Battered pickle spears vs whole pickles, which side are you on?

So last Saturday I ran a fry-off in my backyard with 8 people and we did a blind taste test. I did one batch of spears with a cornmeal beer batter and another batch of whole pickles with a classic buttermilk dredge. The spears came out super crunchy and easy to eat in one bite, but the whole ones had that massive crunch factor and stayed warmer inside for like 15 minutes. Half the crew swore the spears let the pickle flavor shine, while the other half said whole pickles are the only way because the batter to pickle ratio feels more balanced. I tried both at 375F in peanut oil, same time, same pickle brand, and honestly I cant pick a winner. Which do you guys go with at home, and what batter do you think handles the moisture better?

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coler891mo ago

My brother swears by freezing whole pickles before frying, says it makes the center ice cold and it throws people off every time. Tried it once and the oil went nuts, splattered half the kitchen and nearly took out my dog. Still cant decide if that was the batter or just pickles being pickles.

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