How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes
Back to beloved southern foods! This is the prime time of year for fried green tomatoes. All of our grocery stores sell green ones alongside the red for this very purpose (green tomatoes are like rocks so I can’t imagine them being used for anything else). Another weird cultural thing, but I imagine it stemmed from the whole “dang yankees trying to starve us” issue back in the days of old.
Did you know why turnip greens and field peas (black eyed peas) are so revered in the south? During the civil war, yankee troops confiscated anything that could possibly be used to feed their men as they traveled through the south. However, greens and field peas were considered only fit for animal fodder, so they were left. Being the food lovers that we are, those foods became something of delicacies for us and are absolutely required at every family table on New Years Day in order to bring luck and wealth in the new year.
Dumplings and biscuits came into play because even with money low, most families had flour. Flour was purchased in twenty five pound sacks, five times the normal sized bag we all get today. Therefore, it was usually about the only thing available to make a meal stretch. You can take a scrawny chicken, shred it and cook in broth with a big batch of dumplings and easily stretch the meal to feed even a large family. Biscuits are quick and easy to make and also very filling. Each of these meals would require little or no meat and leave the family full until the next mealtime.
Alright, enough of my cultural foods lesson, lets get on to tomatoes 
.
What you’ll need: A little flour (self rising or plain, doesn’t matter), corn meal, season all, and green tomatoes.Also oil for frying and a little milk for dredging.
Slice your tomatoes kind of thick. (My mouth is starting to water..)
Then take a picture of them with your fancy new tomato slicing knife that your mama got you for Christymas. (I meant to put the Y in there – if you ask I will explain:).
I used about a cup and a half of corn meal. This isn’t one of those things that has to be precise but I’m estimating for those of you who really want measurements.
Add a little flour to it. This will act as sort of a “glue” to help hold it all together. I used a really large spoon although it looks normal sized in the pick. This was about four tablespoons of flour.
Add enough season all to color your mixture.I used about two tablespoons. I know it seems like a lot but ….well just do it. If you don’t have season all you can season your meal by adding salt and pepper.
Dip both sides of each slice into milk.
Then dip into your meal mixture. Press down and coat both sides well.
So it looks something like this
I used regular vegetable oil. You want it to come up about half way or so on the slices. Make sure you heat your oil well before you add the tomatoes. The key to having things that aren’t “greasy” is to heat the oil really well. That way, when you drop your food into it, the food is seared right off and then cooks from there. If your oil isn’t hot enough to do that, you basically end up soaking your breading in oil for a few minutes and it gets soggy and blah.
My oil is just colored by the cornmeal in it at this point. It was clear to begin with. Brown each side well. I cook these on medium to medium high heat. Try not to turn them but once or twice as the coating is somewhat delicate and you don’t want that to come off.
Drain your tomatoes on a paper towel lined plate. I even take another paper towel and blot the tops or turn them over onto it. Then you’re ready to go! These are delicious! They have a twang to them that ripened tomatoes don’t have.
If you try them, let me know what you think!
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Posted by Christy Jordan
on Jul 1 2008. Filed under Side Dishes, Southern Classics.
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WOW!! Simply outstanding!! Just made these up with some cornbread and beans. OMG! To die for. THANK YOU!!
very yummy !!!! my lil brother killed off some of his tomatoes and i said well wait we can fry those !! made him feel better and filled up my stomach
thanks very much for the recipe 5/5
I haven’t tried it yet, but I will. I just wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the way the article was written with warmth and humor.
Also what’s the story with thy”Y” in Christmas?
im guessing its because the person who wrote this article is named christy there fore christymas…..
I haven’t tried it yet, but I will. I just wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the way the article was written with warmth and humor.
Also what’s the story with the”Y” in Christmas?
Was a wonderful taste, I loved this! I will share it! Denese from Temecula, CA
Well I am a northerner, born and bred. My husband and I moved to AL about 4 yrs. ago. My family were all from the south, most of them lived in Mich. to work and returned years after they retired. So I was raised with the ways of southern cooking. Just wanted to say I sure am glad those damn yankees
left the animal fodder for the south cause you sure know what to do with it. Mighty fine food here in the south, just have to watch myself, it’s too easy to gain POUNDS. LOL! Thanks for your site, I’m loving it!
Carolyn, you just gave me the Bert giggle!! I love you!!
Lol. That should read “best”. My phone corrected it to Bert!
I wanted to ask what a Bert giggle was… Thought maybe it was something I needed to learn. Okay I’m my way to make your Dapple Apple cake or was that Apple Dapple… Doesn’t matter I guess, as long as time flies so I can eat a piece..
Thanks….They are good!!!!!
Greetings to Christy and you all from Surrey, England. Our tomato plants are chasing the last of the summer sun and we have green ones just waiting for your recipe.
Thank you for the clear instructions and the history lesson! Food always tastes better if there’s a reason behind the recipe.
What does born and bred mean,,? That you was born someplace and
then you got bred?? I don’t get it.
This is exactly how my FINNISH grandmother made Fried green tomatoes; I guess she’s a **** Yankee by your definition. And being raised in Duluth, her family never came within a “lick” of down yonder. So, please be aware that you quite possibly have potential fans UP NORTH that have had zero influence in The Great War. How do you think it would play if a Maine-based website lumped all you southerners into either Hillbilly or Deliverance-type folks? Hurts, don’t it? I’ve just discovered your website and will enjoy the recipes but leave for the lack of tolerance, if it continues.
Bee, I am sorry you were offended by the “yankee” reference; however I believe Christy made it quite clear she was making a historical reference. Hence the phrase, “days of old”. You must understand that a lot of Southern food history is based in that time period and we as a culture were and are greatly influenced by that particular time period. Quite a lot of modern southern style recipes are directly linked to our ancestors surviving that War and Reconstruction afterwards. Most Southerners, white and black, lived on what they could grow in the garden and hunt in the woods, so we tend to look back on those times and the people that lived then with reverance and a touch of hero worship.
Dear, Precious Bee,
Honey bunches of oats! Sounds like you have some preconceived notions of Southerners dear heart, but I assure you that if you get to know the Southern Plate Family you’ll see that we’re all a welcoming bunch of folks from all over the world. Good hearted people are always welcome at our table with a warm hug and words of kindness but we do ask for kindness and consideration at our little virtual dinner table here.
I’m going to edit your comment now to remove the profanity and I really appreciate your consideration in helping me keep Southern Plate a family friendly site.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
Gratefully,
Christy
Bee,
your a little too sensitive. get a life
“Born and Bred” is simply a colloquialism that means, “An area that you grew up in.” Many, many folks, North or South, were born in a town and died in or near that town, so they were “born” there, raised there, wed there and buried there. Although there are areas of the United States that you can still be born and bred, many people “hail” (or come from) too many places to mentally put down roots or traditions.
I tried to make these at Yvonne’s last night. I bought some cornmeal and figured she had the other stuff. Turns out she doesn’t have season all so I improvised with salt, pepper and a dash of some sort of steak seasoning. Did the milk dip, the cornmeal/flour/spice rub and put the green tomatoes into hot virgin olive oil.
Cooked them until golden brown both sides and placed them on a couple of paper towels on a plate. She was not impressed with the taste (even though she was from Ireland and never used cornmeal before in her life) she said it wasn’t a taste thrill and kinda tart. I liked them and we ate them all (15-20 slices).
I also like to use Panko bread crumbs as my crust. I’ll dip the slices in milk, then in seasoned flour, then in egg, then in the bread crumbs. There’s a little more breading that way. They’re also good with honey mustard. Sounds weird, but the sweetness of the mustard balances out with the tangy tomatoes.
Bee – its a recipe website why you buzzing on about yankees and the alike?
“but leave for the lack of tolerance, if it continues”
I suggest you just leave you then as you don’t seem to have any tolernance. Love all the other comments and then the Angry Bee comes along and runis it all. Off you pop now – buzz buzz
My mom made these when I was growin up and she would fry bacon and then fry the tomatoes in the bacon grease!! YUMMY!
Hottie, where you from? Just wondrin, cuz I know someone with the same username..
But can’t imagine her eating anything green, especially tomatoes! Haha
My mom and I just got finished making these and they are so good!!! so easy and fast!!!
Can’t believe we haven’t tried this before…I strongly encourage everyone to try these!!
I had never made fried green tomatoes but have a lot of green ones in my garden right now so I followed this recipe and I must say it was a hit! My husband and daughter were sceptical until they tasted them. Several slices were gone before the plate ever hit the table! So thank you! (my daughter is a rather picky eater, btw!) I enjoyed your story, as well!
I am so glad to hear they were such a hit with your family Berni!!!
Those look amazing….I can’t wait to try it out. and my grandma also gave me one of those handy knives
I hope you like them!! Isn’t that knife the best? I love mine!
Where does the knife come from, does it have a brand name? I am “born and bred” in the South, and eaten these all my life.
My husband bought me a knife set for Christmas- a LONG over due and much needed “gift” that I just refused to spend the money on. My Mamma informed me that she has some green tomatoes, and now I’ll get to use my “tomato-bagel” (yes, that is what it’s labeled) knife on a tomato! It’s funny- I HATE red tomatoes, but if they’re green and fried…I’ll eat all of them!
I would love to try this recipe. My fiancee is from Kentucky and I’m from Ohio and I’m learning to make different things for him and my daughter. Do those need to be eaten right after frying or can they be made ahead of time? So far he likes my cooking so I’m trying to keep it that way so we don’t have to eat out all the time…lol. Thanks for the recipe.
yummy is all i can say. i didnt make them but oh boy where they good and im from the north, but i love southern foods and the stories behind them.
Really good. I added a bit of brown sugar to the flour mixture as well, my boyfriend used to live down south and he said this was the way he always did them. It complimented the tomatoes extremely well and added a molasses taste. sooo good.
Wow! that was a awesome recipe. It was soooooooo Good, I am an island girl so I added way more spices to the flour/cornmeal mix. let’s see: mrs dash original flavor, ceyenne pepper, adobo,salt, and pepper.
I have all of these tomatoes with a brown spot on the bottom. Was told can cut it off and harvest. That is how I found your site, google.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Sounds absolutely easy and delicious! Of course the clean up will be a pain, but so worth it!
I am so glad you found me Alissa!! I hope you enjoy your fried green tomatoes!!
Until tonight I’d only had fried green tomatoes once about 15 years ago! It was at a restaurant and they had parmesan in the coating. Very tasty if not authentic. Made them tonight but I used crushed saltine cracker crumbs instead of cornmeal because it’s what I had. They turned out tasty but a good deal of the breading came off in the oil. Next time I will try it your way with the flour and cornmeal!!
I loved your recipe and wonderful step by step instructions. I just fried up a batch for the first time. I didn’t have cornmeal in the house so used flour mixed with breadcrumbs and they came out wonderfully. I spread fig and walnut butter on them, delicious. Thanks!
Ohhh fig and walnut butter? That sounds delicious!!
they are yummy!!!!!!
I made these tonight for my family and they were delicious!!!! My husband even said they were better than one of the local restaurant’s. Thumbs up. I do have one question, though…do you have a recipe for a good dipping sauce for them? If so, would you share?
Let me think on it Taunya, I am glad to hear you liked them!!!
Christy – did you try the hot honey bacon sauce that was served at Jack’s (hamburgers) over the Winter? I bet FGT would be delicious dipped in it. My local Jack’s doesn’t carry it anymore or I would certainly be trying it over the next few months.
You know what? I’ve never eaten at a jacks in my life. Can you believe that? Crazy me! I’ll have to try to taste that!
Christy, I have a ton of green tomatoes from my garden. I was wondering, can I bread these up and them flash freeze them to use later?
I have never done it but I really think it would work out great. Flash freezing (like you said) would be the way to go. I’d also make sure I put them on waxed paper lined sheets just to make sure all of that yummy coating stays on
Ok whats with the Y?
Very Nice! Had some tomatoes that would not have lasted the early frost that came. I used Buttermilk and lightly salted after frying. Tried experimenting with topping with a tad of parmesan. Nice! Thanks for the recipe!
Yummy, I hope you had one for me. I love fried green tomatoes!!
IT was Great!!! Congrats for preparing and providing this wonderful recipe. It was clear, easy to follow and helped me fulfill my fried green tomatoes craving. I look forward to viewing more of your wonderful delicious recipes….thanks again:)
I am so glad you liked them Candice!!!
Love the recipe! Just found u on pinterest but I’m a fan. I’m a born and bred southener and love southern food! Ur great!
Welcome to Southern Plate Maranda!! I am so glad you found me and I can’t wait to get to know you!!
Love this recipe. Can you tell me how to print it from you blog?Thank you!
I highlight these articles then copy to a new e-mail message. Then move to my recipe folder. I am sure there are other ways, but this works for me. I copy the whole article.
John, I have a shortcut to Word Pad on my desktop. When I find a recipe I want to save, I will copy it to Word Pad and then save it to my folder. It saves the extra steps of emailing it.
hi Christy just reading some of the replies about fried green tomatos. boy that Bee lady sure had a problem—makes me appreciate folks like us even more. love all your work—Tom
All I had were panko breadcrumbs and Old Bay seasoning, but It was great! I work at a greenhouse and we were throwing away old plants, but we saved all the tomatoes to eat! Yum! Great Recipe!
All I want to is has anyone tried to fry them green fried tomatoes in a deep fryer………..
I make a fried green tomato BLT….it is soooo good.
I make my tomatoes like this, only I dredge them in buttermilk with a little Alabama Sunshine Original hot sauce in the buttermilk.
I dip mine in buttermilk and add garlic powder and a little cayenne pepper to the flour . Ranch dressing or thousand island makes a good dipping sauce. Wish I had some green tomatoes right now, all this made me hungry ! Happy day all !
Now anyone who knows me, knows that I DON’T eat red slimey things (aka tomatoes), so they were all amazed when I announced that Fried Green Tomatoes were FABULOUS!! I was living in there in Madison, and a friend took me to Humphries for dinner. She ordered FGT as an appetizer, not wanting to look like a picky toddler, I tried one. OH. MY. GOSH!!! Am living back in TX now, but I get that desire for FGT, so I will have to try your recipe. BTW, I found a restaurant here in the Hill Country west of Fredericksburg, that makes their BLTs with FGT and avocado, if you’ve never tried that one, do so! Amazing explosion of flavors in your mouth. Keep up the good work, Christy, LOVE your website AND cookbook!!!
Hi Christy, I LOVE your blog – but am I the only one (California) whose grocery store does NOT sell green tomatoes right next to the red ones…? I think I’m going to have to grow my own because I NEED to try this recipe!!!
Allison
[...] you can stick with the southern favorite of fried green tomatoes, or you can get a bit adventurous and try Italian Farmhouse pickles, Orange-Green tomato relish, [...]
[...] They featured THAT on their homepage, too! The third day (I was on a roll) I posted how to make fried green tomatoes and that made the headline, right next to a picture and story about Llamas! I called Mama and said [...]
Can’t wait to make fried green tomatoes,
After there fried,I love to put hot salsa
and melt cheese on top,a meal in itself!!
Ohhh that sounds good Patty!!!
We are stationed at Ft. Campbell and brand new to the South. I always try to learn how to cook in the region we live in.. and Fried Green Tomato’s is totally Southern! I followed the directions word for word and OMGoodness these are amazing!!! Hubby better hurry up and get home or they may be gone! Thank you so much for sharing!!
I am SOOOO glad to hear you liked them Erica!!! Welcome to the South!!
nothing no better than a fried green tomato !
I honestly think that’s true! They are amazing!!
I’m a Canadian & have been eating Fried Green Tomatoes since I was a child.
Never made them with Corn Meal, but I will try it for sure … Thanks for the Southern Cookin’ Lore. I love History! I do need to try Cheese grits – never had those. Do you post a recipe for those?
I call myself a southern woman by marriage since I am from the west side of the united states; I married a southern man, and we live in the south! Christy your cook book and your online recipes have helped me so much in learning to cook southern foods. I first saw you an episode of Paula Deen’s show on the Food Network, ordered your cookbook. My husband and step children thank you!
Thank you so much Tammy!! I am so glad to hear that you like the cookbook!!
What kind of sauce would you suggest serving with these, Christy? Comeback sauce sounds good but don’t have a recipe for it. Do you?
thanks!
Being from Tennessee, We just love fried green tomatoes! this is something that my family simply can’t do without! When the tomatoes get smaller I make green tomato relish out of the rest so we can still enjoy tomatoes all year long! I am itching to pull me some green tomatoes off my abundant vines and fry some!! YUM-YUM!!
Christy, I wanted to ofer you a great serving suggestion! I owned Mexican Restauants for over 20 years. We had fried green tomatoes on out appetizer menu. We cooked them as you did and then Topped them with salsa & a dab of sour cream! Really, really good!!!!!!!!!!
Born and Bred here too! I use buttermilk to dredge anything now and frying in bacon grease, yum who doesn’t love bacon.The tomatoes with alittle pink on them are best if you like the tangyness,I do.