This may be one of those recipes that you want to bookmark for next summer. I’m fairly certain that we have seen the last of the fresh okra crop from our garden for this year. There will be a straggler or two, but not enough to fry up a mess as we say in the South. For me, fried okra is a summer luxury in the same vein as fresh heirloom tomatoes. I don’t mess with either one except during their proper season.
I’m always a little surprised to be asked about frying okra. It was just one of those things I grew up with, a stock and staple of our dining table every summer. Only I don’t really do it like either of my grandmothers who were the main cooks for our family during my early years. While theirs was what I would call “soft fried,” mine is crisp much like popcorn is crisp. After all of these years, my crew would not eat it fried any other way.
What should you look for when selecting okra for frying? Basically
- Look for pods that are still brightly colored without any blemishes (you can cut around those). Dullness usually indicates okra that is past its prime.
- I like to choose pods that are no more than 3 – 4 inches in length because those will be the ones that are the most tender. Larger pods tend to be too hard to use — but the squirrels and birds love them.
- If the pods are sticky, the squirrels and birds will enjoy those as well.
Personally, I prefer to use only fresh okra for frying. I save the frozen stuff for gumbos and soups. Try it if you want, but be forewarned that it just isn’t the same.
Fried Okra
2013-10-31 23:50:25
Ingredients
- okra (a minimum of 1 pound for us)
- Aunt Jemima Yellow Buttermilk Corn Meal Mix (not just corn meal)
- Panko
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ground chipotle, if desired
- peanut oil
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with newspapers and cover those with paper towels. You will drain the fried okra on this and use it to keep the okra warm in a 200 degree oven until serving. It is best to serve fried okra as quickly as you can since it will get soggy if allowed to stand too long.
- Slice the okra into 1/4-inch slices, discarding the stem ends. Rinse but do not soak ,with water. Place approximately 2 cups corn meal mix and 1 cup of panko in a paper bag.
- Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon salt and a generous helping of freshly ground black pepper. I often sprinkle in ground chipotle as well to add a touch of heat. That’s totally optional.
- Place approximately 1 cup of wet okra slices at a time in the corn meal sack and shake vigorously until each piece is covered. Do not allow pieces to stick together. Shake off any excess corn meal and set the coated pieces aside or begin frying.
- I don’t fry much of anything, but when I do I use my electric wok or electric deep fryer. Controlling an even heat is important to achieving a crisp crust, I believe. Peanut oil is definitely my preference of oils when frying. I believe it gives a better result. You can certainly use canola oil if that is your preference.
- Add enough oil to your fryer so that you have approximately 3-4 inches of oil. My fryer also has a basket that I really love to use since I can insert and remove the okra quite easily. Heat the oil to 375 – 400 degrees.
- Test the heat of the oil by dropping in two-three pieces of the coated okra. It should be golden brown and ready to eat in 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from the oil after nicely browned and crisp, shaking to remove any excess oil. Drain on the paper towel lined cookie sheet and keep warm in a 200 degree oven until serving. Sprinkle with a little salt while draining.
Notes
- Fried okra can be reheated in the microwave. Just don’t expect it to be crispy like the original. It’s good, but it’s not the same. We so seldom have any leftovers, though, that I’m not an expert on the reheated part.
Dining With Debbie https://diningwithdebbie.net/
This looks like my mother’s fried okra that everyone loves!
My family loves fried okra. Is Panko the secret ingredient? It must be. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to try this.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. I bet panko makes your fried okra extra special. Thank you for sharing!
I always got a pot full of greasy okra and all the cornmeal, etc., on the bottom of the pot, burnt. 🙁 Then we got so we could not harvest it any longer, due to the prickles making us break out and choke up. Still can eat it, though, so we’ll be right up! 😀 Thanks for giving so much to the kitchens around you! <3 K
Thanks a bunch:)