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The Ingredients

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• Green tomatoes (they should be firm, and feel heavy in your hand)

• Salt (to taste)

• Black pepper (to taste)

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1-1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs

• 1 T. of buttermilk dressing mix (the dry kind in the small packages)

• Grease from pasture-raised bacon (we use type with no sugar or nitrates)

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The Directions:

 

I haven't mentioned the amount of salt or pepper, nor the amount of green tomatoes -- this recipe can be used to fry 2 or 3, or to make enough for a crowd.

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1. Slice your green tomatoes 1/3 of an inch thick. Some people slice them too thickly -- which means that your batter will get soggy and they won't have a crisp exterior. Slice them too thinly and they're tasteless.

2. Add bacon grease to your skillet to a depth of one inch, and turn your heat to high. Use a cooking thermometer to make sure you bring your oil up to 360 degrees.

3. Having a high temperature before you put in your battered green tomatoes is really important -- it's what makes them crisp, and helps them to color really beautifully.

4. Set up three shallow bowls:  One with egg (mixed with fork), one with flour and one with Italian bread crumbs and buttermilk mix.

5. Put the slices of green tomato into your flour mixture and turn to coat.  The flour will stick to the tomatoes if they are allowed to sit for a minute or two.

6. Then put slices into the egg mixture to coat and lastly into the bread crumb mixture.

7. Shake off excess and now you are ready to fry them.

 

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Once your oil has reached the right temperature, slowly lower the battered tomatoes into the oil -- I usually put in about six at a time.

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Let them fry for several minutes (you'll see that the bottom has turned a golden brown) then carefully turn the slices over and let them continue to fry until they're golden on all sides.

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DO NOT COVER THE TOMATOES. Covering them will cause the crust to soften and become soggy. DO NOT STACK the tomatoes on top of each other until they have been on the plate for at least 10 minutes. Stacking them will cause the ones on the bottom to become soggy.

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Wait a minute or two for the oil to return to 360 degrees, then put in another batch of battered green tomatoes.

Before you serve them, salt the fried green tomatoes again. Believe me, they really do need a second salting for flavor.

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You'll get raves!

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Some people like to eat them with ranch dressing, we like them with Thousand Island dressing.