Crispy Southern Fried Okra

Ingredients

• 1 lbfresh okra, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (or thawed frozen, patted dry)
• 1 cupbuttermilk
• 1 cupyellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 1/2 tspcayenne pepper
• as neededvegetable oil, for frying

Nutrition / serving

No nutrition data for this recipe — tap Nutrition in Ask Chef AI above for an estimate.

Method

1. 1

   Soak the sliced okra in buttermilk for 15-20 minutes.

   ⏱Start 15:00
2. 2

   Whisk cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in a shallow dish.

3. 3

   Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, to about 350°F.

4. 4

   Working in batches, lift okra from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and dredge in the cornmeal mixture, coating well.

5. 5

   Fry okra in a single layer 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp.

   ⏱Start 3:00
6. 6

   Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, and season with a pinch more salt while hot.

7. 7

   Serve immediately, while the crust is still crackling.