Southern Fried Okra, a simple Southern classic, is dredged in self-rising cornmeal and then fried until golden. Want to know the simple secret to keeping okra crisp on the outside while tender on the inside?
FRIED OKRA
This fried okra recipe comes together in no time and is simply the most delicious little pieces of crunchy okra popcorn you will ever eat. It's not your deep-fried restaurant fried okra. It is the skillet pan-fried okra, just like my mother taught me.
My Mother was an expert at Pan Frying Okra. She could fry it crispy on the outside, almost caramelized shell, and at the same time very tender inside.
Her method of pan-frying the okra was in the fat she fried it in. She used melted shortening and bacon grease. If you do not like shortening and bacon grease (horas), then vegetable oil is fine.
One rule she did have was not to salt the okra until after frying because it makes the okra lose too much moisture as it frys and will make it mushy. Her secret is to keep the okra tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
One rule she did have was not to salt the okra until after frying because it makes the okra lose too much moisture as it frys and will make it mushy. Her secret is to keep the okra tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
I must say, growing up, this was one of my all-time favorite dishes that my Mother cooked for us. She always cooked her okra in a cast-iron skillet and served it with fresh peas, onions quartered, and Chow Chow (southern relish).
When I was a girl growing up in the '60s, we ate many meals with just fresh vegetables out of the garden and a pan of cornbread to go with it, calling it a meal. That is the way we ate this pan of okra. I made a pan of cornbread along with a pot of peas and fried okra. Simple.... Scrumptious!
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE? TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR SOUTHERN FRIED OKRA
Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for Southern Fried Okra and similar recipe ideas you can have.
You can also scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with the amounts of the ingredients, complete instructions, and notes.
TIPS AND TIDBITS TO MAKE THE BEST SOUTHERN FRIED OKRA
Okra. Fresh okra is best, but in the winter months, when fresh okra is not as available, frozen sliced pods will work. Do not thaw them out. Just dredge them in the cornmeal and fry them frozen. Be sure to choose the smaller bright green pods and cut all the fresh okra the same size.
Coating okra. I toss my okra in a bowl, but sometimes I use a ziplock bag, which makes a quick way to coat the okra with little cleanup.
Frying. I like to use Crisco to fry my okra with a little bit of bacon grease, but vegetable oil will also work. Be sure not to walk away while frying; it can burn quickly.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE SOUTHERN FRIED OKRA
1-2 pounds of fresh okra stems removed, sliced 1/4-1/2-inch
1/2-3/4 cup yellow cornmeal ( I use yellow self-rising cornmeal mix)
1/2-3/4 cup yellow cornmeal ( I use yellow self-rising cornmeal mix)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable shortening and bacon grease or vegetable oil
salt to taste
1/2 cup vegetable shortening and bacon grease or vegetable oil
salt to taste
HOW TO PREPARE SOUTHERN FRIED OKRA
Preheat a large iron skillet over medium heat with shortening and bacon grease.
In a bowl, add okra, sprinkle cornmeal on top, and toss to coat.
In a bowl, add okra, sprinkle cornmeal on top, and toss to coat.
Drizzle the buttermilk over the tossed okra and toss the okra again until the coating stays on the okra.
Add the okra all at once to the prepared skillet and fry until golden brown on 1 side, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. If your skillet is not large enough. Only coat half of the okra at a time and cook in batches.
Do not disturb until the bottom is golden brown. Turn the okra with a spatula and do not disturb until most of the other side is golden brown for approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the okra all at once to the prepared skillet and fry until golden brown on 1 side, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. If your skillet is not large enough. Only coat half of the okra at a time and cook in batches.
Do not disturb until the bottom is golden brown. Turn the okra with a spatula and do not disturb until most of the other side is golden brown for approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
Now stir occasionally, breaking up any clumps until all the okra is golden on all sides, for approximately another 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the okra from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and transfer it to a sheet pan lined with a paper towel.
Season to taste with salt and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
WHERE YOU MAY SEE THIS RECIPE
Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram | RSS
Looking for more recipes? Use the search bar in the top right-hand corner or click on My Recipe Box in the top menu.
MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES
Yield:
6-8
Southern Fried Okra
This fried okra recipe comes together in no time and is simply the most delicious little pieces of crunchy okra popcorn you will ever eat.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 1 MinTotal time: 31 Min
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat a large iron skillet over medium heat with shortening and bacon grease.
- In a bowl, add okra, sprinkle cornmeal on top, and toss to coat.
- Drizzle the buttermilk over the tossed okra and toss the okra again until the coating stays on the okra.
- Add the okra all at once to the prepared skillet and fry until golden brown on 1 side, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. If your skillet is not large enough. Only coat half of the okra at a time and cook in batches.
- Do not disturb until the bottom is golden brown. Turn the okra with a spatula and do not disturb until most of the other side is golden brown for approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
- Now stir occasionally, breaking up any clumps until all the okra is golden on all sides, for approximately another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the okra from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and transfer it to a sheet pan lined with a paper towel.
- Season to taste with salt and cool for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Okra. Fresh okra is best, but in the winter months, when fresh okra is not as available, frozen sliced pods will work. Do not thaw them out. Just dredge them in the cornmeal and fry them frozen. Be sure to choose the smaller bright green pods and cut all the fresh okra the same size.
Coating okra. I toss my okra in a bowl, but sometimes I use a ziplock bag, which makes a quick way to coat the okra with little cleanup.
Frying. I like to use Crisco to fry my okra with a little bit of bacon grease, but vegetable oil will also work. Be sure not to walk away while frying; it can burn quickly.
Well now that I've tried okra in soup and know that I like it, I'm anxious to try it in other ways. Hubby says he's had it fried when he lived down south and he loved it so I'm going to give this one a go!
ReplyDeleteYour skillet of okra looked like my mother's. She always fixed corn bread and fried potatoes with hers.
ReplyDeleteI was born in the mid-50s (in Oklahoma) and lots of your things look pleasantly familiar.
Good to visit such a nice, Christian blog.
I grew up in the 60's too :) but my mom didn't start cooking okra for us until I was in my teens. It's a favorite and my family loves it too. We can always get it at Captain D's. I've tried over and over though to make it where the breading doesn't fall apart but it always does. I'll try your mom's recipe and can't wait!! Thx for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThis is the way my family always cooked it. The recipe is spot on and I think one BIG important part of it coming out right is to use a cast iron skillet. I had it for dinner last night. The only think I do differently is drain it on a folded paper towel. YUM!
ReplyDeleteThis is the best recipe I've seen for the way my mama and grandmothers cooked it. I do believe the secret is the cast iron skillet. The only things I do differently are using corn meal mix instead of cornmeal and draining the okra on paper towels instead of a rack. It's delicious. Had it for dinner last night. YUM!
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE fried okra. We live in North GA and my husband is still happy with just veggies and corn bread. Hope to have okra soon in the garden. Going to cook the first mess of green beans today. With corn bread of course.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte Moore
My mom was from Joplin and she made fried okra as a treat for us. My husband and son are converts now. I can't wait for okra to show up at the farmers market!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness......you just took me back to my Grandmother's kitchen table. She didn't have a dining room! It's Sunday so we got to have fried chicken, fried okra, sliced tomatoes, cucumber and onions in vinegar (that's what we called it) and "sad" string beans seasoned with bacon grease. I know this may not sound too healthy, however, in the day we thought we had died and gone to food heaven. Oh yes, we had CORN BREAD from scratch in an iron skillet!! You sure took me back...sand so many thanks for doing so!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and sharing your sweet grandmother's memories. Welcome to CWK...stop back by soon!
DeleteYou really can't beat good, fried okra. Great recipe!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by Dan!
DeleteMy grandmothers made several things differently than most people do, even though both of them were from the Arkansas delta. I particularly loved Mamma's fried okra. She didn't use corn meal, but flour. Of course like all good southern cooks, she didn't use a recipe, but this is how she did it:
ReplyDeleteSlice okra into bowl and put about 1 tsp. salt on it. Let sit until slimy. Ad ¼ C water, and 1 heaping tsp. of baking powder. Add enough flour to make gummy. (about ½ Cup). Fry in small amount of bacon grease until brown on one side, turn and cook until done. This was always made in an iron skillet, and the okra was in a single layer. I never have managed to turn the whole pan and have it come out in a perfect, crispy circle when it was plated, so I usually make mine in individual patties. Try it, I bet you will be impressed.
My Mother made a similar dish which she called "Fried Gumbo". She added chopped tomatoes and onions to the cornmeal/okra mix and added an egg to hold it all together. Plop that into a cast iron skillet with shortening and bacon grease and you have a meal!!
ReplyDelete