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My Fried Green Tomatoes

Source of Recipe

My own, with some internet advice


Recipe Introduction

These are fantastic tomatoes – nicely crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Start these EARLY – they drain for an hour, soak for 1/2 hour and then sit for another 1/2 hour after coating. Before you start, it is a good idea to prep three things: 1). A disposable aluminum turkey roaster lined with a double layer of paper towels, 2). A half sheet pan lined with foil and fitted with a cooling rack, 3). Another half sheet pan lined with a double layer of paper towels and fitted with an UPSIDE DOWN cooling rack. These make a great side dish with a dip of remoulade or ranch dressing and they are an essential part of a truly stellar BLT!

List of Ingredients

4 large green tomatoes, cut into slightly less than 1/2-inch slices
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 t. paprika
1 t. Penzey’s Mural of Flavor or Justice seasoning mix
Kosher salt and pepper (maybe a teaspoon of each)
Buttermilk, enough to cover the tomato slices
Hot sauce
Panko, the amount will vary: more than a cup, less than a new container
Shortening (oil would be fine) with a few tablespoons of bacon grease



Recipe

Place the tomato slices in the turkey roaster lined with paper towels. Salt heavily and let sit for one hour. Rinse and dab-dry the tomato slices and throw away the paper towels. Pour the buttermilk into the turkey roaster and whisk in a little hot sauce (I probably use 6 shakes). Put the tomato slices into the buttermilk one layer. Let soak for 1/2 hour.

Mix together the cornmeal, paprika, Penzey’s seasoning mix, salt, and pepper. Retaining the buttermilk (you are going to double dip them), dredge each slice of tomato in the cornmeal mixture, pressing hard. Place each slice on the rack in the baking sheet lined with foil. When all the slices have been dredged, dip them briefly into the buttermilk again and dredge them in the panko, pressing hard again. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. [I’ve had times when I didn’t have room to put a half sheet pan in my refrigerator and left these sitting out on a counter – it was fine.]

Heat the oven to 250F. Melt enough bacon grease and shortening to come up to a 1/2-inch depth in a large skillet. Bring to 325F-350F. Add slices to the pan without crowding Cook about 3 minutes per side (keep to the temperature and the color of the coating with tell you) – golden brown. Place the cooked tomato slices on the sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in oven to keep warm. Fry the remaining slices in batches, placing on the sheet in the oven until done.

Serves 6-8.