Ingredients

• 4 large, firm green tomatoes
• Kosher salt
• Bacon fat, canola oil, or other high-smoke-point oil for frying
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups coarsely-ground corn meal (you may need slightly less if using store-bought corn meal)

Instructions

1. Rinse tomatoes and pat dry. Using a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into 1/3-inch thick slices. The coating will adhere best to the exposed tomato flesh, and as a result, I recommend setting aside the odd-shaped, skin-covered ends of the tomatoes for another use. Season both sides of the tomato slices with kosher salt and set them aside to rest and release their moisture while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This will help prevent the final product from being soggy.
2. In a large cast iron skillet or electric skillet, add enough oil to have a 1/3 inch depth. Heat over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the handle of a wooden spoon when inserted into the oil.
3. Meanwhile, combine the flour and pepper in a shallow bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix together the beaten eggs and milk. Finally, in a third bowl, place the cornmeal.
4. When the oil is hot, dredge each tomato slice in the flour-pepper mixture, then dip it into the egg and milk, and lastly, coat it with cornmeal. You may choose to process all tomatoes at once before frying, but I prefer to take each tomato through the coating process individually just before adding it to the skillet.
5. Carefully place the cornmeal-coated tomatoes slices in the hot oil and fry 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. If the tomatoes are browning too quickly, turn down the heat slightly; if they are not getting good color by the end of 2-3 minutes, you may need to increase the heat. For best results, fry in small batches with plenty of room around each tomato slice.
6. After the tomatoes have been cooked on both sides, carefully remove them to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with salt. To maintain the crispiness of the crust, I recommend setting up a few plates if needed instead of stacking the tomatoes. Serve warm as is, with a dash of hot sauce, or a dollop of cayenne-spiced sour cream.