Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

Make chutney

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped ripe tomatoes, roasted red peppers, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, about 20–25 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and keep warm or let cool to room temperature.

Prepare tomato butter

In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon minced chives and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until smooth and homogeneous. Transfer to plastic wrap, form into a small log if desired, and chill until ready to serve.

Cook grits

Bring 4 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in 1 cup stone-ground grits. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring frequently to prevent lumps, until thick and tender, about 25–35 minutes (stone-ground grits take longer). Stir in 1 cup whole milk, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook 3–5 more minutes until creamy. Keep warm and stir occasionally; if too thick, thin with a little more milk or stock.

Warm ham and caramelized onions

If you don't have pre-made caramelized onions, thinly slice one medium yellow onion and cook in 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat, stirring often, until deeply golden and sweet, about 25–30 minutes; season with a pinch of salt. Warm country ham slices briefly in a skillet over low heat 1–2 minutes per side until just heated and slightly crisp at the edges. Keep both warm for plating.

Prepare tomatoes

Slice 4 medium firm green tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick rounds (discard small end pieces). Season both sides lightly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper total distributed across slices.

Breading stations

Set up three shallow bowls: Bowl 1 - 1 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Bowl 2 - 1 cup buttermilk beaten with 2 large eggs until combined; Bowl 3 - mixture of 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal and 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, mixed and seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Bread the tomatoes

Working one slice at a time, dredge tomato round in seasoned flour, shaking off excess; dip into egg-buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off; press into cornmeal-panko mixture until well coated. Place on a wire rack and repeat with remaining slices. Let set 5–10 minutes so coating adheres.

Fry

Pour neutral oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch (approximately 1 cup). Heat over medium-high until shimmering and a small pinch of breading sizzles on contact (about 350°F if using thermometer). Add tomato slices in a single layer without crowding (work in batches). Fry 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Adjust heat to maintain even browning. Transfer fried tomatoes to a paper towel–lined plate and immediately season with a pinch of salt. For extra richness, finish each batch with a small pat of the 2 tablespoons butter melted in the pan and spooned over the tomatoes before transferring to the rack.

Assemble and serve

To serve 4 portions: Spoon a generous ladle of warm grits onto each plate. Place 2 fried green tomato slices atop the grits. Add a slice of warmed country ham and 2 tablespoons caramelized onions beside or atop the tomatoes. Dollop 1 tablespoon tomato chutney over the tomatoes and place a small slice or dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of tomato butter on the hot tomatoes so it melts. Sprinkle each plate with 1/2 tablespoon thinly sliced chives. Serve immediately so tomatoes remain crisp and butter melts into the grits.