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1
Pour the Arrogant Bastard Ale into a high-sided narrow container. Stir in the Cajun spice blend, salt, chipotle, smoked paprika, and garlic. Sift the flour and baking powder together, then add them to the beer mixture slowly, whisking well until they're evenly and thoroughly incorporated. You may need a bit more or less flour to reach the ideal consistency for a tempura-style batter. It should be just thick enough to coat whatever you're frying.
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2
Cut off the ends of each onion, cut in half crosswise (around the equator), and remove the papery skin and thin outer membrane. Soak in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes.
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3
Drain the onions, separate the concentric rings, and spread them on a kitchen towel to dry.
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4
Preheat the oven to 200u00b0F. Prepare a deep fryer, filling it with oil to the manufacturer's suggested fill level. Alternately, use a wide cast-iron or other heavy-duty pan that's at least 4 inches deep, pouring in oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches, and no more than halfway up the side of the pan. Heat the oil to 360u00b0F.
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5
Dunk the onion rings in the batter and fry in batches until crispy and deep reddish brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the temperature of the oil significantly and result in soggy onion rings. Transfer cooked onion rings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or directly on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet). Season with a sprinkling of salt and keep them in the oven until the entire batch has been fried.
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6
Serve hot, with a side of BBQ sauce for dipping. (No ketchup!)
