Crispy Fried Pickles with Southern Comeback Sauce
Batter and fry dill pickle slices until crisp and golden, then dunk them in a tangy Southern comeback sauce. The hot, crunchy coating against the cold, sour pickle is irresistible, and the creamy, spicy sauce ties it all together. It is the ultimate Southern bar snack, made at home.
Fried pickles are the great gift of the Southern bar kitchen: tangy dill pickles in a crisp, golden crust, served with a creamy, spiced comeback sauce for dipping. The contrast is the whole point — hot and crunchy meets cool and sour, all softened by a swipe of that addictive sauce. They are salty, tangy, crisp, and completely habit-forming, and they come together fast.
The Comeback Sauce
Comeback sauce is Mississippi's answer to remoulade — a creamy, tangy, gently spicy dip that is so good you'll come back for more. Whisk together a mayonnaise base with chili sauce, mustard, a little heat, and plenty of seasoning until it is smooth and punchy, then let it chill so the flavors meld. Making it first means it is cold and ready the moment the pickles come out of the oil, and it only gets better as it sits.
Battering & Frying the Pickles
Dryness is the secret to crisp fried pickles. Pat the pickle slices as dry as you can before they meet the batter, so the coating clings and crisps rather than sliding off in the oil. Dredge and batter them, then fry in hot oil until deeply golden and crunchy, working in small batches so the temperature stays high. Drain them on a rack and serve them straight away, while they are hot and crackling, with the cold comeback sauce alongside.
Crispy Fried Pickles with Southern Comeback Sauce
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl until smooth.
- Cover and place the sauce in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to bloom while you prepare the pickles.
- Cut the drained pickles into ÂĽ-inch thick diagonal slices.
- Place the slices onto a baking sheet lined with paper toweling and use additional paper towels to dry the pickle slices thoroughly.
- Place the dried pickles into the fridge to chill.
- Place the flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper into a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Stir the buttermilk into the seasoned flour until a thick batter forms.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a fryer or deep, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat, ensuring the oil comes only â…“ of the way up the side of the pan.
- Dip one chilled pickle slice into the batter, shake off the excess, and carefully lower it into the hot oil.
- Repeat with several pickle slices, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
- Use a slotted spoon to turn the pickle slices over once they are golden brown on one side.
- Fry for a total of 1 to 2 minutes per slice until deeply crisp and golden.
- Remove the fried slices to a clean baking sheet lined with paper toweling to drain.
- Continue frying in small batches until all of the pickle slices are cooked.
- Serve the warm fried pickles immediately with the chilled Comeback Sauce for dipping.
The Heart of the Table
There is easy, generous fun in a basket of hot fried pickles and a bowl of good sauce set down to share — the kind of snack that makes a gathering feel relaxed and happy. To fry up something crisp and tangy for friends is unpretentious Southern hospitality, a little indulgence meant to be passed around and dunked and enjoyed with a cold drink in hand.
The Art of the Host
A heavy pot, a thermometer, and paper towels for drying the pickles are the essentials. Pat the pickles bone-dry so the batter grips, keep the oil hot and steady, and fry in small batches so it doesn't cool. Drain on a wire rack and salt lightly, and make the comeback sauce ahead so it is cold and ready for dipping the second the pickles are done.
Neighborly Grace
- The Preparation: The comeback sauce is best made ahead and chilled, and you can slice and dry the pickles and mix the dry coating in advance, so only the quick fry happens at the last minute. Hold fried pickles crisp on a rack in a low oven if frying for a crowd, and serve with the cold sauce.
- The Pour: An ice-cold lager or a crisp hard cider is the classic bar-snack match. For a non-alcoholic option, a sweet tea or a tart lemonade balances the salty, tangy pickles.
- The Vibe: This is casual, share-a-basket bar food — pile the hot pickles up with the comeback sauce for dunking and serve them crisp and fast. It is a fun, tangy, crowd-pleasing snack made for a relaxed afternoon and a cold drink.