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Nashville Hot Fried Pickles

Step up your snack game with these homemade spicy pickles that pack a punch of flavor. They're made even better with a quick fry and coat of Nashville-style hot oil. Dip in a sweet and tangy comeback sauce for a craveable bite. They’re great as an appetizer or a side dish!

Tikeyah Whittle, Breana Jackson & Karlee Rotoly
Tasty Team
Total Time

8 hr 10 min

8 hr 10 min

Prep Time

10 minutes

10 min

Cook Time

7 hr 40 min

7 hr 40 min

Nashville Hot Fried Pickles
Total Time

8 hr 10 min

8 hr 10 min

Prep Time

10 minutes

10 min

Cook Time

7 hr 40 min

7 hr 40 min

Ingredients

for 4 servings

Pickles

  • 1 ½ lb persian cucumber (700 g), sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
  • ¼ medium sweet onion, sliced into thin strips
  • 3 pickling salts
  • 3 whole cinnamon sticks, broken in half
  • 3 habanero peppers, slit cut lengthwise down the center of each pepper
  • 1 bunch fresh dill
  • 9 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 cups water (480 mL)
  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar (80 mL)
  • ¾ cup white vinegar (80 mL)
  • 1 cup sugar (200 g)

Pickling Spice Mix

  • ½ tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorn
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed

Comeback Sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise (240 g)
  • ¼ cup chili sauce (60 g)
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick® Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon english mustard
  • ½ teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon McCormick® freshly ground black pepper

Nashville Spice Mix

  • 3 tablespoons McCormick® Paprika
  • 2 tablespoons McCormick® cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
  • 1 tablespoon McCormick® Onion Powder
  • 1 tablespoon McCormick® mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon McCormick® freshly ground black pepper

Fried Pickles

  • 7 cups neutral oil (1.5 L)
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk (360 mL)
  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (225 g)
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • kosher salt, to taste

Special Equipment

  • 3 mason jars
  • deep fry thermometer

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers and onion with the pickling salt, making sure every piece is well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  2. After 2 hours, thoroughly rinse the cucumbers and onion to remove any excess salt. Transfer to a clean large bowl.
  3. Make the pickling spice mix: In a small bowl, mix together the yellow and brown mustard seeds, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and celery seeds.
  4. Make the pickles: Scoop 2 tablespoons of the pickling spice mix into each of 3 16-ounce mason jars. Add 2 cinnamon stick halves, 1 habanero, 2 sprigs of dill, and 3 cloves of garlic to each jar. Divide the cucumbers and onion between the jars, packing tightly.
  5. In a small pot, combine the water, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved, 5–7 minutes. Transfer the pickling liquid to a heatproof measuring cup.
  6. Carefully pour the pickling liquid into each jar, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top. Use the back of a spoon to press down on the cucumbers and onion until completely submerged.
  7. Tightly screw the lids onto the jars and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator overnight, or up to 2 weeks.
  8. Make the comeback sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.
  9. Make the Nashville spice mix: In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and black pepper. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature until ready to use. The spice mixture will keep for up to 6 months.
  10. Fry the pickles: In a medium pan fitted with a deep fry thermometer, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 350°F (180°C). Set a wire rack over a baking sheet or paper towels.
  11. Drain the pickles, discarding the pickling liquid and removing any lingering pickling spices, onion, and garlic.
  12. In a shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the Nashville spice mix.
  13. In a separate shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs and ½ tablespoon of the Nashville spice mix.
  14. Dip the pickles in the buttermilk mixture, then transfer to the bread crumbs, using your hands to pat the crumbs into each slice until fully coated.
  15. Working in batches, fry the pickles in the hot oil for 3–4 minutes, until golden brown all over. Transfer to the wire rack and season with kosher salt. Reserve 1 cup of the frying oil.
  16. In a medium, heatproof bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of the Nashville spice mix, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and the reserved frying oil. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
  17. Brush the hot oil mixture over the fried pickles. Transfer to a platter and serve with the comeback sauce for dipping.
  18. Enjoy!
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Nashville Hot Fried Pickles