Deep Fried Pepperoni with Honey Mustard Sauce

Right off the bat, let me stress that YOU DON’T NEED A DEEP FRYER!

This is yet another delicious, easy to make treat, that seems to be on every pub menu in Nova Scotia but can’t be found anywhere in Calgary. It might seem like I’m on a mission to bring the great pub food of Halifax to Alberta. Not really. If I ever move back home, I’m sure I’ll be posting about things you can get in Alberta and not Nova Scotia. This is also a quick little appetizer that can be served to hold people over before dinner.

Every November, I throw a Grey Cup party and this is always the first thing that I send out on the table to my friends. It’s always the most popular dish and it’s gone within seconds. Many of my Alberta friends who have never tried it before and are skeptical about the idea, but then they try one and find themselves putting them back like popcorn after that.

I seem to make it a point to mention how easy it is to make something when I post it. This time I really mean it. Can you cut up pepperoni? Can you whisk together honey and mustard? You’re 95% done…

INGREDIENTS:

Pepperoni

Honey (about ¼ cup)

Mustard (about ¼ cup)

METHOD:

HONEY MUSTARD:

Simply whisk together equal parts honey and mustard in a bowl until well combined. Taste it. If you find it is too sweet add more mustard, if you find it is not sweet enough add more honey. Use your judgment to get it where you think it tastes good. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve with the pepperoni. If you don’t want to make this, you can buy it at most grocery stores.

PEPPERONI:

Use as much pepperoni as you want. It really doesn’t matter. If you buy it from the deli counter at the grocery store, you can buy smaller amounts and not have to buy an entire package. If you are feeding a crowd, buy a package of it and go to town. In Alberta, unfortunately you can’t get the bigger pepperoni that can’t be found on the east coast. Cut the pepperoni so it is about ¼ inch. I like to cut it on an angle it will be a little longer.

Again, you don't need a deep fryer. If you have one, feel free to use it. I have one, but I don’t take it out very often because I don’t use it on a regular basis and it can be a pain to clean.

Instead, heat about an inch of oil in the bottom of a tall pot or wok. Make sure the oil is hot and ready to go before you start frying. Test by dropping one piece of the pepperoni in. If it starts frying right away, add the rest, if it doesn’t and it kind of sinks to the bottom or floats around a bit, wait a little longer.

Fry the pepperoni for about 60 – 90 seconds. Stand over the pot and watch it. Use a metal slotted spoon to retrieve the pepperoni from the pot.

Don’t overcrowd the pot. If you are making a lot of it, fry them in batches.

Pat the pepperoni dry with paper towel to absorb excess grease and serve immediately with the honey mustard.