Southern Fried Okra
Crispy, golden okra fried until the outside crackles and the inside stays tender. A classic Southern side that's irresistible hot from the pan.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 3g
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh okra
- ¾ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the okra under cold water and pat it completely dry with paper towels — moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- 2
Trim the stem end of each okra pod by cutting off the very top, about 1/4 inch, with a paring knife in one straight cut.
- 3
Pour the cornmeal and flour into a medium bowl and stir them together with a fork until well combined and uniform.
- 4
Add 1 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper to the cornmeal mixture and stir with the fork until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
- 5
Pour 2 cups vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and a single okra pod sizzles immediately when dropped in, about 3–4 minutes.
- 6
Add about one-third of the okra to the cornmeal mixture and shake the bowl gently to coat each piece on all sides with an even layer of cornmeal.
- 7
Carefully slide the coated okra from the bowl into the hot oil, using a slotted spoon or fork so excess cornmeal stays in the bowl.
- 8
Fry, stirring gently with a slotted spoon once every 30 seconds, until the okra is golden brown all over and the coating looks crispy, about 3–4 minutes total.
- 9
Use the slotted spoon to scoop the fried okra out of the oil and onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- 10
Repeat steps 6–9 with the remaining two batches of okra, allowing the oil temperature to recover between batches, about 1 minute each time.
- 11
Once all the okra is fried and drained, taste a piece and add extra salt and pepper to the pile if you prefer — serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- large skillet (12-inch)
- medium mixing bowl
- fork
- paring knife
- cutting board
- paper towels
- slotted spoon
- instant-read thermometer (optional)
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