There’s something so heartwarming about fried green tomatoes, isn’t there? They bring back memories of Southern comfort and family gatherings around the dinner table.

In this delightful YouTube cooking video, Andrew from Binging With Babish takes us through his version of this classic dish inspired by the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes.”

Even though he was feeling under the weather, Andrew wanted to share this simple yet satisfying recipe that’s perfect for any home cook. He walks viewers through every step, from slicing the tomatoes and making homemade remoulade sauce to setting up the perfect breading station and frying them to golden perfection.

What makes this video extra special is when his dad steps in as a taste tester, adding that sweet family touch we all love to see in the kitchen.

Key Takeaways

• Fresh green tomatoes get salted and drained to remove excess moisture before breading and frying
• Homemade remoulade sauce made with mayo, mustard, and spices makes the perfect creamy dipping sauce
• A three-step breading process with flour, buttermilk-egg mixture, and cornmeal creates the crispiest coating

Getting Your Ingredients and Equipment Ready

Picking Perfect Green Tomatoes

The secret to amazing fried green tomatoes starts with choosing the right ones. You’ll want to grab four nice, firm green tomatoes from your garden or the grocery store.

The best ones feel solid when you give them a gentle squeeze – not too soft, not rock hard either.

Once you’ve got your tomatoes home, it’s time to slice them up. Cut them into quarter-inch thick slices using a really sharp knife.

This usually gives you about 18 perfect slices from four tomatoes.

Here’s a mom tip: After slicing, lay those beautiful green rounds on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt. This little trick helps pull out extra moisture and seasons them at the same time.

Let them sit for about 30 minutes while you prep everything else.

Must-Have Kitchen Equipment for Frying

Getting your tools ready makes the whole process so much smoother. Here’s what you’ll need to make this Southern classic:

For the prep work:

• One very sharp knife (and maybe a sharpening tool if needed)
• Three mixing bowls for your breading station
• One small whisk
• A regular fork for mixing
• Paper towels for blotting
• A parchment-lined baking sheet

For the frying:

• A cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
• A few inches of vegetable oil
• A cooking thermometer to check oil temperature
• More paper towels for draining

The cast iron really makes a difference here. It holds heat beautifully and gives you that authentic Southern cooking feel.

Plus, your kitchen will smell absolutely wonderful while you’re cooking!

Make sure you have enough counter space for your three-bowl breading station. Trust me, you’ll want room to work without feeling cramped.

Getting Your Green Tomatoes Ready

Cutting Tomatoes Just Right

Andrew starts by making sure his knife is super sharp. A sharp knife makes all the difference when you’re slicing tomatoes!

He cuts four whole green tomatoes into quarter-inch slices. This thickness is perfect – not too thin that they fall apart, and not too thick that they don’t cook through properly.

You’ll end up with about 18 lovely tomato slices. Here’s a little tip from experience: try to keep your slices even so they all cook at the same rate.

Your family will notice the difference!

Adding Salt for Better Taste and Feel

Once all the tomatoes are sliced, Andrew places them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Then comes the magic trick that many home cooks don’t know about.

He sprinkles the tomato slices with kosher salt – but just a little bit. Don’t go crazy here!

This salt does two wonderful things:

• Seasons the tomatoes from the inside out
• Draws out extra water that could make your coating soggy

The tomatoes need to sit like this for about 30 minutes. You’ll actually see little droplets of moisture appear on the surface.

That’s exactly what you want!

After the waiting time, he gently blots off all that moisture with paper towels. This step might seem small, but it’s what makes the difference between soggy fried tomatoes and perfectly crispy ones that would make any Southern grandma proud.

Homemade Remoulade Sauce

This tangy, creamy sauce is what makes fried green tomatoes shine. Andrew makes it look so easy in his video, and honestly, it really is!

You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your fridge right now.

Creating the Creamy Foundation

The magic starts with about three-quarters cup of mayonnaise. This is your base, so don’t skimp here.

Add about a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and squeeze in the juice from half a lemon.

Next comes a teaspoon of whole-grain mustard. Those little mustard seeds add such a nice pop of texture!

Mince up one or two cloves of garlic really fine. Nobody wants to bite into a big chunk of raw garlic.

Whisk everything together until it’s smooth and creamy. This creates that rich, tangy base that holds all the other flavors together.

Adding the Flavor Boosters

Now comes the fun part where you really build those layers of taste. Finely chop one or two scallions and fold them in.

They add such a fresh, mild onion flavor that kids actually like.

Add about a tablespoon of chopped capers. These little briny gems pack so much punch!

If you don’t have capers, finely chopped dill pickles work too.

Pour in three to four glugs of Worcestershire sauce. Yes, glugs!

That’s the technical term Andrew uses. Add a few glugs of hot sauce too, preferably Louisiana style.

Start with less if your family doesn’t like heat.

Family Recipe Secrets

Here’s where you can make this sauce your own. Andrew adds some cayenne pepper and smoked paprika, but you can adjust these to taste.

The smoked paprika gives it that warm, cozy flavor that reminds you of backyard barbecues.

Mom tip: This recipe is totally “eyeball-able” as Andrew says. Taste as you go and adjust.

Too tangy? Add more mayo.

Need more kick? Another dash of hot sauce.

Grandma’s wisdom: Make this sauce a day ahead if you can. All those flavors meld together overnight in the fridge, creating something truly special.

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Mayonnaise	3/4 cup	Don’t use light mayo
Dijon mustard	1 tbsp	Adds tang
Lemon juice	1/2 lemon	Fresh is best
Whole-grain mustard	1 tsp	For texture
Garlic	1-2 cloves	Mince fine
Scallions	1-2 stalks	Green and white parts
Capers	1 tbsp	Chopped

The beauty of this remoulade is how forgiving it is. Some families like it spicier, others prefer it mild.

You can make it your own special recipe that gets passed down through generations.

Getting Your Breading Station Ready

Making That Perfect Crispy Mix

He starts with the dry coating by mixing one cup of cornmeal with half a cup of breadcrumbs in a bowl. This combo gives you that classic Southern crunch we all love.

For the flour mixture, he combines about one and a half cups of white flour with some simple seasonings. A few shakes of onion powder, white pepper, and garlic powder do the trick.

Don’t forget a little kosher salt to tie it all together.

Pro tip: If you have some dried herbs sitting in your spice cabinet, feel free to add them to the flour mix. Sometimes those little extras make all the difference.

The Egg and Buttermilk Bath

The wet station is simple but important. He beats together two whole eggs with about half a cup of buttermilk using a fork.

This buttermilk mixture is what helps everything stick together. The tanginess also adds a nice flavor that pairs perfectly with green tomatoes.

Mom hack: No buttermilk on hand? Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for five minutes.

Your family won’t know the difference.

Keeping Your Hands Clean and Getting Even Results

The key to good breading is being gentle with those tomato slices. He shows how to pick them up by the sides so you don’t scrape off any coating.

Start with the flour dredge first. Flip the tomato slice several times to get good coverage on both sides.

Shake off any extra flour before moving to the next step.

Next comes the buttermilk bath. Again, handle the slices by their edges to keep that flour coating intact.

Finally, press each slice firmly into the cornmeal mixture. This makes sure the breading really sticks during frying.

Smart setup: Line up your three bowls in order – flour, buttermilk, then cornmeal. Keep one hand for dry ingredients and one for wet.

This trick keeps the mess to a minimum and your breading station working smoothly.

Getting That Perfect Golden Crisp

Finding the Right Heat Level

Andrew heats his oil to 325°F in a trusty cast iron pan. This temperature is your sweet spot for golden perfection.

Too hot and your coating burns before the tomato cooks through. Too cool and you get soggy, greasy results.

He uses a few inches of vegetable oil, which gives the tomatoes room to float and cook evenly. Cast iron works beautifully because it holds heat so well, but any heavy-bottomed pot will do the trick.

Mom tip: If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of bread into the oil. It should sizzle and turn golden in about 60 seconds when the temperature is just right.

Cooking Small Groups at a Time

Andrew never crowds his pan. He drops the breaded tomatoes in carefully, making sure they don’t touch or overlap too much.

This lets each slice get that gorgeous golden color all around.

The tomatoes start at the bottom of the pan. As they cook and get crispy, they naturally float to the top.

That’s your signal they’re getting close to done.

Watch for these signs:

• Golden brown color all over
• Crispy-looking coating
• Floating at the surface

He removes them when they look perfectly golden and crisp. No guessing needed!

Getting Rid of Extra Oil

Fresh from the hot oil, Andrew places his fried tomatoes on paper towels right away. This step matters more than you might think.

Those paper towels soak up the extra oil that could make your crispy coating go soft.

Let them drain for just a minute or two. You want them hot and fresh, not sitting around getting cold.

A wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet works even better than paper towels if you have one handy. It lets air flow all around each piece.

The result? Crispy, golden slices that stay crunchy right up until that last delicious bite.

Serving and Enjoying

Presenting with Care

When it’s time to plate these golden beauties, Andrew goes for the classic approach. He arranges the crispy fried green tomatoes on a clean plate alongside a generous dollop of that tangy remoulade sauce.

The golden-brown coating looks absolutely picture-perfect against the white plate.

Pro tip for busy moms: You can make the remoulade sauce up to three days ahead and store it in the fridge. This saves precious time when you’re trying to get dinner on the table!

Dipping in Remoulade

The homemade remoulade really makes these tomatoes shine. Andrew pairs each crispy slice with a good dip of the creamy, spicy sauce.

The combination of the crunchy coating and tangy sauce creates the perfect bite.

Here’s what goes into that delicious sauce:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• 1-2 minced garlic cloves
• 1-2 chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon chopped capers
• 3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce to taste
• Cayenne pepper and smoked paprika

Grandma’s wisdom: If the kids find the remoulade too spicy, try serving ranch dressing on the side as an alternative!

Family Approval Test

Since Andrew couldn’t taste much due to his stuffy nose, he called in reinforcements. His dad stepped up as the official taste tester, and the results were fantastic.

Dad’s enthusiastic review: “These are the most delicious fried foods I’ve ever had!”

The family dog Sawyer even got in on the action, doing his happy dance around the kitchen. Andrew’s dad declared them worthy of the “Clean Plate Club,” which is exactly the kind of stamp of approval every home cook hopes for.

This recipe clearly passes the ultimate test – making the whole family happy at dinnertime.

Storing and Keeping Food Fresh

These golden beauties are best enjoyed right away while they’re still warm and crispy. The contrast between the hot, crunchy coating and the tangy tomato inside is what makes them so special.

If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to two days. Just pop them in an airtight container once they’ve cooled completely. Don’t stack them on top of each other – lay them in a single layer or put parchment paper between layers to keep the breading from getting soggy.

To reheat leftover fried green tomatoes, skip the microwave. It will make them mushy and sad.

Instead, heat your oven to 375°F and place the tomatoes on a baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes. This brings back some of that crispy texture we all love.

The remoulade sauce keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to a week. It actually tastes better after sitting overnight – all those flavors get to know each other.

Store it in a covered container and give it a quick stir before serving.

Fresh tomato tips: Green tomatoes last longer than ripe ones. Keep them on your counter for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

Look for firm tomatoes without soft spots. If they start turning red, use them quickly or they’ll get too soft for frying.

The breaded tomato slices can be prepared ahead of time. Bread them in the morning and keep them in the fridge on a parchment-lined tray.

Just fry them up when you’re ready to eat. This trick saves time during busy weeknight dinners.

Grandma’s tip: Salt your tomato slices and let them sit like he does in the video. This step removes extra water that would make your oil splatter and your coating soggy.

It’s worth the extra 30 minutes of waiting time.

Wrapping Up With Heart

Andrew wraps up this cozy cooking adventure with the sweetest touch – bringing in his dad as a taste tester! When a stuffy nose gets in the way of enjoying his own creation, he calls over his father to give these golden beauties a proper taste test.

His dad doesn’t hesitate for a second, diving right into those crispy, golden slices. The verdict? “These are the most delicious fried foods I’ve ever had!” Now that’s the kind of praise every cook dreams of hearing.

Andrew asks the all-important question – are they “Clean-Plate-Club” worthy? You bet they are!

His dad gives them a hearty thumbs up.

Even little Sawyer the dog gets in on the action, doing his happy dance around the kitchen. Though Andrew mentions with a chuckle that Sawyer always dances like that, it’s clear these fried green tomatoes are a hit with the whole family.

Mom Tips for Your Kitchen:

• Keep a meat thermometer handy to check that oil temperature
• Set up your breading station before you start – it makes the whole process smoother
• Have extra paper towels ready for draining
• Let the kids help with the dredging (it’s messy fun!)

The whole scene feels just like Sunday dinner at grandma’s house, where good food brings everyone together. Sometimes the best recipe reviews come from the people we love most, gathered around our own kitchen table.