Free-style Bloomin' Onion

Battered and deep fried. Is there anything more American? Crispy coating, warm soft inside, with some kind of killer dipping sauce. It just screams USA. You used to find bloomin' onions at a lot of places, but they really took a heavy beating in recent years. You can barely find them anywhere.


(The amounts aren't very exact. You may find you need more of the dry coating, or less)

Flour (1.5 cups)
Onion (1 large yellow(
Cumin (3/8 tsp)
Paprika (about a tsp)
Cayenne Pepper (1 tsp)
Garlic Powder (1/2 tsp)
Oregano (1/4 tsp)
Egg (1 large)
Thyme (1/4 tsp)
Whole Milk (1 cup)


How you cut up the onion is really up to you. It all depends how you like the pieces to be. I like mine to be similar to petals, so that's how I cut mine up. In half from blossom to root, then peeled, ends cut off, cut in (height-wise), then sliced for that nice petal shape.

Mix the flour, and all our dried herbs and spices together (don't forget some salt and pepper). In a separate bowl, beat an egg then add the milk. stir it all together. Now, we need to form our battering line. Onions on the left hand, then the liquid bowl, the dry bowl, and finally, the bowl to store them in. Make sure to keep your hands separated (otherwise they will get horribly pasted with flour). Left hand onions and liquid, right hand dry and storage. Dip the onions in the milk mixture. get them nicely coated, then hit them in the dry. Get it really coated, for that awesome crisp coating. Repeat the battering once more. Get all the onions battered, and stick 'em in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Now it's time to get frying! Heat your oil to about 340 (with the lower heat, the onion inside will get cooked better than if you oil was the normal 350). I use a deep fryer, but a pot filled with oil and a thermometer works just as well. Once our oils gets up to temperature, toss the onions in it. Be careful when you're putting them in, or they the oil with spatter (From everyone who has been burned by hot oil.. Definitely be careful!). Carefully slide them in, and watch the bubbles erupt in their magnificent splendor. Cook them about 5-7 minutes (you'll see the coating get golden brown), and serve them up with a killer dipping sauce. A nice thick buttermilk ranch, a spicy horseradish, or a creamy blue cheese. They all compliment it so well.