Description
Southern charm meets crispy goodness with Fried Green Tomatoes, a classic Southern dish that brings tangy unripe tomatoes to life with a crunchy cornmeal coating. Grab some green tomatoes from your garden or farmers market, dredge them in seasoned flour and cornmeal, then fry until golden and irresistibly crisp.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 green tomatoes
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 egg
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup beaten milk
- 20 cl dark beer
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Cooking Ingredients:
- Rapeseed oil or vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Select four firm, medium-sized green tomatoes with a slight greenish color, ensuring they are not soft or overly ripe.
- Slice the tomatoes into uniform ½-inch thick rounds using a sharp knife, making sure each slice is even.
- Combine ½ cup beaten milk with 1 egg in a shallow bowl, whisking thoroughly to create a smooth dipping mixture.
- Mix ½ cup cornmeal, ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a separate shallow dish for coating.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet with 1-1.5 inches of rapeseed or vegetable oil to 350°F, adding 3 tablespoons bacon grease for extra flavor.
- Dust each tomato slice lightly with flour, then dip completely into the milk-egg mixture, ensuring full coverage.
- Carefully coat the moistened tomato slice in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to help the breading adhere.
- Gently place the breaded tomato slices into the hot oil, leaving space between each slice to prevent overcrowding.
- Fry the tomatoes for 3 minutes on the first side until golden brown, then carefully flip with tongs and cook an additional 3 minutes.
- Transfer the fried tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and absorb any remaining grease.
- Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper to taste immediately after removing from the oil.
- Serve hot with your preferred dipping sauce or alongside your favorite Southern-style side dishes.
Notes
- Choose tomatoes that are firm and not too soft, as they’ll hold up better during frying and create a crispier texture.
- Bacon grease adds incredible depth of flavor, but vegetable or canola oil work perfectly if you prefer a lighter option.
- Let the tomatoes sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before coating to help the breading stick more evenly.
- If watching calories, consider baking the coated tomato slices at 425°F for 20 minutes, turning halfway through for a healthier alternative to deep frying.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Fried
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg