Proclaimed “one of the best fried green tomatoes” by Guy Fieri, host of Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games, this fried green tomato recipe includes a few whammy ingredients that make them quirky but crazy delicious!
I’m still reeling. I just can’t believe I was a contestant on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games! I’ve always been a huge fan of the show. It’s always given me “Supermarket Sweep” vibes and that’s one of my favorite shows from my childhood. Still, when they reached about me being on a show featuring home cook dads, I was very nervous. I’m not super competitive and don’t do well under pressure. As a blogger and recipe developer, I can honestly take all the time I need cooking and creating recipes, so the idea of having to shop, cook, prep, and plate a dish in 30 minutes gave me hives!
With the encouragement of my family, I ended up agreeing and literally had the time of my life! It was an absolute blast!
Competing with the other dad’s was an amazing experience and we’re still in touch!
Spoiler Alert: I didn’t win, but came in second place. And losing to a super nice guy like Tim made it way more tolerable.
At the end of the day, I feel like I won anyway. When I was making my fried green tomatoes during the last round, Guy said, “That’s like one of the best fried green tomatoes I’ve ever had! That’s textbook!” He said it again to the judges as well. I was thrilled and so honored by those words.
So that’s what I’m sharing with y’all today, the recipe for fried green tomatoes that I made on Guy’s Grocery Games. Y’all enjoy!
What makes these fried green tomatoes different?
During the Home Cook Dad’s episode of Guy’s Grocery Games, the four dads were challenged with “Grocery Bowl” – a game where we had to use watermelons as bowling balls to knock down 2-liter soda bottle pins labeled with random ingredients. Any pins left standing had to be included in our dishes. We were left with lager, mustard, and bbq potato chips.
I created an open faced grilled pimento cheese sandwich topped with fried green tomatoes.
I used the beer in my buttermilk for dredging the tomatoes and used the crushed potato chips with cornmeal as my breading.
How do I pick green tomatoes?
I actually prefer tomatoes that aren’t super firm and bright green. I like to choose tomatoes that are lightly turning from yellow to green and are just slightly soft. The firm ones work just fine, I just feel like the ones with that slight yellow tint taste better.
Are green tomatoes just unripe tomatoes?
While there is a variety of tomato that remains green when fully ripe, most green tomatoes you’ll find in the grocery store and the ones you’ll need for this recipe are simply unripe tomatoes.
Can fried green tomatoes be frozen?
Yes! Once they have been breaded, you can place the tomatoes on a wire rack and freeze them. Once frozen, you can put them in a sealable container or zip-top bag to freeze for about 6 months. The tomatoes can then be cooked from frozen at the same temperature with the addition of a few minutes.
Can fried green tomatoes be made in the air fryer?
Yep! Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the basket with oil, olive oil spray, or nonstick cooking spray. Place the breaded tomatoes in the basket and spritz them with oil as well. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once about halfway through.
How to serve fried green tomatoes
Fried green tomatoes are great served all by themselves, but can be served alongside a delicious remoulade sauce. You could also serve them as I did on the television show on an open-faced grilled pimento cheese sandwich drizzled with a little hot sauce.
Best Fried Green Tomatoes from Guy’s Grocery Games
Ingredients
- 3 large green tomatoes
- 1 (7.5-ounce) bag Kettle Brand BBQ Potato Chips
- 1 cup plain cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup beer
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes into 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices and sandwich them between paper towels to wick away excess moisture.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the potato chips, corn meal, and salt and pulse until the chips are finely crushed. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and beer. Set aside.
- In a third medium bowl, add the all-purpose flour. Set aside.
- Pour about 2 inches of oil into the bottom of a heavy dutch oven or deep cast iron skillet. Be cautious not to fill the vessel any more than 1/3 of the way full. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F.
- Coat the tomatoes lightly in the flour, then dip it into the buttermilk mixture. Then lightly coat them in the potato chip and cornmeal mixture.
- Fry in batches, being cautious not to crowd the pan. Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature as close to 350°F as possible. Cook for 2 minutes on one side, then gently flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Cook until just lightly golden brown. Drain on a pan lined with paper towels topped with a wire rack to allow the excess oil to drip away. Sprinkle the warm tomatoes with additional salt, if desired. Serve warm.
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