Fried Green Tomatoes

 

Make sure your oil has reached the desired temperature before you put in the battered green tomatoes. The right temp is what makes them crisp and beautifully golden. If the oil is not hot enough, you end up with soggy-crusted, limp green tomatoes. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown too quickly and your tomatoes won't be cooked all the way through. Keep your oil level shallow – you don't want to completely submerge the slices in the oil. For added flavor, add two to three tablespoons of bacon grease. When fried, remove the green tomato slices with a slotted spatula, drain on a double layer of paper towels, then transfer to a rack on a baking sheet. Some people like to salt the tomatoes once again at this point. Keep the fried green tomatoes warm in the oven while frying the rest. Do not cover the tomatoes or the crust will soften and become soggy. And do not stack the tomatoes on top of each other until they have cooled about 10 minutes, otherwise, the ones on the bottom will become soggy.

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 tablespoons + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices

Vegetable oil

Mix together egg and buttermilk; set aside. Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.


Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

Wondering what goes good with fried green tomatoes? Fried green tomatoes make an excellent addition to the classic summer dish, the Southern vegetable plate. They also make really nice appetizers, served with ranch dressing. And of course, you just can't beat the Fried Green Tomato BLT. Frying gets a really bad rap, but if you eat fried foods in moderation, you can enjoy a serving of fried green tomatoes without the guilt.

A Southern Living Recipe

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