How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes
Back to beloved southern foods! This is the prime time of year for fried green tomatoes. All of our grocery stores sell green ones alongside the red for this very purpose (green tomatoes are like rocks so I can’t imagine them being used for anything else). Another weird cultural thing, but I imagine it stemmed from the whole “dang yankees trying to starve us” issue back in the days of old.
Did you know why turnip greens and field peas (black eyed peas) are so revered in the south? During the civil war, yankee troops confiscated anything that could possibly be used to feed their men as they traveled through the south. However, greens and field peas were considered only fit for animal fodder, so they were left. Being the food lovers that we are, those foods became something of delicacies for us and are absolutely required at every family table on New Years Day in order to bring luck and wealth in the new year.
Dumplings and biscuits came into play because even with money low, most families had flour. Flour was purchased in twenty five pound sacks, five times the normal sized bag we all get today. Therefore, it was usually about the only thing available to make a meal stretch. You can take a scrawny chicken, shred it and cook in broth with a big batch of dumplings and easily stretch the meal to feed even a large family. Biscuits are quick and easy to make and also very filling. Each of these meals would require little or no meat and leave the family full until the next mealtime.
Alright, enough of my cultural foods lesson, lets get on to tomatoes :).
What you’ll need: A little flour (self rising or plain, doesn’t matter), corn meal, season all, and green tomatoes.Also oil for frying and a little milk for dredging.
Slice your tomatoes kind of thick. (My mouth is starting to water..)
Then take a picture of them with your fancy new tomato slicing knife that your mama got you for Christymas. (I meant to put the Y in there – if you ask I will explain:).
I used about a cup and a half of corn meal. This isn’t one of those things that has to be precise but I’m estimating for those of you who really want measurements.
Add a little flour to it. This will act as sort of a “glue” to help hold it all together. I used a really large spoon although it looks normal sized in the pick. This was about four tablespoons of flour.
Add enough season all to color your mixture.I used about two tablespoons. I know it seems like a lot but ….well just do it. If you don’t have season all you can season your meal by adding salt and pepper.
Dip both sides of each slice into milk.
Then dip into your meal mixture. Press down and coat both sides well.
So it looks something like this 🙂
I used regular vegetable oil. You want it to come up about half way or so on the slices. Make sure you heat your oil well before you add the tomatoes. The key to having things that aren’t “greasy” is to heat the oil really well. That way, when you drop your food into it, the food is seared right off and then cooks from there. If your oil isn’t hot enough to do that, you basically end up soaking your breading in oil for a few minutes and it gets soggy and blah.
My oil is just colored by the cornmeal in it at this point. It was clear to begin with. Brown each side well. I cook these on medium to medium high heat. Try not to turn them but once or twice as the coating is somewhat delicate and you don’t want that to come off.
Drain your tomatoes on a paper towel lined plate. I even take another paper towel and blot the tops or turn them over onto it. Then you’re ready to go! These are delicious! They have a twang to them that ripened tomatoes don’t have.
If you try them, let me know what you think!
Christy, you’re lucky grocery stores sell green tomatoes there — not here in Arizona. Guess I should try to find someone who grows tomatoes and ask them to save me some.
if you live where there is a El Super market. just ask them for green tomotes they have them in the back..I live in Tucson and go to the El Super at 3372 S. 6th Ave. the store Director (Mgr’s) name is Neftali Reyes Jr. goes by Jr. really nice man. he will help you.
pam, go to the nursery early in the season and buy a couple of small tomato plants, put them in “patio pots” so they have enough space to grow, and you will have your own, and then, later the ripe ones. Tomatoes grow well on porches and patios.
Good luck trying to find green tomatoes there. We lived in Vegas for 19 years. How I longed for fried green tomatoes. I even tried to grow them year after year.Now I’m back south of the mason dixon line and I have green and red tomatoes and all I have to do is walk out my back door. Can’t get enough of those wonderful tomatoes.
Born and Bred here too! I use buttermilk to dredge anything now and frying in bacon grease, yum who doesn’t love bacon.The tomatoes with alittle pink on them are best if you like the tangyness,I do.
Christy, I wanted to ofer you a great serving suggestion! I owned Mexican Restauants for over 20 years. We had fried green tomatoes on out appetizer menu. We cooked them as you did and then Topped them with salsa & a dab of sour cream! Really, really good!!!!!!!!!!
Being from Tennessee, We just love fried green tomatoes! this is something that my family simply can’t do without! When the tomatoes get smaller I make green tomato relish out of the rest so we can still enjoy tomatoes all year long! I am itching to pull me some green tomatoes off my abundant vines and fry some!! YUM-YUM!!
What kind of sauce would you suggest serving with these, Christy? Comeback sauce sounds good but don’t have a recipe for it. Do you? 😉 thanks!
I call myself a southern woman by marriage since I am from the west side of the united states; I married a southern man, and we live in the south! Christy your cook book and your online recipes have helped me so much in learning to cook southern foods. I first saw you an episode of Paula Deen’s show on the Food Network, ordered your cookbook. My husband and step children thank you!
Thank you so much Tammy!! I am so glad to hear that you like the cookbook!!
I’m a Canadian & have been eating Fried Green Tomatoes since I was a child.
Never made them with Corn Meal, but I will try it for sure … Thanks for the Southern Cookin’ Lore. I love History! I do need to try Cheese grits – never had those. Do you post a recipe for those?