Southern Fried Okra Classic (Printer-Friendly)

Crispy okra coated in seasoned cornmeal and fried to golden perfection. A southern favorite side dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 12 oz fresh okra pods, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup buttermilk

→ Seasonings

03 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal

→ Oils

09 - Enough peanut oil for deep frying (approximately 2 inches depth in frying vessel)

# Steps to Make This:

01 - Slice fresh okra pods into 1/2-inch pieces and place them into a large mixing bowl.
02 - Add buttermilk, garlic salt, and black pepper to the okra; stir to thoroughly combine and coat.
03 - In a large zip-top gallon bag, add all-purpose flour, fine yellow cornmeal, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. Seal and shake until evenly mixed.
04 - Working in 1/4 cup portions, transfer okra from the buttermilk mixture to the flour and cornmeal bag. Seal and shake to coat all pieces uniformly; allow excess buttermilk to drip off before coating.
05 - Using tongs, remove the coated okra from the bag and place each piece on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to let excess coating fall off.
06 - In a deep fryer or heavy-duty pot, heat peanut oil to 375°F (190°C), filling the vessel to a depth of approximately 2 inches.
07 - Fry the okra in batches of about 12 pieces, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
08 - Serve immediately with ranch dressing or your preferred dipping sauce.

# Additional Notes:

01 - For best results, use fresh okra for a crunchier texture. Frozen okra is acceptable if fully thawed and dried prior to use.
02 - Peanut oil is preferred for its high smoke point, but canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil are suitable alternatives.
03 - Leftovers are best consumed the same day but can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for up to 5 months.

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