Fried Green Tomato Grilled Cheese Recipe

Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the skillet; discard excess fat.

Roughly chop the cooked bacon and set aside.

Add the finely chopped onion to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8–10 minutes.

Add the minced habanero (start with half if you prefer milder heat) and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency, about 8–10 minutes.

Add chopped bacon back to the skillet, season with salt and black pepper, and cook 1–2 minutes to meld flavors. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Adjust seasoning if needed. (Makes about 3/4 cup.)

In a medium sauté pan, heat butter and olive oil over medium-low heat until butter melts.

Add the thinly sliced onions, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper, and cook, stirring every few minutes, until deeply golden and caramelized, about 25–30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon brown sugar about halfway through if you want a richer color.

If onions begin to stick, add a splash (1–2 tablespoons) of water and scrape up browned bits. When caramelized, remove from heat and keep warm.

Pat tomato slices dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Set up a breading station: one shallow bowl with flour, one with beaten eggs mixed with 1 tablespoon buttermilk, and one with cornmeal combined with smoked paprika and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Dredge each tomato slice first in flour (shake off excess), then dip into the egg mixture, then press into the cornmeal mixture to coat evenly.

In a large skillet, pour enough vegetable oil to reach about 1/4" depth and heat over medium-high until shimmering (about 350°F). Carefully add tomato slices in a single layer and fry until golden brown, 2–3 minutes per side.

Transfer fried tomatoes to a wire rack or paper towels to drain and season immediately with a pinch of salt.

Butter one side of each slice of Texas toast with room-temperature butter.

Place two slices of bread, buttered-side down, on a clean work surface. Layer on each: 2 slices sharp cheddar, a generous spoonful (about 1–2 tablespoons) of habanero bacon jam, a portion of caramelized onions (about 2 tablespoons), 2 fried green tomato slices (overlapping if needed), another 2 slices cheddar, and optional microgreens or arugula. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place assembled sandwiches in the skillet and cook until the bread is golden brown and cheese begins to melt, about 3–4 minutes.

Press gently with a spatula, then carefully flip and cook the second side until golden and cheese is fully melted, another 3–4 minutes. If the bread browns before cheese melts, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan for 1–2 minutes to help melt the cheese.

Remove sandwiches from skillet and let rest 1 minute. Slice in half and serve immediately with any extra habanero bacon jam on the side.