Fried Pickles

If you have ever been to AJAX with me in Oxford or to Mudtown with me in Birmingham, you know that I love fried pickles! Kent and I have now made them three times and think we've come up with a pretty good recipe. If you haven't tried fried pickles before, you are missing out! They are great with sandwiches (like a Monte Cristo) and hamburgers or hotdogs.

Fried Pickles
Ingredients:
1 large jar of hamburger dill pickles
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of beer
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garlic salt
3 dashes hot pepper sauce
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:
Combine flour, beer, cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper, salt, garlic salt, and hot pepper sauce in a medium mixing bowl. Drain the pickles and pat them dry with paper towels. Then place them in the batter. Turn them in the batter and let the pickles sit for about 5 minutes. While the pickles are absorbing some of the batter, begin heating vegetable oil on the stove (to about 350 degrees). When the oil is ready, use tongs to place some of the pickles in the batter. Let them cook for about four minutes - until they are golden. Do not let them get too brown - they will burn! It will take several batches to cook all of the pickles. When they are ready, serve them with the spicy dipping sauce.

Spicy Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4cup ketchup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon brown mustard
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
The juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Serve.