# Best tomato to grow for fried green tomatoes?



## hengal

Or does it really matter? I've convinced DH to offer fried green tomatoes on the menu this summer in the restaurant and I will be growing them for him. Can anyone recommend the best variety to use for this?? ( and any recipes would be greatly appreciated too!) Thanks!


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## swamp man

hengal said:


> Or does it really matter? I've convinced DH to offer fried green tomatoes on the menu this summer in the restaurant and I will be growing them for him. Can anyone recommend the best variety to use for this?? ( and any recipes would be greatly appreciated too!) Thanks!


I grow lots of varieties, and have't seen that it matters at all, unless you're concerned about size.
As for recipes, I generally roll them in egg, and then cover them in flour with a whatever spices I'm in the mood for stirred up in the flour, maybe a little garlic powder,salt, and cayenne. Slices between a quarter inch thick and a half inch thick are about right.
You ain't lookin' to really cook the tomato itself, just get your batter nice and crisp, so you want the oil real hot. I use peanut oil cuz' you can get it really hot without burning it, and even re-use it, but bein' a restaurant owner, you probably already knew that.
As a side note, if y'all grow eggplant (especially the "ichibahn" variety, y'all might wanna' try out fried eggplant. I just started doin' them a coupla' years ago, and it's some fine, fine vittles, for sure. I slice them long ways, kinda' like dill pickle spears, and cook them just like I would a fried green tomato. Served with ranch dressing, they're unbelieveable. Then again, bein' from the deep south, I'll drool over about anything fried. A restaurant here just added battered, deep-fried oreos to the menu.....can't wait to try 'em.
Battered and fried pickles are awesome, too.
Good luck with your restaurant.


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## bookfarmer

I found green zebra to best suit my taste, even when they are ripe. They have a good, tangy tomato taste with a sweet aftertaste.


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## marinemomtatt

Green Zebras are AWESOME fried !!! Tanginess is a must.
We had some volunteer tomatoes last year, I have no idea what they were or how in the heck they got there but they made the best fried tomatoes. They were slightly larger than a golf ball. (still have some sliced and in the freezer)


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## Cindy in NY

Any meaty tomato should do. I dip mine in egg then in cornmeal.


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## Paquebot

Green Zebra might be too small as they only get to about 2" or so. Also may be too juicy for slicing and handling. For large meaty green slabs, any oxheart type would work but many are slow and low production. Beefsteak types work the best with just the right amount of solid meat and seed cells. A good green-when-ripe one would be Aunt Ruby's German Green. Then you'd still have green slabs when ripe.

Martin


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## hengal

I have heard of Green Zebra, but where would one find seeds for Aunt Ruby's German Green?


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## Paquebot

hengal said:


> I have heard of Green Zebra, but where would one find seeds for Aunt Ruby's German Green?


ARGG was one that would have been in my 2005 seed offer. Still have 2004 seeds which should be at least 90% good. For 42Â¢, I could spare some. Second, Totally Tomatoes has it at $2.10 plus $4.95 minimum handlng. Third, I can get it for $2.10 plus 12Â¢ tax plus 42Â¢ postage. 

Martin

(Also have Emeraude, Green Giant, and Green Zebra seeds on hand.)


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## mamagoose

I'm glad someone asked this. I was hoping the greens would be good for frying. I had the cherry-sized green tomatoes 2 years ago and they were so good eating them raw.


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## Aja

hengal said:


> Or does it really matter? I've convinced DH to offer fried green tomatoes on the menu this summer in the restaurant and I will be growing them for him. Can anyone recommend the best variety to use for this?? ( and any recipes would be greatly appreciated too!) Thanks!











Aunt Ruby's German Green Tomato


85 days. One of the largest green beefsteaks. Can grow to over 1 pound and is delicious. It has brilliant, neon-green flesh with a strong, sweet, and fruity flavor, much tastier than most red tomatoes. This family heirloom from Germany is beautiful. The winner of the 2003 Heirloom Garden Show’s...




www.rareseeds.com


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## 101pigs

Beefsteak . Green or firm ripe.


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