"You've probably heard of buttermilk soaked chicken, wherein the acidity in the buttermilk ensures juicy and tender baked or fried chicken. In the case of onions, says chef Bennett, "it often can help mellow some of the harsh onion bite but is tricky to make sure it doesn't marinate too long." Indeed, you don't want onions to lose their crispness. Recipes recommend a 30 minute to 2 hour soak."
"Apart from mellowing the sharp bite of the onion, buttermilk brings a subtle yet delightfully sour twang to the mix for even more depth of flavor. Buttermilk also acts as a binding agent for the dry dredging you will add them to when they're done soaking. Furthermore, you can develop even more depth of flavor with a buttermilk marinade by adding additional seasonings. Chef Bennett recommends salt, pepper, and cayenne."
"After you've soaked your onions in buttermilk, they're ready to be dipped in batter. And chef Bennett opts for beer batter because, he says, "beer batter really makes a nice onion ring and builds a little more flavor into a simple offering." Beer has a maltiness and bitterness that really brings depth to those sweet and aromatic onions, but it also brings bubbles"
Soaking onion rings in buttermilk for 30 minutes to 2 hours mellows harsh onion bite while adding a subtle sour tang. Buttermilk's acidity softens intensity without eliminating crispness when timing is controlled. The marinade also helps batter adhere, acting as a binding agent for initial and repeat dredging steps. Adding seasonings such as salt, pepper, and cayenne to the buttermilk builds more depth of flavor. After a first flour dredge, a second dip in buttermilk and flour produces shatteringly crispy results. Using a beer batter adds maltiness, bitterness, and bubbles that enhance flavor and texture.
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