Skillet-Fried Green Tomatoes
A crackly cornmeal crust for the tomatoes that never ripen
- Tomatoes
- Side Dish
- American (Southern)
- cast iron
- late season
- vegetarian
Firm, tart green tomatoes are soaked in seasoned buttermilk, rolled in coarse cornmeal, and seared in cast iron until the crust crackles. A thrifty Southern classic for the end of tomato season.
Photo: ninjapoodles · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons · all image credits
Ingredients
- 4 medium green tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds / 680 g), cored
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for finishing
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
- 3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup neutral oil or rendered bacon fat, for frying
- Flaky sea salt and lemon wedges, to serve
Equipment
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- Three shallow dishes or pie plates
- Wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan
- Instant-read thermometer (optional but handy)
Why this recipe works
Every kitchen garden reaches a moment in early autumn when the nights turn cold faster than the fruit can colour up. Rather than compost those hard, glossy green tomatoes, Southern cooks have fried them for well over a century, and the technique is still the best answer we know: a hot skillet, a coarse cornmeal crust, and a squeeze of lemon.
The trick is choosing fruit at the right stage. An heirloom tomato picked when it is mature but still green is dense and slightly tart, which means it holds its shape instead of collapsing into the crust. Anything with a blush of pink will weep water and steam instead of frying.
Heirloom varieties to look for
Best varieties to pick green: Green Zebra, Aunt Ruby's German Green, German Johnson and Cherokee Purple. Pick fruit that has reached full size but shows no colour break, then use it within three days.
Method
Salt the slices
Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick rounds and lay them on the wire rack. Sprinkle both sides with the kosher salt and let them drain for 10 minutes. Blot dry with paper towels; this step keeps the crust from sliding off in the pan.
Build the dredge
Whisk the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce in the first dish. In the second, stir together the cornmeal, flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder and black pepper until evenly combined.
Heat the fat
Pour the oil into the cast-iron skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch and heat over medium-high until it shimmers and a pinch of cornmeal sizzles on contact, roughly 350 F (175 C).
Coat and fry
Dip each slice into the buttermilk mixture, let the excess drip back, then press it firmly into the cornmeal mixture on both sides. Fry in batches of four or five so the pan never crowds and the temperature stays steady.
Turn once
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning only once, until the crust is deep golden brown and the tomato gives slightly when pressed with tongs.
Drain and season
Lift the slices to the rack, sprinkle immediately with flaky salt, and keep them in a warm oven while you fry the remaining batches.
Serve hot
Serve straight away with lemon wedges, and a spoonful of remoulade or piment d'Espelette aioli if you have it. Fried green tomatoes lose their crunch within 20 minutes, so plan to eat them at the stove.
Cook's notes
- Keep the fat between 350 F and 375 F. Cooler oil makes greasy slices; hotter oil scorches the cornmeal before the tomato softens.
- Do not skip the 10-minute salt and drain. Water is the enemy of a crisp crust.
- Slice thicker than you think you should: 1/2 inch survives the fry and stays juicy in the middle.
- Leftover dredge freezes well in a zip-top bag for your next batch.
Variations
- Swap half the cornmeal for panko if you like a lighter, shaggier crust.
- Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the dredge for a nuttier finish.
- For a full meal, stack two slices with a spoonful of pimento cheese and serve on a toasted bun.
Storage
Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in a single layer for up to 2 days and reheat in a 400 F oven for 5 minutes; never microwave, which turns the crust to paste.
How to serve it
3 to 4 slices per person. Serve it within the time noted above for the best texture, because heirloom produce is far less forgiving than supermarket vegetables.
