Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe - These super-crisp, juicy, and mildly spicy fried green tomatoes are so delectable, your guests and loved ones will be surprised to find out that they are completely gluten free also!
We grow a lot of tomatoes in our garden at Season Two Taste, so these are a natural homemade solution for those few end of the season unripe tomatoes. This simple southern delicacy is frankly the best part of the end of gardening season.
I've had great success selling these during my time as the chef at both Springs Orleans here in Colorado, as well as in Louisiana at Charley G's Seafood Grill.
As you see in the image above, they pair perfectly with our from scratch creole remoulade sauce, your favorite hot sauce, or any yummy dipping sauce!
This recipe is gluten free, not because of a desire to avoid the allergen, but simply because this breading is more crisp naturally! Wheat flour tends to get soggy from the juiciness of the tomatoes, whereas corn starch does not.
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What You're Going to Need!
- Green Tomatoes - See the section above for the scoop on the juicy and tart stars of this show!
- Buttermilk - This ingredient is one of my favorites for many uses. In this recipe, it provides the perfect "glue" to make the breading stick. The lactic acid in it fades when cooked, and the lactose, or milk sugar, comes to the forefront.
- Blackening Spice - We of course, always use our scratch recipe for this blend of spicy seasoning. It makes this fried green tomatoes recipe simple and easy to prepare.
- Salt - additional Sea salt is perfect for adding flavor to these crispy fried green tomato slices.
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See recipe card for quantities.
Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Mixing Bowl To coat the tomato slices in buttermilk.
- 1 Pie pan This is to use for breading. You want something a little deeper than a plate, and with a flat bottom.
- 1 Frying pan Cast iron skillet preferably. See the section of the post "Chef Tip"
- 1 tongs
- 1 Paper towels To drain excess oil after frying.
- 1 Measuring Cup You will need to measure one cup, as well as ¾ and ½.
- 1 set of measuring spoons
- 1 Kitchen Scale This recipe is for 1 pound of green tomatoes, but it's not totally necessary to weigh them precisely.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Green tomatoes
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1½ cup Vegetable oil or peanut oil Mild, flavorless oil with a high smoke point. The measurement is based on having enough to fill the fry pan to a one inch level.
- 2⅓ tbsp. Blackening spice You can make our recipe, or use your favorite. ⅓ of a tbsp. equals one tsp.
- ¾ cup White cornmeal Yellow will work too
- ½ cup Corn starch
- 1 tbsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper
- Sea salt as needed
Instructions
Breading
- Combine white cornmeal, corn starch, blackening spice, cayenne, and salt.
- Mix together thoroughly and put in pie plate.
- Slice green tomatoes to ½ inch thick slices.
- Place tomato slices into a mixing bowl and cover fully with buttermilk.
- Working one at a time, remove slices of tomato from the buttermilk and coat on all sides with the prepared corn meal breading.
Frying
- Fill frying pan with oil up to one inch depth.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat until hot enough to make a pinch of breading sizzle and "dance" in it.
- Carefully place breaded tomato slices into hot oil to begin frying on first side.
- Using tongs, flip tomato slices carefully once they are golden brown on the first side.
- Remove from the pan as the breading becomes crisp and golden brown. Place the fried green tomato slices onto a plate lined with paper towels, to drain excess oil. Season with the additional sea salt and enjoy!
Nutrition
Green Tomatoes Explained
Green tomatoes can be identified in several different forms. There are heirloom varieties of naturally green ripened tomatoes, tomatillos, (which are not even actually tomatoes), and then there are unripe red tomatoes. The unripe red tomatoes are what we are cooking here.
These fruits, (yes, they are technically berries!), when in this state of growth, have a unique tart flavor. They are typically pickled, which preserves this acidity, while using some sugar in the brine mellows it. Frying them up nice, crispy, and golden brown brings out a natural and novel sweetness.
Where and when can you buy green tomatoes? This is much easier than you might think. In the southern area of the USA, they are pretty much available year round, both in grocery stores and farmers market. If you live outside of this area, look for them to appear in some grocery stores, (but mainly farmers markets), in the late summer and early fall. The best solution is to grow them, and with a little effort, you can pick them fresh from your garden. If you really need a fix, and can't find them in your neck of the woods, they are available online, Farmstead Foods is one option.
Directions
- After combining the simple, five ingredient breading according to the recipe below, give the sliced tomatoes a bath in buttermilk.
2. Bread the slices fully in the corn meal dredge on both sides in shallow bowls or a pie plate.
3. Heat your oil. You'll know that it is hot enough when a pinch of the breading "dances", i.e.: sizzles and spreads immediately in the pan.
4. Place one slice gently and carefully into the hot oil.
5. Allow that first slice to sizzle and brown on one side. This will not only get it on it's way to crispy completion but will also allow the temp. of the oil to recover.
6. Once the oil is a good and steady temperature, you can start frying a little larger batch. As you add more, adjust the burner to keep them sizzling.
7. Remove the finished green tomato slices when they are thoroughly browned on both sides. Place them on some paper towels to drain any excess oil.
8. Season with the additional sea salt and serve them with some scratch made creole remoulade sauce for dipping.
Chef Tip
In order to pan fry and control the heat like we mentioned above, using the right pan is important. Look for a skillet large and deep enough to accommodate whatever size batch you choose to work with. Use a heavy bottomed pan that gets hot and stays hot, if you have an old school cast iron version, by all means, that is ideal.
Storage & Helpful Hints
I can't suggest storing the finished product in any way other than in you and your guests' mouths, really. These little slices are too juicy and crunchy to put away for later. The tomatoes can be sliced a day in advance and stored in an airtight container and refrigerated to save time. The breading can be made ahead of time and stored at room temperature, tightly sealed in an airtight container, for up to a month.
Pan frying on the stove requires constant and even heat to maintain the consistent oil temperature. Always keep in mind the physics you are working with here. Adjust the flame as necessary to keep everything at a high enough heat to audibly sizzle. If you can't see the tomatoes bubbling rapidly, they will absorb the oil and get greasy.
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Great question! Green tomatoes are much firmer than ripe tomatoes, that makes it easier to bread and fry them. As well the under ripe tomatoes are tart in flavor, breading and frying them creates an unbeatable flavor combination!
Jason Miller says
great with remoulade