This iconic Southern dish lives up to all the hype. Tomatoes are plentiful, cornmeal is used for breading, they are quick and easy to make. And they are soul satisfying. A green tomato tastes nothing like its ripe counterpart. They’re tangy and somewhat lemony. A little sugar mixed with the cornmeal balances the flavors nicely.
I always plant way more tomatoes than we need so I can be sure to have plenty that I can pick green. Fried green tomatoes are just as coveted as a tomato sandwich with mayonnaise on white bread. That’s serious business. We love these things. Seriously.
They’re sliced thin, breaded and fried. Cooking time should only be as long as it takes to brown the cornmeal on each side. Any longer, and the tomatoes will turn to mush instead of maintaining their nice toothsome quality. Tomatoes must be picked green before they get any blush of color.
Fried Green Tomatoes
yield: four side servings
Serve these with Comeback Sauce. Keep an eye on these while you’re frying. If you overcook, the breading burns and the tomatoes turn to mush.
2 green tomatoes, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Season-all seasoned salt
cooking oil
Place sliced tomatoes in a gallon disposable storage bag. Add buttermilk and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Mix cornmeal, sugar and seasoned salt in a large bowl.
Drain tomatoes and dredge in flour.
Heat 1 inch of cooking in a large skillet.
Working in batches, fry the breaded tomatoes about 3 to 5 minutes or until brown. Flip and repeat on the other side.
Drain on paper towel.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- yield: four side servings
- Serve these with Comeback Sauce. Keep an eye on these while you’re frying. If you overcook the breading burns and the tomatoes turn to mush.
- 2 green tomatoes sliced about 1/2 inch thick
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Season-all seasoned salt
- cooking oil
Instructions
- Place sliced tomatoes in a gallon disposable storage bag. Add buttermilk and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix cornmeal, sugar and seasoned salt in a large bowl.
- Drain tomatoes and dredge in flour.
- Heat 1 inch of cooking in a large skillet.
- Working in batches, fry the breaded tomatoes about 3 to 5 minutes or until brown. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- Drain on paper towel.
Mag says
This looks really good! I would suggest mixing the cornmeal with some finer masa harina, just to get a more even coating. I usually just dip the tomato slices in egg-wash before the seasoned flour but buttermilk is an interesting idea.
Jackie Garvin says
Mag,
Thank you for your suggestion of adding masa. The breading was actually pretty even until I started moving the slices around to find the perfect composition for the food pic! I use the buttermilk/breading technique for a lot for vegetables. I like the added the flavor the buttermilk adds.
grace says
a lot of people don’t soak their maters in buttermilk, but that’s a mistake. glorious fgt, jackie!
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, ever so kindly, Grace!