The Strategy
If y'all want onion strings so thin and crispy they practically melt in your mouth, buttermilk is your best friend in the whole wide world. It gives the flour something delicious to cling to while softening the sharp bite of the onion. Toss them in the hot oil in small batches so they have room to dance around and get golden brown instead of crowding each other out.
Technique Summary
Bathing paper-thin onion slices in tangy buttermilk makes them tender as can be while giving the seasoned flour a perfect place to hold on. Frying them in little batches turns them into golden, crispy ribbons that disappear faster than morning dew.
Chef’s Checkpoints
- The oil bubbles furiously when the onions enter, producing a high-pitched, steady sizzle.
- The raw onion aroma gives way to a sweet, toasted-grain fragrance as the strings fry.
- A pale, golden-amber crust wraps around the onions, and they feel completely light and crisp to the touch of a slotted spoon.