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5.0 from 6 votes

Easy Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

This easy fried green tomatoes recipe holds onto a perfect crispy crust and boasts a light flavor that is perfect paired with the tangy green tomato

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 186 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • bacon grease
  • vegetable oil
  • 3 Hard green tomatoes no red and a very firm feel sliced in ¼ inch slices – discard the ends.
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus extra for sprinkling on slices
  • ½ cup all purpose flour – divided
  • 1 large egg – beaten
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tbs white vinegar
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Garnish – fresh parmesan
  • Dip – ranch dressing dip

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Fill the bottom of a cast iron skillet (sauce pan, stock pot) with about ¼ inch of bacon grease and then mix in the vegetable oil to equal ¼ inch. Set stove top just below medium and allow the grease to become hot. If you use a thermometer – 350 degrees. If you splash a drop of water into the pan, you will know the grease is hot when it begins to sputter loudly as you drop the water in. While the oil heats complete steps 2-5.
  2. Rinse off and then slice your tomato in ¼ inch slices and set aside. Lay on a layer of paper towels, sprinkle with salt, pat dry and lay a layer of paper towels over the top.
  3. Place ¼ cup flour in a dish large enough for a tomato slice and set aside(I use a cereal bowl size bowl for each of these).
  4. Mix egg, milk and vinegar together in a separate bowl (large enough for a tomato slice) and set aside.
  5. Mix ¼ cup flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Set these bowls up in a row on your cabinet as follows: flour only, egg mix, flour/cornmeal mix
  6. When oil is ready, pat the slices dry again with a dry paper towel. First coat both sides of a slice of tomato in the plain flour, then dredge in the egg mix coating both sides well, then dip into the corn meal/flour mix – coating both sides well. Feel free to pat the final mixture into the nooks and crannies of the tomato slice. Then place into the hot oil. Do not move the slices around – allow to fry for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and apply salt/pepper to taste. You can cook more than once slice at a time – but do not crowd and do not allow the slices to touch while cooking. Turn very gently so as not to disturb the coating.
  7. Drain on a paper towel and allow to cool slightly before serving. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan. Dip in Ranch dressing dip or serve with one of the other suggested dips/dressings.

Notes

  • Substitutions
  • Bacon Grease and Vegetable Oil - Any oil you can use for frying will work. I suggest that Olive Oil and Butter are not your best bets.
  • Milk - Its fine to use a milk substitute or evaporated milk for this part of the recipe
  • Flour - you can use a rising flour or flour substitute instead.
  • Be sure to pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels before starting, you won't be able to get them completely dry but it helps the coating to adhere.
  • Be sure to pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels before starting, you won't be able to get them completely dry but it helps the coating to adhere.
  • There's no need to season the first flour, this is just to help the other coatings to stick.
  • There's no need to season the first flour, this is just to help the other coatings to stick.
  • Season the final coating VERY WELL because this is where all of the flavor comes from.
  • Season the final coating VERY WELL because this is where all of the flavor comes from.
  • You can try several different seasonings according to your taste. We particularly enjoy onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper, salt and sometimes hot sauce. You might also want to try seafood seasoning, cajun seasoning. You could even try everything bagel seasoning!
  • You can try several different seasonings according to your taste. We particularly enjoy onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper, salt and sometimes hot sauce. You might also want to try seafood seasoning, cajun seasoning. You could even try everything bagel seasoning!
  • Be sure to ONLY use hard green tomatoes NOT tomatoes that are about to turn red because they will be way too soft and disintegrate in the hot oil.Make sure that your oil is fully to temperature before trying to fry.
  • Be sure to ONLY use hard green tomatoes NOT tomatoes that are about to turn red because they will be way too soft and disintegrate in the hot oil.Make sure that your oil is fully to temperature before trying to fry.
  •  
  • Things will go so much better if you have a kitchen spider for removing the slices from the oil.
  • Things will go so much better if you have a kitchen spider for removing the slices from the oil.
  • You can fry them in a frying pan or a stockpot or even a sauce pan. Just use a heavier duty pan because it will distribute the heat more evenly.
  • If you do not have bacon grease, just use vegetable oil.
  • Bacon Grease and Vegetable Oil - Any oil you can use for frying will work. I suggest that Olive Oil and Butter are not your best bets. Milk - Its fine to use a milk substitute or evaporated milk for this part of the recipe Flour - you can use a rising flour or flour substitute instead.
  • Bacon Grease and Vegetable Oil - Any oil you can use for frying will work. I suggest that Olive Oil and Butter are not your best bets. Milk - Its fine to use a milk substitute or evaporated milk for this part of the recipe Flour - you can use a rising flour or flour substitute instead.

Nutrition Information

Calories 186kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 32g (11%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0.01g Cholesterol 45mg (15%) Sodium 614mg (26%) Potassium 367mg (10%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 880IU (18%) Vitamin C 13mg (14%) Calcium 59mg (6%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 186

% Daily Value*

Calories 186kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 32g 11%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 45mg 15%
Sodium 614mg 26%
Potassium 367mg 8%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 880IU 18%
Vitamin C 13mg 14%
Calcium 59mg 6%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.