Description
Fried Green Tomatoes are a classic Southern delicacy featuring tart green tomatoes coated in a seasoned cornmeal and breadcrumb crust, then deep-fried to golden perfection for a crispy exterior and juicy interior. This easy-to-follow recipe uses a three-step dredging process with flour, a buttermilk and egg mixture, and a flavorful seasoned crust to create the perfect balance of crunch and tangy flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Frying Oil
- Vegetable oil (enough to come about 1 ½ inches in your skillet for frying)
Tomatoes
- 3 green tomatoes, sliced into ¼ inch thick slices
Dredging Station
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 6 dashes hot sauce
- 1 cup regular bread crumbs
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat the oil: In a heavy-duty skillet at least 3 inches deep, heat vegetable oil to 350°F, using a thermometer for accuracy.
- Prepare draining plate: Line a clean plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil after frying and set aside.
- Slice and dry tomatoes: Slice tomatoes into ¼ inch thick slices, lay on a paper towel-lined plate, cover with another paper towel, and blot to remove excess moisture.
- Set up dredging stations: Arrange three shallow dishes: one with flour; the second with a whisked mixture of buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce; and the third with combined bread crumbs, cornmeal, seasoning salt, white pepper, and garlic powder.
- Dredge in flour: Coat each tomato slice evenly with flour, shaking off excess back into the dish.
- Dip in buttermilk mixture: Dip the floured tomato slice into the buttermilk-egg-hot sauce mixture, allowing excess to drip off.
- Coat with bread crumb mixture: Thoroughly coat the slice in the breadcrumb and cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Repeat coating: Place coated tomato slices on a clean plate and repeat until all slices are prepared.
- Fry the tomatoes: Carefully add 3 to 4 tomato slices to the hot oil, frying for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, monitoring temperature to maintain 350°F and avoiding overcrowding.
- Drain and season: Remove fried tomatoes with a slotted spoon, place on the paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt while still hot.
- Serve: Continue frying remaining slices and serve warm for the crispiest, best flavor.
Notes
- Maintain oil temperature at 350°F to ensure crispy texture and prevent greasiness.
- Blotting tomatoes dry helps the coating adhere better and reduces oil splatter.
- Use a deep skillet for safer frying and better oil temperature control.
- Seasoning salt can be adjusted to taste or substituted with your favorite seasoning blend.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce such as spicy ranch or remoulade for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Keywords: Fried Green Tomatoes, Southern recipe, appetizer, crispy fried tomatoes, cornmeal crust, buttermilk batter
