Recipes Appetizers Antipasto Cheese Fried Cheese Curds with Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce Be the first to rate & review! White Cheddar cheese curds are battered and deep-fried until they're golden brown for an irresistible appetizer or snack perfect for game days. The batter includes white rice flour, which is the secret to extra-crispy frying. It's spiked with lager and gets a subtle zip from yellow mustard. Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce is a tasty complement to the crispy curds; the fresh chives, parsley, and dill in the sauce make it nice and herby. By Liz Mervosh Liz Mervosh Elizabeth Mervosh is a recipe tester and developer for Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. She creates and fine-tunes recipes for brands including Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, People, and EatingWell. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 2, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients Peanut oil ⅓ cup mayonnaise ⅓ cup sour cream ¼ cup whole buttermilk 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) ¼ teaspoon celery salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided ¾ teaspoon onion powder, divided ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, divided ¾ cup (about 3 1/4 ounces), plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided ¼ cup white rice flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 large egg, beaten 1 teaspoon yellow mustard ¾ cup lager beer (from 1 [12-ounce] bottle) 1 (1-pound) package white Cheddar cheese curds Directions Pour oil in a medium Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches; heat oil to 375°F over medium-high. While oil is heating, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, parsley, dill, lemon juice, celery salt, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon each of the kosher salt, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl until combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Place 2 tablespoons of the all-purpose flour in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk together rice flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, onion powder, and garlic powder and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour in a separate medium bowl. Whisk egg and mustard into rice flour mixture. Gradually whisk in beer until just combined. Line a baking sheet with paper towels; place a wire rack over baking sheet. Working in 6 batches, toss together cheese curds and reserved all-purpose flour in a medium bowl; shake off excess flour. Using tongs, dip each cheese curd into rice flour batter, turning to fully coat; let excess drip back into bowl. Fry cheese curds in hot oil, stirring often, until puffed and golden brown, about 2 minutes, maintaining oil temperature between batches. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to prepared baking sheet. Serve immediately with dipping sauce. Rate it Print