You will love these Fried Green Tomatoes from Andrew at Binging with Babish. He covers how to slice them properly, make a remoulade, set up your breading station, and fry the tomatoes.
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The remoulade is made from scratch, which means great flavor. I like fried foods; one of my favorites is fried courgette flowers. I had never tried them before until recently and absolutely fell in love with them.
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My biggest tip with these Fried Green Tomatoes is to make the remoulade yourself. You can buy some pretty good ones at the store now, but nothing compares to making it fresh. The flavor is mind-blowing.
My favorite way to eat these Fried Green Tomatoes is alongside seafood, like fried shrimp, or even eating alongside pulled pork.
Key Takeaways
Getting Your Ingredients and Equipment Ready
Picking Perfect Green Tomatoes
To get your ingredients ready, start with green tomatoes. You need to look for a firm tomato, as these withstand the frying much better than a soft tomato.
My most important tip would be to not skip the salting. This helps to draw the excess moisture from the tomato and make sure your fried green tomatoes turn out crisp, and you can actually prep these ahead of time, so all you actually need to do is give them a quick fry.
I am familiar with salting tomatoes, as I do this step when making a tomato galette so the pastry doesn't turn soggy. It's the same principle here.
Must-Have Kitchen Equipment for Frying
Getting Your Green Tomatoes Ready
Cutting Tomatoes Just Right
To get your tomatoes ready, start with a sharp knife. You need this to ensure you get a clean slice of tomato. You could also use a mandoline if you have one. This is important as we want to cut them cleanly and evenly at around a quarter-inch thickness. This means they are thin enough to cook through properly.
By cutting everything evenly, it will cook evenly, and you'll get better results. Don't skip the salting of the tomatoes, as it helps ensure a crispy result. Cutting tomatoes is great for determining whether your knife needs sharpening. You should be able to easily cut through them, and the knife does the work.
Adding Salt for Better Taste and Feel
Homemade Remoulade Sauce
To make the homemade remoulade, you will need mayo, mustard, lemon, and garlic. Whole grain mustard is used to give some texture, and when using raw garlic in this sauce, you need to make sure it is minced finely, using a sharp knife or even the fine cutting teeth on a grater.
Don't forget the lemon, as this helps to balance the richness of the creamy sauce. I like plenty of mustard in my sauces, but you can adjust to taste. I love remoulade, and it is great for serving with not only other fried foods, but my favorite is with seafood.
Once you start getting into the habit of making your own sauces, you realize how easy it is, and you will be able to do them without the need for a recipe.
Creating the Creamy Foundation
Adding the Flavor Boosters
Family Recipe Secrets
| 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 |
Getting Your Breading Station Ready
Making That Perfect Crispy Mix
The next thing you need to do is get your breading station ready. The dry coating is a mixture of cornmeal and bread crumbs, giving it that Southern-style texture and crunch once it is fried.
Season the flour with onion powder, white pepper, garlic powder, and kosher salt. If you want to add extra flavor to the flour, add some dried herbs.
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You need to set up the wet bath of eggs and buttermilk. This helps to bind the coating before breading. So you start off in the seasoned flour, then in the buttermilk, and then in the breadcrumbs. That's the process to follow.
Remember to dry the vegetables, giving them a gentle pat with a paper towel to help everything stick. Another handy tip as well is to keep one hand for the dry ingredients and one hand for the wet, so that we don't end up with lots of clumps of batter over your fingers.
The Egg and Buttermilk Bath
Keeping Your Hands Clean and Getting Even Results
Getting That Perfect Golden Crisp
Finding the Right Heat Level
To get you the perfect crispiness on your green tomatoes, it's all about the type of pan you use and the oil temperature. Andrew uses a cast iron pan, which is ideal for heat retention, instead of using a lighter pan. Shallow frying this way helps the food to float and cook evenly. Just be careful not to overcrowd the pan, as this can bring down the oil temperature and tomatoes will steam instead of fry.
A thermometer gives you an accurate oil temperature, but if you don't have one, use the old-school bread test: if it sizzles and turns golden, the oil is ready.
I'm a huge fan of using cast iron in my cooking, and if you get a good pan, it can last your lifetime. My number one tip is definitely not to be impatient and try stuffing as much as you can in the pan. The tomatoes will not crisp up this way.
Cooking Small Groups at a Time
Getting Rid of Extra Oil
Serving and Enjoying
Presenting with Care
Fried green tomatoes are delicious with the tangy, creamy remoulade sauce (which you can even prep up to three days ahead). It's nice to plate these on a plain white plate, as this helps to make the golden coating stand out.
I love the pairing of the remoulade with its tanginess and the crunchy texture from the tomatoes. Try to plate them up nicely, as we do tend to eat with our eyes, and food just looks so much better when it is plated with a little bit of care.
The good thing about prepping the sauce in advance is that it helps the flavors develop, and it'll be extra tasty when you come to serve it.
Dipping in Remoulade
Family Approval Test
Storing and Keeping Food Fresh
The fried green tomatoes are best eaten fresh while they are still warm and crispy, but if you need to store them in the fridge, you can do so for up to two days. Try layering them with paper towels to prevent them from turning soggy. If you just pile them into a storage container, they will definitely get soggy.
When it comes to reheating them, don't use the microwave, as they tend to get mushy. Using the oven or even an air fryer would be the best way to keep them crisp.
These are so good, though. In my house, we never have any leftovers; just keep in mind that if you do reheat them, they won't be as crispy as when they were made fresh
Wrapping Up With Heart
Being Scottish, I love fried foods in general. There's nothing quite like the crispy coating and an even golden color when done right. Fried foods can give a lot of flavor and texture.
It's always quite handy to have someone else taste something you make. You may think it's okay, but they will be able to pick up on flavors you can't. So you can get a feel for cooking to other people's tastes.
This is one of the things I love about cooking: being able to make something that people enjoy. And it's also a great way to get your family together and create a fantastic atmosphere.
Cooking is so much more than just feeding ourselves. It helps bring us together.
