As the sun sets on the summer season, tomato plants are green, ripe, and abundant like a treasure trove of emeralds waiting to be gathered. You find yourself blessed with a fruitful bounty of tomatoes only to wonder, “what shall I do with these gifts from Demeter?”
Are you tired of canning and looking for an alternative way to excite your tastebuds? You’ve found it!
Today we’re going down the rabbit hole, of Fried Green Tomatoes! This southern classic is a staple in my home every summer.
Due to our garden’s overabundance of tomato plants, we decided to recreate some of our favorite fried green tomato recipes! It’s the one thing my husband and I obsess over every summer; and low key, we might or might not have a private FGT journal, highlighting the best FGT we’ve found in our foodie travels.
We have several varieties in our garden, but my absolute favorite is the Heirloom variety. Why? It has a better meat to seed ratio. Yet, other varieties are completely adequate if Heirlooms are not available. This year we have the yellow variety, which is significantly less acidic. If you have problems with indigestion, you can still enjoy these without paying for it later. The second variety we will be using are cherry tomatoes. I call these fried green tomato poppers! They are delicious, and fun for kids to pop and enjoy!
If you don’t have a garden, no worries; regular store-bought tomatoes will do. Let’s get into it!
Ingredients
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Ground Black Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Sea salt
- Flour
- Beer (any kind is fine)
- Balsamic Glaze
- Goat Cheese
Items Needed
- Pan
- Fork
- Tongs
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Dinner Plate
- Canola Oil
- Shallow Bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Cooling Rack
- Serving Plate
Flour Seasoning
- 2 Cups of Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Tomato Slice Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 Large Tomatoes
Step 1
If you’re picking these from your garden or purchasing, clean and dry before you slice. Only slice large tomatoes, not the cherry ones. Slice to your preferred thickness. I prefer mine sliced thicker.
After slicing the tomatoes, place them in a bowl, and season with salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, and paprika. Make sure the seasoning is coated on the slices. Place tomatoes to the side.
Step 2
Pour beer in a separate shallow bowl (I prefer Yingling, you can substitute club soda for beer) place aside.
On a dinner plate pour a generous amount of flour.
SEASON THE FLOUR (Taste your flour, make sure it’s seasoned to your liking.) The secret to frying is always making sure your flour is seasoned. Seasoning your flour adds a depth of flavor that is unparalleled and excites the taste buds!
Step 3
Place oil in a pan on medium heat.
Mix the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and fresh ground black pepper into the flour.
Drain excess liquid off tomato slices and coat slices in flour a few at a time.
Test your oil to see if it’s hot enough for the fry. A little trick to testing oil is to take a sprinkle of your flour mixture and see if it bubbles in the pan, if it does, you’re ready!
Step 4
Dredge floured slices in beer
Put slice back into flour, coat, shake off excess flour.
Place one at a time in oil, fry until golden brown.
After slices come out of the pan, place each one on a cooling rack on-top of a baking sheet to drain, lightly dust in flake sea salt.
Voila, you have successfully fried a green tomato!
For the tomato poppers, follow the same directions as above, except you will need to double coat these because they do not have a surface area to stick to like the slices do. Flour them, dredge them in beer, flour, more beer dredge, then flour again.
“Meatless Monday”
Fried green tomatoes have so many endless possibilities! One of my favorite ways to use the fried tomatoes are as a meat replacement on BLT’s… well, I guess that would just be an “LT” sandwich haha. My husband absolutely loves the elevated BLT, the batter on the tomato really elevates the sandwich. These tomatoes are a great Vegan option if you choose to go that route.
“Shin Dig” Ideas
If you’re serving this Steele-Magnolia’s delicacy at a party do not hesitate to go bold and match your delicious tomatoes. The mild mellow flavor of the tomato pairs well with a balsamic glaze and goat cheese. I love to serve these on a bed of arugula with a sprinkle of goat cheese crumble, and a balsamic glaze drizzled on top.
My absolute favorite dressing to use is from the Blue Ridge Olive Oil Company! Their balsamic glaze is barrel aged for upwards of 14 years, consequently your flavor pallet will burst with these contrasting profiles. Not only is this specific glaze delicious, but it also brightens up the dish.
Voila! You now have a versatile dish that begs for summer to never end!
Vonda Blandin, our premier recipe contributor, is the talented owner of Bleu Summit Bread in Jasper, Georgia. Her culinary creations are as delightful as they are inspiring. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and Facebook HERE and HERE to stay updated on her latest delicious offerings!
