Serve the fried pickles hot, piled high on the paper towel–lined platter just like at a small-town fish fry. They’re best enjoyed within a few minutes of frying, while the crust is at its crispiest.
If you like a little kick, use spicy dill pickle chips or add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the cornmeal and seasoned salt mixture. For extra crunch, swap half of the cornmeal for fine dry breadcrumbs or crushed saltine crackers (this does add another pantry item, but the basic four-ingredient method still works just fine without it). You can also cut whole dill pickles into 1/4-inch rounds if that’s what you have on hand, just be sure to dry them well. If you’re feeding a crowd, keep batches warm on a paper towel–lined baking sheet in a low oven (about 200°F) while you fry the rest. Leftovers lose their crispness, but you can re-crisp them in a hot dry skillet or toaster oven for a few minutes. For a lighter touch of salt, use plain cornmeal and sprinkle a bit of seasoned salt over the fried pickles right after they come out of the oil instead of mixing it in beforehand.
