Bring Bar Food Home: Super Easy Onion Rings

(Serves 4-6)
3 yellow onions
2 c buttermilk
1.5 c all purpose flour
1/4 cornmeal
1 quart vegetable oil
cooking thermometer that goes up to at least 350 degrees

Peel and slice the onions to desired thickness (about .5 -.74 inches). Envy the Shun knife on my cutting board below.

Mix together the buttermilk, 1.5 t salt, 1 t pepper. Add the onions and let soak for at least 15 minutes.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 t salt and .5 t pepper in another bowl.

Fire up the oil. You can use a large pot. Dump the oil in and bring the temperature to 350 degrees. The temperature will fluctuate as you add onions, so you'll need to keep an eye on the thermometer. Alternatively, you can use the "cool daddy" (the larger version is the "fry daddy"). We got ours as a shower gift and it has been awesome. We've been able to fry up wontons with various fillings and use Eric's grandmother's doughnut recipe.

Drench the onion in the buttermilk and then cover it in flour before adding them to the oil. Do only a handful at a time (depending on the size of your pot) so that the temperature doesn't drop and each onion has enough space to bubble.
It should take about two minutes to get them golden brown. Turn them once while cooking.

Let them drain on a paper towel-covered plate before moving them to a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Keep them warm in the oven while you cook up the rest.

Don't forget the ketchup. We had them with steak, beer, and watermelon. A great summer meal!

(Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home.)