Southern · Authentic-ish Southern
Deep-Fried Pickles
248 kcal a serving, against 537 for the traditional version. That is 289 kcal off, or 54%, with 9.9g of protein. Serves 4. 40 minutes.
What the traditional version is
For the original, slice chunky dill pickles, then dry thoroughly. Dip each slice in a batter made from 150g plain flour, 150g cornmeal, 250g buttermilk, and a dash of hot sauce. Fry at 180C until golden. Drain, hit with salt, serve with a side of ranch or something equally alarming to the arteries.
What changed, and what each change costs
Thick buttermilk and cornmeal batter to thin soda water and flour batter
A light batter made with fizzy water and plain flour clings to each pickle without building up a heavy crust. You still get a crisp outside, but the calorie bomb is defused by losing half the starch and all the buttermilk.
What it costs you. This saves a pile of calories up front, but the pickle's the star, not the batter. What you lose is that bready, almost cakey shell - it's now a thin, crackly coat. If you're after doughnuts, you're out of luck.
Oil used calculated as 12% absorption, but frying in smaller batches helps limit how much is actually taken up
Lowering batter density means each pickle drinks less oil. You can get away with less absorbed fat if the oil's kept hot and the pickles go in a few at a time.
What it costs you. Frying in small batches means a bit more faff. Let the oil dip and you'll get limp, greasy pickles. It's faff or sog, and that's not much of a choice.
Add a scoop of whey protein to the batter
Nobody eats deep-fried pickles for the protein, but a scoop of unflavoured whey protein in the batter jacks it up without making the crust weird or gummy. It's the first time the dipping sauce isn't doing all the heavy lifting.
What it costs you. If you overdo the protein powder, you get rubber. Stick to the weights, and the only thing you'll notice is a bit more browning.
Serve with fat-free Greek yoghurt mixed with a little pickle brine and herbs, not ranch
Ranch is wonderful, but it's mostly mayo and buttermilk. Swap it for a quick yoghurt dip (50g yoghurt, a splash of brine, pinch of dill) and you can dunk freely without wondering if your heart's about to stop.
What it costs you. It isn't ranch, it's a sharp, tangy sauce. If your soul cries out for Ranch, buy one bottle, use a teaspoon, then pretend the rest of the dip is just as good. I'm not judging.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 537 | 248 |
| Protein | 10.4g | 9.9g |
| Fat | 27.1g | 14.1g |
| Saturated fat | 4.5g | 1.9g |
| Carbohydrate | 62.7g | 20.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.9g | 4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Southern prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk, sulphites.
The method is in the book
You get a much lighter, snappier crust, and the pickles themselves get to shout instead of whispering under a duvet of batter. If you're attached to the original, you'll miss that thick, golden shell. But you can eat twice as many for half the cost, and upping the protein makes them slightly more of a snack and less of a guilty secret. The yoghurt dip is no Ranch, but it's honest work. If anyone complains, tell them the next batch is theirs to fry.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Southern, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.