Southern Fried Okra

 

Southern Fried Okra

Fried okra is a true Southern delight, rivaling the likes of collards and cornbread.

This recipe features fresh okra coated in a perfectly seasoned mix of breadcrumbs and cornmeal, fried to golden perfection for that irresistible crunch! 

What’s Fried Okra? It’s simple: crispy whole okra pods with an earthy flavor perfect as a side or appetizer.  I personally don’t like fried okra but my guests in the south love it, so I make it for them over the holidays.

How to Store Fried Okra Recipes

Refrigerate: Make sure you cool down your breaded okra to room temperature before you store it up. Add in a single layer to an airtight container lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. It will last about 3 days.

Freeze: The best way to freeze these is to flash freeze them. Spread the leftovers on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour until solid them drop the individual pieces in a freezer safe bag or container removing as much air as possible. They won’t stick this way, and they should keep for about 6 months.

Reheat: If you have an air fryer, that’s the way to go! It will crisp these babies back up perfectly. Heat at 350 until crispy and hot (about 6 minutes. You can also do this with an oven but crank the heat up to about 400 and bake for 15 turning at the halfway point. Never reheat in a microwave.

This Classic Southern Fried Okra Recipe features fresh okra breaded in a cornmeal and breadcrumb mixture (the secret to extra crispy fried okra!)

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh okra cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne go up if you enjoy the spice

Oil for frying

Instructions

Season okra with salt and pepper.

Add eggs to a separate small bowl and beat.

Combine flour, cornmeal, seasoned bread crumbs, paprika and cayenne into another small bowl and whisk together.

Begin by dipping okra into dry coating mixture.

Next add okra to eggs coating on all sides.

Lastly dip back into the coating and set aside okra on baking sheet.

Repeat dredging process until all okra is ready. Let them all set for about 15-20 minutes until they are completely set up so the batter stays on.

Heat oil going up about an 1 inch in a frying pan over medium high heat. You should be looking for a temperature of around 350 F.

Fry okra until golden brown and drain on paper towels.

Serve hot. Enjoy!

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each week.