Couldn't wait for my tomatoes to ripen. So I decided......

15 years ago

....to try fried green tomatoes. My Brandywines and Mortgage Lifters have some huge fruit but only a few will be ready to pick in a week or so. I've been eyeing some of the big green ones and picked this recipe from the Food Network:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/fried-green-tomatoes-recipe/index.html

Man they were great! I've never had FGT before, Saw the movie, read about them and hear that they're popular in the south. They were so good I was eating them as they were coming out of the pan. My only modification to the above recipe would be to add more cayenne pepper, and if you don't like the tang of the buttermilk after it's cooked try plain milk.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

davidandkasie
15 years ago
if you like them enough and want FGT all year long, pick a bunch and slice them up. then put them in a vacuum bag and freeze them. when you want FGT, just take a bag out and sit in in a sink of cold water for 30 minutes. don't open the bag to thaw or they get mushy!

we batter ours by soaking them in milk for a few minutes, then drop them over in a bowl of corn meal, pepper, salt, and a touch of flour. fry until crispy. i like mine almost burnt, my wife considers them burnt if the mater is cooked, but i do mine until the mater itself is crunchy.
penserosa
15 years ago
Can you give me a hint about their taste? I'm curious but need a push...
Related Discussions
I couldn't wait for seed to arrive... Now I have questions
Q
Comments (14)
Last year, I started seedlings, in disposable seed starting trays, on the heating mat, with the clear plastic dome. When they were too tall for the dome, I transferred them into bigger pots and placed the seedlings into my cool, 65 degrees F, house air. Nearly every one died. The temp shock was too much. Be careful with that - I think I cried. The younger the sprouts are, the more heat and humidity they need. Peppers usually like it warmer then tomatoes. Transferring them to too cool/dry of an environment before they have developed the roots can be deadly. I hope to never repeat that mistake. Happy Gardening -
...See More
OK, I couldn't wait for fall. Photos of new garden!
Q
Comments (9)
hoovb, Hmm, that's a good idea! If I plant some border plants along there to cover the edge, i could work... but I am a bit worried about impacting the stability of the whole slab. The HOA replaced the fences recently and you can see, so it may have been their digging the new posts that caused it to sink and break (it was like that when we bought the place in May) so maybe they will repair it for me.
...See More
I couldn't take it, I ordered seeds
Q
Comments (21)
Terrene..thanks for the tactical advice, I think I may just sneak some containers into other areas of the yard where he is not likely to find them :-) My Zinnia Profusion Orange did come true from seed. This year I have seeds saved from last year's Park Profusion mix so I don't know yet whether the other Profusions also come true.. Phlox drumondii - nice choice...love it in pots where you can sink your nose into the flowers. It is kind of trailing in nature so I tend to let them ramble around the edges of pots rather than using them in the garden. Let us know how the Persian Carpet zinnia works out! I have admired that - it looks a little like a Blanket Flower which I can't seem to grow here (too damp). By the way Bear - the tropical milkweed that I grow for monarchs is Asclepias currassavica. They are easy to grow either indoors or via winter sowing. Because they're tropical in origin, you might want to hold off winter sowing them until later in the season, ie March. That's my experience, anyway.
...See More
tomatoes not ripening/ripening slowly
Q
Comments (4)
Hello kawaiineko, To me it sounds like your tomaotes are right on schedule, considering the unusual weather this year. I'm also in zone 5a and I don't expect to see any ripe tomatoes until mid-August or later. We had such a cold wet spring that I set out my first plants in the middle of June, and even then they tended to sulk and hardly even grew until it warmed up. Which it did with a vengeance! Days to Maturity (DTM) is a guideline or average for comparing various varietes ripening times from transplanting into the garden. If it were a hard and fast rule, you would just now start seeing ripe cherry tomatoes, and your other tomatoes would ripen 10-20 days later. "I know with some veggies, that if temperature extremes occur (too hot, too cold, or just a general fluctuation in temperatures) this stresses the plant out and reduces yields, or slows maturity time. I also know with some veggies that if it gets too hot, that this will interfere with fruit ripening. Do these rules apply to tomatoes too?" - Yes, it pretty much does. "If you overcrowd the containers (put too many plants in too small of a container) then will this cause tomatoes not to ripen, or delay ripening? I have three romas in a 30 gallon container, 3 cherries in 30 gallon container, and 4 slicers in a 30 gallon container." - Here I'll say maybe. I don't think your plants are over crowded since a 10 gallon container is usually considered ample for a single tomato plant, but you may be pushing it a little with 4 slicers in one 30 gallon container. "I water the plants every evening, but I'm wondering if I should water during the day so the soil is kept moist during the hottest part of the day?" Check the soil moisture about 3-5 inches below the surface and about the same from the edge of the container, is it too wet, damp or dry? If it is wet, don't water, if damp, check again later in the day or the next morning, if it is dry water it. It really isn't unusual to have to water container plants more than once a day when the weather is hot. Larger containers will not need watering as often. I sure hope that helps. Betsy
...See More
cyumickey
15 years ago
can you use any tomato for FGT? do they all taste the same when green?
mr_potaohead
Original Author
15 years ago
penserosa-
I would say they taste like a deep fried zucchini. But since I've only sampled a Brandywine and a Mortgage Lifter my opinion is limited to those two. I'm going to try some of my Green Zebras and Chocolate Stripes to see if there is any difference in taste.

cyumickey-
As far as I can see any green unripened tomato will work. Not a ripe green tomato. They need to be very firm when frying or it will just turn to mush.
reaverg
15 years ago
"cyumickey-
As far as I can see any green unripened tomato will work. Not a ripe green tomato. They need to be very firm when frying or it will just turn to mush."

cyumickey-
Also, I think the meatier the fruit is - the better it is suited for FGT. Though I haven't had them in years.
lehua49
15 years ago
Hi All,

Do you think it would be similar to vegetable tempura? I have never tried GFT but Vegetable Tempura is great. It would be called Green Tomatoe Tempura (GTT).

Aloha.
cyumickey
15 years ago
thanks...I have a lot of mr stripeys growing, and if I don't like the tomato, I will experiment with FGT...
tomayto808
15 years ago
Never seen green tomato tempura before but I'd love to try some. Tempura shrimp, zucchini, sweet potato, mushroom, long beans, tomato...Mmm mmm.
mr_potaohead
Original Author
15 years ago
lehua13-
I'm going to give tomato tempura a shot this weekend!

Where is zone 10A?
cyumickey
15 years ago
made some FGT last night with the mr. stripeys...yum is all I can say about that! LOL If the mr stripeys refuse to ripen, then I guess I will be eating a lot of FGT...
sunnyk
15 years ago
I love Fried Green Tomato Parmesan....Mmmmmm....

I have always wanted to get a vacuum Sealer...now I have a good reason to get one. I really like the idea of sealing and freezing green tomatoes for winter use....brilliant!!Thanks for the fantastic idea! :)

Couldn't wait for my tomatoes to ripen. So I decided......

Comments (11)

davidandkasie

penserosa

Related Discussions

cyumickey

mr_potaohead
Original Author

reaverg

lehua49

cyumickey

tomayto808

mr_potaohead
Original Author

cyumickey

sunnyk

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Couldn't wait for my tomatoes to ripen. So I decided......

Comments (11)

Related Discussions

mr_potaoheadOriginal Author

mr_potaoheadOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

mr_potaohead
Original Author

mr_potaohead
Original Author