Give Fried Green Tomatoes A Flavor Boost With This Genius Ingredient Swap

Most dishes adapt to multiple nuanced interpretations, regardless of regional identity or generational recipes. Every chef tucks a personalized trick or two inside their proverbial apron strings, and rightfully so. A world without culinary intrigue is unfathomable, whether highbrow Michelin-starred delicacies, sassy Cajun etoufees, or New England chowders. Then there's the distinctly down-home Southern dishes, which stick to tradition more than most, particularly with customs like deep-fried chicken, sweet ice tea, skillet cornbread, and, especially, fried green tomatoes. 

There's mostly one way to make fried green tomatoes: Deep fried with batter and oil, typically with a pre-dunk in beaten eggs or buttermilk. This simple fried side dish reached peak fame through the 1987 book "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café" and subsequent film "Fried Green Tomatoes," taking those tart green treasures out of Alabama and into mainstream America. That's when small recipe changes slid into the equation, such as the type of frying oil.

Many fried green tomato recipes now call for vegetable or canola oil, which is perfectly fine; an unripe 'mater is always tasty once it gets a full fry-up. But there's a new-old concept now re-bubbling to the surface, one that swaps out vegetable oil for bacon fat (aka bacon grease or bacon drippings). Not only is it a traditional way to cook Southern-style fried green tomatoes, but it also brings a major flavor boost. Tart tomatoes and earthy cornmeal batter get an infusion of smoky, salty umami flavor when sizzled in bacon fat.

If bacon grease clashes with your culinary instincts, no worries. Cooking with this Southern version of liquid gold is very similar to other types of oil, with a roughly 325-degree Fahrenheit smoke point suitable for short tomato-frying sessions. If so inclined, lighten things up with a compromise: Use vegetable oil combined with a smaller amount of bacon fat. That dreamy flavor will still make its presence known. 

It's a myth that green frying tomatoes have to be a specific variety, a specialty heirloom, or cross-breed such as a Green Zebra tomato. Fried green tomatoes can come from any type of ordinary tomato that's picked before it ripens. Since practically all tomatoes are green when unripe, that gives you a wide playground of potential fryers. Cut the firm green tomatoes into thick slices, ideally about one-fourth inch, then bread with cornmeal using your preferred method. All that's left now is to slide them into hot bacon grease and sizzle for a few minutes on each side until golden brown, infusing them with deep bacon essence.

Removing your cooked tomatoes from the sizzling fat while they're still firm and tart will make them ideal for crispy appetizer munchies or side dishes. I love them for either breakfast or dinner along with homemade buttered cornbread and black-eyed peas. Here's a couple more sizzling hot tips: Transform your notion of a BLT with these tangy bacon-flavored beauties, or perch them atop your favorite burger.