A tried-and-true Southern classic, fried green tomatoes are delicious by themselves or served as a side. Easy to make, and ready in less than 30 minutes.
Slice green tomatoes ¼ inch thick. If you prefer your fried green tomatoes super-crispy, slice them a little thinner.
Bread the Tomatoes
Prepare three bowls (or pie plates) as follows: Bowl 1: Mix Wondra, paprika, and garlic salt. Bowl 2: Whisk together eggs and buttermilk.Bowl 3: Mix Wondra, masa harina, panko crumbs, kosher salt, white pepper, and paprika.
Dip each tomato slice first into the flour mixture in Bowl 1, coating both sides. Then dip into bowl 2, and finally into bowl 3. Gently shake off any excess breading mixture, and place the coated tomato on a plate.
Continue breading tomato slices until all are coated. Place on plate or cooling rack until all tomatoes have been breaded. DO NOT Stack or overlap breaded tomatoes before your fry them.
Preheat the Skillet
Carefully prepare the area before you begin frying the battered tomatoes. Always make sure that the work surface you are frying on is stable. Add oil to skillet until it is ⅛-¼ inch deep. Preheat oil in skillet to 340° [171°C].For crisp frying, oil must maintain a temperature of 325-340F° [162°-171°C] throughout the cooking process.I usually set the temperature of my electric skillet to 350F° [177°C] when it’s heating up, and drop it down a few degrees to about 335° when the tomatoes are actively frying.
Fry the Tomatoes
When you are ready to fry the tomatoes, reduce the skillet temperature to 335° | 168°C, and use a fork to gently slide each breaded tomato into preheated oil.
Fry the breaded tomatoes for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown on one side.Using tongs or a fork, carefully flip and fry for another 3 minutes, or until dark golden brown.
Remove from hot oil and allow to cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.
Notes
Skillet Temperature: If you don’t have an electric skillet or a kitchen thermometer, the easiest and safest method of determining whether your oil is ready to fry is to stick the end of a wooden spoon in it.If you see many bubbles form around the wood, the oil is ready for frying. If it is aggressively bubbling, reduce the heat and let it cool off a bit.Paprika choice can dramatically influence the flavor of your tomatoes. we prefer using a mild smoked paprika. If you want a little more heat, use a hotter paprika.