Towanda!
Fried Green Tomatoes run deeper in the south than books and movie titles. If you grew up in the Deep South, it is highly likely that you have eaten your fair share (or maybe more than your fair share) of fried green tomatoes. Some folks might call them a side dish, but for others a plate of fried green tomatoes and perhaps a little ranch dressing are more than enough. Not much beats a green tomato slathered in egg and milk, dragged through seasoned flour and tossed in a frying pan.
There are some southern foods, such as biscuits, that have gained such a heightened perfection in our minds that we shy away from them in the kitchen. Cooking fried green tomatoes is an art, but anyone can do it!
There are several ways to coat and fry green tomatoes. Some use bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, or cornmeal. Our favorite fried green tomato recipe calls for flour, making those green tomatoes just one step away from chicken fried steak!
First you need to find and select your green tomatoes. You may be growing your own tomatoes, but if not usually your local farmer’s market is a great place to find green tomatoes. When you are selecting your tomatoes be sure and get the most firm green tomatoes available.
Once you have harvested or purchased your tomatoes you will need:
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups Milk (or if you are feeling very Southern, use 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of buttermilk)
• 2 cups of all purpose flour (Some folks like to add a ½ cup corn meal)
• 2 tsps salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 qt vegetable oil
Slice tomatoes approximately ½ inch thick. Discard the ends.
Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl.
Mix flour and corn meal, salt, pepper and any other seasoning you desire in a separate bowl.
Once you have sliced your tomatoes and mixed everything, pour approximately ½ inch of vegetable oil in your frying pan and turn it on on so the grease can begin heating. We recommend setting your stove top to 350 degrees.
Dip tomato slices into milk and eggs then drop it into the flour and corn meal bowl. Cover it completely.
Now, we know it ain’t usually polite to double dip, but go ahead! This creates a hefty crust coating on the tomato.
By now your cooking oil should be sizzling and ready to transform those unripe tomatoes into the Deep South delicacy that so many enjoy. Place your breaded tomatoes into the frying pan. Be careful! Depending on how large your pan is, you should be able to fry 4 or 5 slices at a time. Do not crowd the tomatoes.
Allow tomatoes to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until browned, then flip them.
Once your tomatoes are golden brown remove them from the frying pan and place them on a paper towel to drain and cool.
Repeat this process until you have prepared all of your tomatoes.
While the final batches of tomatoes are frying is the perfect time to test your fried green tomatoes! There just isn’t anything quite like piping hot fried green tomatoes.
