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Fried green tomatoes may have a Southern reputation, but anyone can fry up these crispy delights! To some folks, they're an easy finger food idea while others enjoy them as a side dish, but everyone thinks they're delicious. Ree Drummond herself would agree: "Fried green tomatoes are the best summer indulgence!" So of all the outstanding summer tomato recipes, this is one of the most crave-worthy—just be sure to let them cool slightly so you don't burn those fingers!

How do you fry green tomatoes?

Frying green tomatoes is easy—it's the same basic method as breading and frying anything else. Start with a light dusting of flour on the tomatoes (it helps the buttermilk-egg mixture cling to the tomatoes better when they're dipped). After that, the dipped tomatoes go right into the cornmeal breading mixture. For less mess, set up your dredging and dipping station with the bowls right next to each other to minimize spills.

Are green tomatoes the same as tomatillos?

Although they look similar, they are quite different. Tomatillos are smaller, have a papery husk, and are typically much more tart that green tomatoes, which are just unripe red tomatoes. You'll often see them at markets during late spring and throughout the summer months.

What's the best way to eat fried green tomatoes?

For snacking or an appetizer, fried green tomatoes are a great partner for party dips! Try them with homemade ranch dressing, tzatziki, or even burger sauce! If you want to get really wild (and you should!) tuck a few fried green tomatoes into Ree Drummond's Monster BLT for the ultimate summer sandwich!

The oil will drop in temperature while cooking each batch. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the temperature between 350° to 375°.