Fried green tomatoes, also known as unripe or green tomatoes, are harvested before they have had time to fully mature and turn red. Their firmer texture makes them ideal for batter frying.
Your supplies for making this dish include a large skillet for frying, three shallow bowls for dredging (one each of flour, egg, and cornmeal), and paper towels or a wire rack to drain the dish afterwards.
Ingredients
Fried Green Tomatoes are a classic Southern side dish. Slices of unripe tomatoes are dipped into batter and deep fried until crisp, creating an irresistibly tasty snack that has long been enjoyed in families across generations. For the optimal combination of flavors, enjoy them alongside an aromatic sauce such as Remoulade.
Firm, brightly coloured green tomatoes will produce the best results when making this classic dish. Their tangier yet less juicy texture is ideal for batter-dipped frying while being harvested before they entirely will leave their skin lighter and flesh crispier than their red counterparts. You could also try this recipe using unripened heirloom varieties; however, they may provide a different crispiness level.
For best results, make this delicious recipe using all-purpose flour, self-rising yellow cornmeal, granulated garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. If yellow cornmeal can’t be found, white will also do just fine. Large eggs, buttermilk, and vegetable oil (canola or peanut oil will both work just as well if desired) are also needed.
Fry your tomato slices at an even temperature to get that signature crispy crust and even cooking time. A thermometer can also help ensure you maintain an ideal frying temperature.
Fried green tomatoes should be served fresh from the fryer or oven and remain crisp after being heated back up, so if reheating them, make sure that they are all in one layer using low heat settings.
Leftover fried green tomatoes, stored correctly in an airtight container, will be kept in the refrigerator for two days; it is best not to freeze them, as this causes leakage through their breading, turning them into soggy, waterlogged pieces of fruit.
Preparation
Green tomatoes can be found at both farmer’s markets and gardens at the end of summer, though their firmer, tartier texture makes them perfect for batter-fried treats such as this batter-fried treat with cornmeal, breadcrumbs and cayenne coating.
Step one in making Green Tomato Fritters involves washing and cutting green tomatoes into thin slices. Jasmine has learned that slices that are too thick won’t fry evenly, with about 1/4″ being the optimal thickness.
Start by gathering all the ingredients needed for dredging tomatoes: eggs and buttermilk in one bowl, flour in another, cornmeal and breadcrumbs in yet a third. If your skillet is large enough, cooking tomatoes in batches is possible. However, for optimal results, it would be beneficial to line a baking sheet with paper towels before placing a cooling rack on top – this way, all slices can drain well without turning soggy fries!
Fry successfully by heating the oil to 350 degrees F before adding each tomato slice—this will ensure they cook without becoming soggy or burnt. A thermometer can make this process simpler. Keep in mind that your oil may heat further when adding each new slice, thus necessitating working in batches to avoid overcrowding your pan.
Once you have your plate of dredged tomato slices ready to fry in oil over medium heat, fry each batch in turn until each side turns golden brown – this should only take a few minutes per batch. Cast iron skillets maintain more consistent temperatures for this task than other pan types.
Add your preferred dipping sauce and enjoy them while they’re still warm and crisp! This tasty snack is a beautiful appetizer, picnic snack, or accompaniment to other Southern meals, such as barbecue chicken and black-eyed peas.
Cooking
Fried green tomatoes are a classic Southern dish. They are made of unripened tomatoes that have been battered and deep-fried until crispy and tangy. Served alone as an appetizer or side dish, with homemade dipping sauce, or packed into sandwiches, these fried green tomatoes are sure to please.
Breading is critical to crafting delicious fried green tomatoes. A combination of flour and spices gives these tomatoes their crisp, chip-like texture. Egg whites or buttermilk may add flavour and crispiness; however, these ingredients aren’t essential; milk or all-purpose flour work just as well for this recipe.
The oil used to fry tomatoes is another crucial element. To achieve perfect results, it should be hot but not smoking, and using a candy or deep fryer thermometer is an effective way to ensure the oil reaches the appropriate temperature before adding coated tomato slices to the fryer basket. Skimping on this step could result in soggy crusts and scorched coatings, so investing in such a thermometer could save time in the form of soggy crusts and scorched coatings!
Finally, when cutting tomato slices, they must be thin and evenly sliced. This can be achieved using either a mandoline slicer or just a sharp knife and cutting board. Slices should be no larger than a quarter of an inch, as any thicker slices may not cook thoroughly in frying.
After cutting tomatoes into slices, lightly coat each in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Next, dip them in the buttermilk mixture, followed by the cornmeal or breadcrumb coating mixture.
Once your tomatoes are coated in batter, it’s time to fry! Heat about an inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet until shimmering, then fry in batches until each side turns golden brown and crispy—about 3-5 minutes each time.
Serving
Tomatoes are an indispensable staple in summertime cuisine, but green tomatoes add an exciting twist. Their crunchy exterior and tart centre pair well with almost any sauce, but nothing beats homemade Southern comeback sauce or Louisiana remoulade when it comes to deliciousness!
When selecting tomatoes for this dish, look for firm ones that do not yield when gently squeezed. Any that gives more will become too soft when fried and thus affect how the breading holds together.
To avoid an unappetizing watery crust, choose high-quality ingredients and cook tomato slices in small batches so they cook evenly. This also ensures that their breading will crisp up nicely.
Hyman’s Coveted Fried Green Tomato Breading Mix can be found in most local grocery stores. For optimal results, make three separate plates to dredge tomatoes in. One plate should contain cultured buttermilk and salt, two eggs, and three flour-cornmeal mixtures.
Be sure to properly oil your pan before frying green tomatoes in oil. For optimal results, the temperature between 360F and 375F degrees should ensure that breading cooks without burning, which can be monitored using a candy thermometer.
As the tomatoes fry, flip them frequently so they brown evenly on both sides. Although it takes patience, golden-brown, crispy fried green tomatoes will compensate for it!
Once the tomatoes have finished frying, drain them on paper towels. Drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil and enjoy as a side dish for dinner or brunch. You can also pair them with bacon slices for a delicious BLT sandwich!
If you have leftover fried green tomatoes, store them in the fridge for up to two days and reheat in either a skillet or an oven before using them as desired. You could also prepare and freeze a batch, layering waxed or parchment paper between layers in an airtight container before freezing for later use.
