Description
Southern classic Fried Green Tomatoes bring crispy, tangy goodness to summer tables. Green tomatoes coated in seasoned cornmeal create a perfect golden crunch you’ll savor with Southern pride.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large green tomatoes (approximately 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
- 1.5 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup fine white cornmeal
- 1 large egg white
- 1.5 tsps kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 tsp onion powder
- 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
- Coarse salt
- 1.25 cups mayonnaise
- 2.5 tbsps spicy brown mustard
- 2 tsps prepared horseradish
- 2 tsps lemon juice
- 1 tbsp paprika (either sweet or smoked)
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- 1 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp pickle juice (either dill or sweet)
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 garlic clove (grated)
- Black pepper (ground)
Instructions
- Craft the remoulade sauce by blending all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly, taste, and fine-tune seasonings. Refrigerate until serving time.
- Using a serrated knife, slice green tomatoes into uniform 3/8-inch thick rounds. Sprinkle salt on both sides and let rest for half an hour to extract moisture. Gently blot each slice with paper towels to ensure dryness.
- Create three distinct coating stations. First station: combine flour with garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Second station: whisk buttermilk, egg white, and hot sauce until smooth. Third station: thoroughly blend breadcrumbs and cornmeal.
- Dredge each tomato slice through the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip into buttermilk mixture, ensuring complete coverage. Roll in breadcrumb-cornmeal blend, pressing gently to adhere. Position coated slices on a wire rack without touching.
- Allow breaded tomatoes to rest for 10-15 minutes, enabling the coating to set firmly.
- Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to 350°F. Look for a shimmering, pre-smoking stage of the oil.
- Carefully lower 3-4 breaded tomato slices into hot oil. Fry until achieving a rich golden-brown color, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Maintain consistent oil temperature.
- Transfer fried tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Keep warm if not serving immediately.
- Plate the crispy tomatoes alongside chilled remoulade sauce. Serve hot for maximum crunch and flavor.
Notes
- Prevent Soggy Breading by ensuring tomatoes are thoroughly dried after salting, which removes excess moisture and helps the coating stick better.
- Customize Breading Mix by experimenting with different spices like cayenne, dried herbs, or smoked salt to add unique flavor profiles to your tomato coating.
- Maintain Consistent Oil Temperature around 350°F to achieve crispy, golden-brown exteriors without burning or becoming greasy.
- Accommodate Gluten-Free Diets by substituting regular flour with rice flour or gluten-free all-purpose blend, and using gluten-free breadcrumbs for the coating.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg