Smoky Mountain Southern Fried Green Tomato Recipe
HeySmokies.com’s fried green tomato recipe hits the spot! Photo credit – trip advisor.
Smoky Mountain Southern Fried Green Tomato Recipe is the perfect solution to all the extra tomatoes from your garden. The HeySmokies.com culinary crew love nothing better than this tangy, savory, delicious fried dish. Here in the Smoky Mountain region we are blessed with some of the most amazing tomatoes in the world. Our neighbors to the north in Grainger County grow world renowned tomatoes and if we ever run low in our garden we hit the road to the tomato capital of the South. Once a year the Grainger County Tomato Festival is held late in July. This event is considered one of the ten best festivals in the state and a lot of fun for the entire family.
Smoky Mountain Southern Fried Green Tomato Recipe:
4 Large green tomatoes
Vegetable oil (as much as you need ie: QB)
1 1/2 Cups buttermilk
1 1/2 Cups yellow cornmeal
2 Tablespoons of salt
Nice dash of cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons of paprika
Slice them thick or thin for different texture. Photo credit – no recipes.com
In a large skillet heat (on high) enough veggie oil to create a pool 1/4 inch deep. Pour buttermilk in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish combine cornmeal, salt, cayenne pepper and paprika. Slice tomatoes and place on paper towel. We love the crispiness of thin sliced fried green tomatoes but others like them them juicy and thick. We suggest trying them both ways and find which you prefer, but be sure to cook until done. Dip each slice in the buttermilk. Dredge the slices through the cornmeal mixture and gently lay them in the hot oil. Fry each slice until they have a golden appearance on each side. Turn as necessary. Remove from the oil and place them on a paper towel or drying rack. If desired add some fresh cracked black pepper for more kick! We let them cool long enough not to burn our tongue but they never last much longer than that! This delicious dish is great as a side or main course and always reminds us of just how tasty summer can be!
Culinary bonus tip: For an even lighter crust try substituting Japanese Panko bread crumbs instead of cornmeal. It changes the texture in a delicious, flaky way. Be sure and let us know which way you prefer!
