. And who doesn’t enjoy a steaming dish of freshly fried battered onion rings? Especially when they’re made with the right Amber Ale.

This fan favorite recipe uses a darker beer, which can encompass a whole spectrum of styles, including Amber Ales, Schwarzbier, Bock, Doppelbock, and Munich Dunkel lagers. Basically you’re looking for a beer with a modest bitterness, and the nuanced sweetness that comes with these more malt-forward, beer styles.

So we went with Bell’s Amber Ale, a 5.8% year-round  from the renowned Midwest brewery with sweet toasty caramel notes from its carefully selected malts. Capped off by the moderate bitterness we were looking for, it’s incredibly versatile beer for cooking , and very tasty on its own.

This Grand Rapids, Michigan brewed classic (which is widely available) really adds something special to the dish.

Let’s do this!

Amber Ale Battered Onion Rings:

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia or Walla Walla), sliced into ½-inch rings
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• ½ cup cornstarch (for extra crispiness)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup amber ale (cold)
• 1 large egg (optional, for extra binding)
• 1 quart vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the onions: Separate the onion slices into rings and pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Heat the oil: In a deep skillet or fryer, heat the oil to 350°F (175°C).
3. Make the batter: In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the amber ale (and egg if using) until smooth.
4. Coat the onion rings: Dredge the onion rings in the remaining ½ cup of flour, then dip them into the beer batter, letting excess drip off.
5. Fry until golden: Fry in small batches for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
6. Serve immediately: Sprinkle with extra salt and serve with dipping sauces like ranch, chipotle mayo, or beer cheese sauce

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