Fried Green Tomatoes
Good flavor but I think 1/2 inch slices was too thick. Will cut them in 1/4 inch slices next time.
Good flavor but I think 1/2 inch slices was too thick. Will cut them in 1/4 inch slices next time.
- Carbohydrate 45.4099877114442 g
- Cholesterol 721.426666666667 mg
- Fat 34.8406929168231 g
- Fiber 7.0692602755233 g
- Protein 28.1618239588589 g
- Saturated Fat 10.7590820833804 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (409g)
- Sodium 261.903625002112 mg
- Sugar 38.3407274359209 g
- Trans Fat 3.74990125000672 g
- Calories 596 calories
Step-by-step
- Slice the tomatoes 1/2 inch thick, but do not peel or core.
- Drain well between several thicknesses of paper toweling until most of the moisture of the tomatoes is absorbed.
- While the tomatoes are draining, make a batter by beating the eggs until light, then mixing in the corn meal, water, minced chives, salt and pepper.
- In a large, heavy iron skillet, heat the butter or margarine until bubbly.
- Dip the tomato slices into batter, and brown quickly on both sides.
- Serve at once.
Cornmeal drives this entire preparation, functioning simultaneously as a structural binder and a crisp crust. Selecting a medium-grind cornmeal rather than a fine stone-ground variety yields a noticeably crunchier exterior texture. Buying cornmeal in bulk bins rather than branded canisters reduces per-ounce costs significantly for frequent fryers. Storing leftover dry cornmeal in an airtight glass jar in a cool pantry prevents rancidity from compromising the oils in the grain.
Dairy-free kitchens require simple fat substitutions to achieve comparable browning results in the skillet. Swapping butter for neutral vegetable oil or rendered bacon fat maintains the required smoke point needed for rapid frying without scorching the dairy solids. Margarine often contains water emulsions that cause excessive sputtering when hitting a hot iron skillet, so clarifying any fat choice beforehand ensures cleaner heat transfer.
Moisture control remains the primary enemy of crispness throughout the cooking process. Blotting sliced tomatoes thoroughly on absorbent paper towels extracts excess liquid that would otherwise dilute the batter and steam the coating from the inside out. Slicing tomatoes uniformly at a half-inch thickness guarantees that the center warms through before the cornmeal crust burns over high heat.
Cast iron skillet selection dictates thermal retention during successive batches. Heating the heavy skillet slowly over medium-high heat for five minutes distributes thermal energy evenly across the cooking surface. Maintaining a consistent temperature prevents the butter or chosen fat from breaking down prematurely, yielding evenly golden results from the first slice to the last.
