Anyone who has a garden likely has a recipe for fried green tomatoes. I believe that there are as many recipes as there are types of tomatoes. I don't make them the same way each time. Below I've listed how I often make them and I also give variations.
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| Freshly Fried Green Tomatoes |
I never remember Granny frying tomatoes, but she did make a terrific fried apple dish. Memaw and Mom both made them. I'd bet money that Grandma Dora made them, but I honestly do not know. Mom and Memaw made theirs much the same. Memaw always used bacon grease and Mom always used Crisco solid.
Tomatoes can be almost any stage of green. Personally, I prefer them when they have lightened a bit but still do not have color when sliced. Tomatoes that are too ripe are too juicy even though they are still green. Those that are very green are too dry to me. It's a preference.
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| Above left is too green. Bottom is too ripe. Remaining one is JUST right - for me anyway. |
Another preference is how thick do you want them sliced? I personally go between 1/4 and 1/2 inch slices depending on the size of the tomato. And yet another preference is how much coating do you want? I like the coating to be thin. Too much coating, and I feel like I don't actually taste the tomato.
Tomatoes can be coated in flour, cornmeal, bread crumbs, pork rinds, and I am certain tons of other things. (I have a friend who uses almond flour and pork rinds with good results.) My preference is a ratio of 1:1 white flour to white corn meal.
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| Tomatoes, Buttermilk, and Flour/Cornmeal 1:1 mixture |
Some people just dredge in dry ingredients and fry. Others will dip them in egg, milk, buttermilk, water, or any combination above. (Personally, I like buttermilk if I slice them a bit thicker and do not use anything if I slice them very thin.) I will say that buttermilk will crisp them up well when it is used.
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| Cast Iron Skillet. Heat first, then add oil. When the oil shimmers, it is ready to fry! |
You need an oil or grease with a very high smoking point. Bacon grease or lard is yummy, but most do not have it on-hand. I used avocado oil to make these. (I like avocado oil because it has little flavor and it can really stand the heat. Plus, healthy!)
Okay, select your tomatoes and rinse them. Then slice your tomatoes and spread them out. Salt and pepper them. (This is where other spices can be added, but I am a green tomato purist.) Then, if using a liquid, dip them in flour and then the liquid - or straight into the liquid. (I dip them straight in the liquid because the coating is generally thinner then.) Then you coat them with the dry ingredients. They do not need to "rest" as some coatings do.
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| Medium heat is perfect with Cast Iron. |
Heat the oil/grease in a very heavy, pre-heated skillet. (Cast iron is perfect!) Drop each coated tomato slice directly into the grease. A pig tail is perfect for flipping the tomato slices. Use a cooking fork if you do not have one so you do not rip off your coating with a spatula. Drain well on a paper towel. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. They sadly do not reheat well.
Some things that have been true for me: Using flour alone doesn't result in a very crispy coating. Olive oil burns too fast to make an effective grease. Too much cornmeal masks the flavor. Egg gets the coating very think - which is fine on really thick tomato slices, but I don't like it on thinner slices. Also, tossed in a hint of avocado oil and plunked on the grill - the tomato flavor can really shine.
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| Dipped in Buttermilk, coated in cornmeal and flour. |
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| Turn and move with a pig tail (above) or use a cooking fork. Spatulas will often knock off the coating. |
Salt and pepper as removed from the skillet and drain well. Serve them hot!
(Recipe summary: Wash and slice the tomatoes. Salt and pepper. Dip in milk/buttermilk, and then dip in flour/cornmeal mixture. Fry in hot oil. Drain well. Salt and pepper again. Serve.)
