The Secret To Crispier Fried Pickles Is Waiting In Your Liquor Cabinet

Ahhh, a salty, juicy pickle inside a crispy, crunchy exterior. Fried pickles are one of those comfort foods that seem almost too good to be true. They're a great appetizer or snack, they pair well with a variety of dipping sauces, and they're relatively easy to make. However, if you've struggled with getting your fried pickles adequately crispy, you're not alone. The good news is that help is waiting just inside your liquor cabinet.

That's right, vodka is the secret ingredient you need to make deep-frying at home a breeze. Whether you're using a wet batter with flour and cornstarch to cover your pickles in a deep-fried coating or a dry batter for a subtler and lighter layer of crunch, the clear spirit will give your fried pickles the perfect crispy texture. You'll never have to deal with soggy or overcooked fried pickles again once you try this simple hack.

Perhaps the vodka hack is not so surprising when you consider the popularity of beer batter. Vodka and beer are both great for frying because alcohol evaporates more quickly than water. This speedy evaporation allows the batter to dry out faster, creating the perfect crispy layer for your pickles without overcooking them. While beer batter adds a nice flavor to whatever you're frying in it, sometimes you just want alcohol's frying superpower without the taste of beer or liquor. Unlike beer, vodka has a neutral flavor, so you'll see the effects of using it for your fried pickles without tasting it.

Another benefit of using vodka to fry pickles is that gluten, which is created when flour and liquids like water are combined, won't form in alcohol. This is a plus because gluten makes for a thicker, chewier result rather than the light, airy, and crispy one you'll get when you curb the gluten formation with alcohol. 

Once you've seen vodka's deep-frying abilities, you'll probably want to try it with other recipes as well. Luckily, fried pickles are not the only food that benefits from using vodka during the frying process. In fact, if it's something you can fry, chances are that vodka will help make it crispier.

If you've ever made fried chicken at home, you know it can be challenging to get the crispy coating you know and love from your favorite fried chicken joints. Too often, you end up with chicken that's soggy, undercooked, or burnt. By adding vodka to your fried chicken batter, you'll get an ultra-crispy outside layer with perfectly cooked, moist chicken inside. If chicken isn't your thing and you want to stick to frying vegetables, vodka is great for fried cauliflower, fried okra, fried Brussels sprouts, and onion rings. Restaurant-quality crunch is within reach with the help of this simple hack.