Cowboy Blooming Onion

A blooming onion is one of those appetizers that looks difficult until somebody shows you the right way to make it. The hardest part is cutting the petals without slicing all the way through the root. I have an easy coffee-cup trick that takes the guesswork out of it.

Start with a large sweet onion. A Texas Sweet, Vidalia, or another wide, evenly shaped sweet onion will give you better flavor than a sharp white onion.

Look for an onion that is wide and symmetrical near the root. That flat, even shape will help it sit properly while it fries.

Cut the stem end off the onion, but leave the root attached. Peel away the outer skin and any tough outer layer.

Set the onion inside a sturdy coffee cup with the root facing up. The rim of the cup acts as a stop for your knife, helping prevent you from cutting completely through the bottom of the onion.

Using a sharp knife, make evenly spaced cuts around the onion. Begin with several larger sections, then continue dividing those sections until you have plenty of narrow petals.

Remove the onion from the cup and gently separate the layers with your fingers. Do not pull too hard because the inner petals can break away from the root.

For the smoker: Preheat the smoker to about 200 to 225 degrees F and arrange it for indirect heat. You do not want the onion sitting directly over a hot fire.

Set the onion on the smoker grate with the root side down and the cut petals facing up. Let it sit over the gentle heat for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Check it every few minutes. When the petals begin to relax, remove the onion from the smoker and let it cool enough to handle. Gently separate the petals a little more with your fingers.

Do not leave the onion in the smoker until it becomes soft or deeply browned. If it cooks too much, the petals will be harder to bread and may break away from the root.

For inside the house: If you do not have a smoker, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F.

Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and place the onion on the rack with the root side down and the petals facing up. The rack allows the warm air to move around the onion instead of trapping moisture underneath it.

Warm the onion for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking it frequently. Remove it as soon as the petals begin to loosen and spread. Let it cool slightly, then carefully open the layers with your fingers.

The indoor method will not add smoke flavor, but it will relax the petals and make the onion easier to bread.

It is best to make the dipping sauce before you start breading. That gives the ingredients time to get acquainted in the ice box.

Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, ancho chile powder, garlic powder, and a spoonful of our Sweet & Spicy Mustard. Dijon mustard will work as a substitute, but the Hatch chile in our mustard gives the sauce a little more cowboy flavor.

Cover the sauce and refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes.

Whisk the milk and eggs together in one bowl. In a second bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, chili powder, cumin, and Mesquite Smoke Seasoning.

Tip: Cornstarch is important because it helps remove surface moisture and gives the crust a lighter, crispier texture.

Set the onion in the seasoned flour. Sprinkle a little additional cornstarch over the petals, then work the flour down between every layer. If the flour does not reach the inside petals, neither will the flavor or crunch.

Move the floured onion into the milk and egg mixture. Open the petals carefully and make sure the wet mixture reaches all the way inside.

Let the excess drip away before returning the onion to the seasoned flour. Spoon the flour over the top and gently work it between the petals one more time.

That second coating is what builds the thick, crunchy crust we are after.

Heat peanut oil to about 350 to 360 degrees F in a deep Dutch oven or heavy pot. Use enough oil to submerge the onion without filling the pot dangerously high.

Shake away any loose flour and carefully lower the onion into the hot oil with the root facing up. Fry for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the petals are deeply golden and crispy.

If the onion tries to float above the oil, use a spider or long-handled utensil to hold it gently beneath the surface. Do not mash the petals together.

Remove the blooming onion and let it drain on a wire rack. Give it a few minutes to cool, then set the chilled dipping sauce in the middle and start pulling off those crispy petals.

This makes a great appetizer for any party, picnic, or event where you can take it right from the fryer and put it out for folks to eat. You will always be the legend who made the blooming onion at home, cowboy style, of course.

As always, thank you for watching our videos and visiting our website. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and like and share the videos you enjoy. We release a new video every Wednesday at 2:30! Until next time, when we see y’all out on the cowboy cooking trail.