Fall is officially here. There’s a slight nip in the air and it’s time to retrieve sweaters from the back of the closet, get the split firewood stacked, and use up the last of the garden produce. 

On my little patch of heaven that means fried green tomato BLT’s.  

Thick slices of firm green tomatoes with just a hint of color makes the best bacon, lettuce and green tomato sandwiches ever.

If you’ve only made BLT’s with ripe tomatoes, I sure hope you try this family favorite originally from daughter-in-law Jessie. We makes this sandwich with country honey wheat toasted bread, though any firm bread works. 

As mentioned in the recipe, the coating for the tomatoes doesn’t create a thick crust. It gives the tomato just the right amount of crunch. 

Now if you’re hungry for classic fried green tomatoes with a thick crust, check out my site. That one makes a yummy side dish. 

Oh and one more idea. My colleague and garden radio show host Ron Wilson loves green tomatoes cut up in a tossed salad. His preference is for the tomatoes to have just a bit of color. 

Try that one, too. 

Jessie’s fried green tomato BLT’s

The coating for the tomatoes creates a lightly coated, more delicate crusted tomato.

Ingredients filling

8 slices bacon, thick cut

12 (1/4-inch-thick) slices green tomato

8 slices favorite firm textured bread

8 lettuce leaves

1/2 cup mayonnaise or more to taste

Crust 

2/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

Ground cayenne – to taste  (I like a couple shakes cayenne)

Instructions 

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove, reserving about 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon and drippings aside.

Combine cornmeal, cheese, and pepper in a shallow dish. 

Dredge tomato slices in cornmeal mixture, making sure you get both sides coated well. You may not use all of the cornmeal mixture, so discard any leftover. 

Heat 1 teaspoon reserved drippings and enough olive oil to coat bottom of skillet over medium-high heat. Cook tomato slices until golden brown on each side. If you need to cook in batches, don’t stack the fried tomatoes or they’ll get soggy. Transfer fried tomatoes on a paper towel lined plate in a single layer.

Assembly

Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or bit more over each of 4 bread slices. 

Top each slice with 2 lettuce leaves, 3 tomato slices, and 2 bacon slices. Top with remaining 4 bread slices.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Tips

Punch up mayonnaise with gochugang, sambal or sriracha.

Stir in a good tablespoon into the mayonnaise. 

Classic fried green tomatoes – a reader favorite

Ingredients

3 or 4 nice size green tomatoes, sliced 1/4” thick

2/3 cup flour, divided into two 1/3 cup amounts

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

Ground cayenne or black pepper – to taste – a couple shakes will do it

3/4 cup buttermilk 

1 large egg white

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Whisk together 1/3 cup flour, salt, paprika and pepper together. 

Whisk together buttermilk and egg together.

Whisk together 1/3 cup flour and the cornmeal together.

Dip each tomato slice first into the flour mixture, then buttermilk mixture then cornmeal mixture. 

Place tomato slices in single layer on a rack and let sit while oil heats.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Fry slices in batches until golden brown on each side. 

Transfer to paper lined plate in single layers.

Original recipe from a reader who found it on http://www.thekitchn.com