The art of cooking Southern fried okra is a culinary journey that leads to a delectable symphony of flavors, where crispy exteriors give way to tender, juicy interiors. This classic Southern dish has been a staple for generations, passed down from kitchen to kitchen, each cook adding their personal touch to create a unique variation of this iconic dish. Whether you prefer your okra dredged in seasoned flour or cornmeal, fried to golden perfection in a cast-iron skillet or a modern air fryer, the secrets to achieving the ultimate Southern fried okra lie in careful ingredient selection, precise cooking techniques, and a dash of Southern charm.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
SOUTHERN FRIED OKRA
Golden brown with a little fresh green showing through, this fried okra recipe is crunchy and addicting! My sons like to dip them in ketchup. -Pam Duncan, Summers, Arkansas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 30m
Yield 2 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Pat okra dry with paper towels. Place buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, seasoning blend and pepper. Dip okra in buttermilk, then roll in cornmeal mixture., In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry okra, a few pieces at a time, for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 368 calories, Fat 31g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 1mg cholesterol, Sodium 410mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 5g protein.
SOUTHERN FRIED OKRA
This is another recipe I grew up with. This is passed down from word of mouth, no one has ever written it down before! Fresh, fried okra is soo simple to fix and soo good!
Provided by Jessica K
Categories Vegetable
Time 40m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a big bowl beat egg with a fork, pour milk in and combine. Pour the cornmeal in another big bowl.
- Pour enough oil in a big skillet, halfway up, or you can use a deep fryer. Set heat to Medium-high.
- Put some okra pieces in milk mixture and then coat in cornmeal batter. Fry in skillet 10-15 min, occasionally turning/stirring them around. They are done when crispy and golden brown but not black!
- Drain on paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (i don't use pepper but some people prefer it).
- Repeat with rest of okra till all gone. Enjoy!
SOUTHERN STYLE FRIED OKRA
The ingredients used in this recipe come together to make a very tasty version of fried okra. It doesn't have a lot of ingredients, takes no time to prepare and cook, and is quite simple.
Provided by Craig B
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Onion
Time 1h5m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Place vegetables in a colander, rinse with cold water, and transfer to a large mixing bowl. In this next step, use your best judgement. Add enough corn meal to coat all of the vegetables in the bowl. Toss lightly till vegetables are coated with corn meal, adding more corn meal if necessary.
- In a large frying pan, pour in oil to cover bottom of the pan; place pan over medium to medium-high heat. Heat oil until hot but not smoking. To test if oil is ready, wet your fingers with some water and flick water into oil. If the oil sizzles immediately, it is ready to cook.
- Spoon out vegetables into frying pan in a single layer. When vegetables turn golden brown on bottom, flip them over, and continue cooking until browned on the other side. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels to drain oil. Repeat process till all vegetables are cooked.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 235.9 calories, Carbohydrate 41.9 g, Cholesterol 0.8 mg, Fat 5.8 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 5.3 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 488.6 mg, Sugar 5.2 g
SPICY SOUTHERN-FRIED OKRA
This is a great way to use summer vegetables, including green tomatoes. If you want to be truly authentic, use an iron skillet!
Provided by Melissa Hamilton
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Spicy
Time 45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Combine okra, onion, green tomato, jalapeno pepper, and garlic in a large bowl. Whisk milk, eggs, salt, and black pepper together in a separate bowl; pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Gradually add cornmeal to vegetable mixture until liquid is absorbed and ingredients are moist and evenly mixed.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; spoon batter into skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Fry until bottom of fritter is browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Flip fritter and fry until other side is browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Cut into slices to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 165.7 calories, Carbohydrate 28.2 g, Cholesterol 63.6 mg, Fat 3.5 g, Fiber 4.1 g, Protein 6.6 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 141.1 mg, Sugar 4.4 g
SOUTHERN FRIED OKRA WITH JALAPENO YOGURT SAUCE
Southern Fried Okra is crispy, crunchy and just a tad peppery. Served with Jalapeno Yogurt Sauce it makes the perfect appetizer or side dish for fish, chicken, and pork.
Provided by Beth Pierce
Categories Vegetables
Time 15m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- 1. Mix yogurt, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro in non reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
- 2. Trim okra by cutting away and discarding tips and stems. Cut in 1/2 inch thick slices. Soak in buttermilk for 30 minutes. Keep chilled.
- 3. Combine cornmeal, flour and Cajun seasoning in large ziploc bag.
- 4. Working in small batches remove okra from buttermilk with slotted spoon. Add okra to ziploc bag and shake to coat.
- 5. Pour oil in dutch oven or heavy pan to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Using the tongs remove the okra from the bag and add to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on the bottom then flip and fry until the other side is golden brown; approximately 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- 6. Serve warm with jalapeno yogurt sauce.
Tips:
- Choose fresh, tender okra pods that are about 2-3 inches long. Avoid pods that are too large or have blemishes.
- Wash the okra pods thoroughly and pat them dry.
- Cut the okra pods into 1-inch pieces.
- Soak the okra pods in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes. This will help to tenderize the okra and make it more flavorful.
- Season the okra with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Coat the okra in flour and then fry it in hot oil until it is golden brown and crispy.
- Drain the okra on paper towels and serve it hot.
Conclusion:
Southern fried okra is a delicious and easy-to-make side dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is a great way to use up fresh okra and it is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. With its crispy coating and tender interior, southern fried okra is a classic Southern dish that is sure to please everyone.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
#30-minutes-or-less #time-to-make #course #main-ingredient #cuisine #preparation #occasion #north-american #side-dishes #vegetables #american #southern-united-states #holiday-event #stove-top #dietary #inexpensive #kwanzaa #equipment #soul
You'll also love