BACON ONION RINGS WITH BACON RANCH DIPPING SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

Onion Rings:

(3-4 cups vegetable oil in a medium pot)

1 large Vidalia onion (try to pick one that is long, not wide)

1 cup whole milk

2 Tbsp bacon drippings

3 crispy cooked bacon strips, finely minced

1 heaping cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp paprika

Salt

Bacon Ranch Dipping Sauce:

⅓ cup buttermilk

¼ cup sour cream

2 Tbsp mayo

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbsp bacon drippings

2 crispy cooked bacon strips, finely minced

1 Tbsp minced fresh dill weed

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oil in a pot, over medium heat.

Peel and slice whole onion to create rings. Peel off the little, clear membrane that is in between the onion rings.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk milk, bacon drippings, flour, baking powder, paprika and salt together until smooth.

Crumble crispy bacon strips and then mince them as finely as possible with a knife. Add minced bacon bits into the batter and mix until evenly incorporated.

Dip a few onion rings into the batter, covering it completely, and gently add them to the heated oil, once at a time. Cook onion rings in batches until deep golden. You will want to cook over medium heat that way batter doesn't get dark too fast, leaving you with a raw onion inside. Cooking it on medium heat for a longer period of time will cook the onion inside.

For dipping sauce: whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, until all incorporated. Make sure to use the same method for mincing bacon as you did for onion rings.