Fried Dill Pickles

Lay 2 cups of drained thick-cut dill pickle slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat the tops thoroughly with additional paper towels to remove all excess brine; let rest for 5 minutes to ensure surfaces are fully dry, as excess moisture will cause batter to slip off during frying.

In a shallow dish, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup fine-ground cornmeal, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon fine salt. Whisk for 30 seconds until all spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour-cornmeal mixture.

In a second shallow dish, whisk 1 large egg until fully beaten, then stir in ¾ cup buttermilk until completely smooth with no streaks of egg remaining, about 20 seconds of mixing.

Pour 4 cups of vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 175°C (350°F) on a candy thermometer, approximately 8-10 minutes. Maintain this steady temperature throughout frying to avoid soggy or burnt pickles.

Working in batches of 8-10 slices at a time, dip each dry pickle first into the wet buttermilk-egg mixture, letting excess liquid drip off for 2 seconds, then press firmly into the seasoned dry batter to coat all sides fully. Set coated pickles on a clean plate for 2 minutes to let the batter adhere before frying.

Carefully lower 8-10 battered pickles into the hot oil using a slotted spoon, taking care not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for 2-3 minutes total, flipping halfway through with the slotted spoon, until the coating is deep golden brown and crispy all over.

Use the slotted spoon to transfer fried pickles to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain for 1 minute; do not drain on paper towels as this will make the coating soggy. Serve immediately with ½ cup ranch dressing for dipping.