There's something about the simplicity of a fried tomato that is undeniably delicious and although you can fry both green and red tomatoes, it's the green variety that's most popular. Made with a just a handful of ingredients, these cornmeal-crusted goodies are easy to prepare and a make a wonderful side dish to serve with simple entrées like oven-fried chicken or pan-seared pork chops.
PrintFried Green Tomatoes
Golden, cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes make a delicious side dish to serve with simple main dishes like pork chops or oven-fried chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 6 large green tomatoes
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Core the tomatoes, cut them into 3/8-inch thick slices and set aside.
- Combine 1/2 cup of the flour with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper and spread it on a plate or sheet of wax paper.
- Whisk the egg and buttermilk together in a shallow dish (a pie plate works well) and set it next to the flour mixture.
- Combine the cornmeal with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and teaspoon of salt. Add a few grinds of black pepper and spread on a separate plate or sheet of wax paper.
- Heat about 1/4-inch of vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat (350° to 375°F).
- Working with 3 or 4 slices at a time, dredge both sides of the tomatoes in the seasoned flour. Knock off the excess, then dip each slice in the egg and buttermilk mixture.
- Coat the tomato slices in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to get a solid, even coating. Add them to the pan in a single layer and fry until the coating is crisp and golden and the tomatoes are tender, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes per side.
- Transfer cooked tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle lightly with salt and repeat the process with the remaining tomatoes.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
Once cooked, it's important to keep the tomatoes in a single layer. If you stack them, the residual heat will create steam and ruin the crispness of the coating. You can also keep cooked tomatoes hot by transferring them to a foil-lined baking sheet and placing them in a 200°F oven.
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