This Type Of Flour Is Key For Crunchy Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are a fried classic in Southern kitchens, with each crispy slice bringing tart, savory goodness to countless tables. Biting into a deep-fried, unripe, green tomato epitomizes the colloquial phrase, "put the South in your mouth." But make no mistake: a crucial part of creating this beloved regional food is the outer crust. And it better be crunchy instead of soggy or limp. Fortunately, there's a secret to making that happen, and it's all in the flour — specifically, a well-known brand called Wondra. 

Wondra flour comes from a major flour supplier, Gold Medal, but what makes this instant flour unique is its processing procedure. It's still a wheat-based flour, but prior to landing on store shelves, it gets precooked and then dried into an ultra-fine powder, often referred to as instant or quick-mixing flour. As intended, it very quickly dissolves into gravies and sauces, avoiding the dreaded lumping tendency of regular flour. Since Wondra is lower in protein than all-purpose flour, it forms less gluten when moistened, lowering the chance of excess oil absorption and soggy fried foods. 

Because the starch has already been cooked, it crisps up in a flash when it hits hot oil. That makes Wondra the secret darling of fried green tomato deliciousness, ensuring the tomatoes don't overcook while waiting for a gummy crust to catch up. It's important, however, to know exactly how Wondra fits into the multi-layered process of making this dish. 

The prep steps are easy, but don't expect a one-and-done dunk of sliced tomatoes in the instant flour. For the crispiest results, there's a three-step process that uses three bowls, two of which separately involve Wondra.

In the first bowl, create a mixture using Wondra and some peppy spices to taste, such as paprika, cayenne, and garlic salt, plus a pinch of sugar. In the second bowl, combine buttermilk, beaten egg, and your preferred hot sauce. In the third, mix another portion of Wondra with either cracker crumbs, Panko crumbs, or the more traditional finely ground cornmeal. Then, drag the slices of green tomatoes, one at a time, through the three bowls in the same order. All that's left then is the fry those Wondra-laden green tomato slices in hot oil as usual.

Wondra flour can work in any fried green tomato recipe by either fully or partially swapping out the regular flour. Experiment with measurements and ratios until you find the perfect recipe for your liking. Apart from Wondra magic, Tasting Table offers another genius ingredient swap for fried green tomatoes, which involves the oil.