Fried Green Tomatoes

I’m sure these these great, but seems like a lot of trouble to me. Slice those tomatoes thin–1/4 inch or less. Sprinkle cornmeal mix on a platter and lay the slices on top of the cornmeal. Sprinkle each slice with a little salt and pepper. Turn over slices and repeat. Let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out the juices. Spoon more cornmeal mix over the top of the slices and spread gently with your hands to cover well. Let them sit for 10 minutes or so until the breeding coats them. Sprinkle a bit more on, then turn over and do the same on the other side. The longer they sit, the more the breading will build up. Fry in 1/4″ of olive oil over medium high heat until crisp and brown on one side, then turn and brown the other side. Serve plain or dip in Ranch Dressing.

I’m 77 yrs old and grew up eating fried green tomatoes. As did my mother. And all in NE Minnesota. It’s very logical when you think about it, as back in the day you’d be hard pressed to ever find a tomato ripening on the vine. Growing season was too short for the varieties available back then. Now we have to grab them early as they’ll be ripe before you know it. My mother just used seasoned flour/egg/flour. I will print your recipe & try it. Sounds yummy.

If you use buttermilk you do not need the egg. It comes out lighter and crisper.

Hi. I have a very basic question. Are the green tomatoes just unripe tomatoes? Or are they a special variety of tomatoes that are green? Thanks

I mix Martha White’s Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix with seasoned panko bread crumbs instead of plain cornmeal and bread crumbs. That gives the tomatoes extra crunch.

Too much seasoning takes away the tangy taste of the tomatoes, I use only CORNMEAL salt and pepper…

In our family, we just dredge the green tomatoes in seasoned flour (just salt & pepper) and fry in Bacon grease. They are truly a taste of my youth. My Mom is 86 and in assisted care and this makes me think of her. I wish she could be home. We always fixed this with Liver, Onions & Bacon with the fried green tomatoes and spinach seasoned with lemon & salt. I really miss my Mom.

I just love Green Fried Maters. I put them on my Blue Pig Burgers. I grind my own beef using a 85% to 15% mixture of beef and fat. I grind it a second time with a smaller die, then mix in ground up Hog Jowl Bacon and Blue Cheese, salt and pepper to taste. I make up plenty and vaccum seal them to put in the freezer. I freeze the Green Fried Tomatoes on baking sheets first, then vaccum seal them. That way, they don’t stick together in the bag.

If I make this again, I’ll not use the cornmeal mixture. I buy 3 minute oatmeal and process it in my food processor until it’s like a flour. I mixed the oatmeal, breadcrumbs and spices, (onion powder,garlic powder etc), for the final breading. I love to use a cornmeal mixture when I’m making fried zucchini, but I felt the green tomatoes didn’t call for it.

I brush on mustard before dipping in milk. It gives them an awesome kick! Worth trying!

Real close to my recipe! Just before you remove them from the skillet sprinkle a little fresh grated parmesan on them. Serve with a bottle of Texas Pete and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing! The heat from the Pete and the cool from the ranch is incredible!

We ate these growing up at grandma’s house in central Illinois. She learned to cook as a “housegirl” for folks in Missouri during the Depression era after losing her mother at a young age. Dredged in flour, fried in bacon grease. But her twist – served with homemade grape jelly “to cut the tart.” Today I’m in my 40s and still eating them with jelly – but fried in canola oil. Delicious! Although I do plan on eating them with the ranch dressing next time I make them. Sounds good!

Who cares about ‘authentic’? The question is ‘are they good?’. If the answer is ‘yes’, you’ve made them right.