Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried green tomatoes may have become famous with the movie of the same name, but this classic dish has been a southern staple for more than a century. These tart, crunchy treats grace our table quite often. Whether you serve them with dipping sauce or pile them on a burger, they improve just about any meal.
What exactly are green tomatoes, and why do people fry them?
Green tomatoes are just regular red tomatoes picked unripe off the vine. In the South in the 19th century, it was essential to preserve the tomato harvest without wasting any. In other words, resourcefulness and frugality gave birth to this iconic Southern dish.
Over time, each community added its own touch to their fried green tomato recipes, elevating the dish to new heights of flavor. For instance, some recipes use a cornmeal mixture with buttermilk, while others like mine use breadcrumbs and all-purpose flour. Some people make a kind of tomato fritter seasoned with garlic powder, spices, and herbs.
In coastal areas, a touch of seafood seasoning or Old Bay might find its way into the breading mixture. Other cooks might add creole seasoning. I like to keep my fried green tomatoes simple with just kosher salt, pepper, and real butter (no margarine!) That way, you can really taste the tomatoes.
The prep time and cook time for this recipe are minimal. In fact, the green tomatoes will cook in just minutes. I estimate 2-3 minutes per side.
Homegrown Green Tomatoes? Fry Them Up!
Homegrown green tomatoes make this southern delicacy even better. If you’re thinking about growing your own tomatoes, here is some advice to help you start growing them from seeds. You can even use the saved seeds from your favorite heirloom tomatoes.
Usually we pick tomatoes in the summer only, but this year the weather in Alabama was so mild that we decided to plant more tomatoes in the fall for a “winter” harvest. We were able to pick an abundance of green tomatoes along with one real beauty, a perfectly red delicious tomato.
If you grow your own tomatoes, the good thing about frying them up green is that the tomatoes don’t have to be perfect. The slices just need to be large enough to get enough surface area for frying. Thus this recipe is a great way to use up that end-of-season yield when the tomatoes aren’t likely to fully ripen.
The prep time and cook time for this recipe are minimal. In fact, the green tomatoes will cook in just minutes. I estimate 2-3 minutes per side.
Perfect As a Side – Or an Ingredient
This dish is fabulous as a side to any meal. However, I also love using fried green tomatoes as an ingredient in many dishes as well as a stand-alone appetizer.
You can dip these crunchy, tart beauties in many different kinds of sauce. Try a remoulade sauce, this awesome chipotle dipping sauce (which you can find in my latest cookbook), or Creamy Comeback Sauce.
Tonight I think that I will make a fabulous BST — Bacon, Shrimp, and Fried Green Tomato Sandwich — as opposed to a BLT! I will keep you posted on the results, but I have no doubt that it is going to be no less than outstanding. How can these ingredients put together go wrong?
Want “Healthier” Fried Green Tomatoes?
Are you watching the fat and calorie content in your diet? In that case, fried anything may be off the menu. But you can still enjoy this treat! Click here for my light Healthier Crunchier “Baked” Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe, which are baked in the oven instead of fried.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large firm green tomatoes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt more for sprinkling
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup olive oil or good-quality vegetable oil for frying
- 4 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes 1/4 inch thick.
- On a large plate, mix flour, salt, and pepper. On a second plate or in a shallow bowl, beat eggs and water together. Place bread crumbs on a third plate. Slice the green tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. (Sometimes I like to use super-thin 1/8 inch slices.) Dredge tomato slices in seasoned flour, then egg mixture, then bread crumbs.
- In a hot sauté pan or or large cast-iron skillet, mix butter and oil. When sizzling at medium heat, place coated slices in pan for about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until tomatoes are tender and golden brown. Cook in batches and add more oil if needed. Lift and drain oil from the tomato slices. Transfer to a platter, pat lightly with paper towels if needed, sprinkle with extra salt and serve warm.
- For a healthier version of this recipe, check out my Healthier Crunchier “Baked” Fried Green Tomato recipe.
Best fried tomatoes in the South!
Thank you so much!! I love this recipe very much. I try to keep green tomatoes on hand as much as possible. They go with everything from a vegetable plate to a burger!