I’ve never been a fan of the circle-cut okra in recipes. So, it was an amazing surprise that I LOVED Smashed Fried Okra when I ordered it while on vacation in Jekyll Island, Georgia this summer. Oh, it was amazing and I knew I had to find a copycat recipe! This is my version of Smashed Fried Okra – even if you’ve never had okra or hated it before, give it a shot. It’s delicious! Perfect for entertaining anytime of year or as a side dish.
| Servings |
- 1 lb okra
- 1.5 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups cornmeal
- .5 tsp kosher salt
- .25 tsp black pepper
- .5 tsp garlic powder
- .125 tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 1 cup canola oil for frying
Ingredients
| |
- Use a meat mallet to smash okra, starting at the tip of the pod and working down.
- Be careful not to smash it to pieces. Sprinkle the okra lightly with salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper.
- Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Add buttermilk to another dish.
- Dip okra in buttermilk.
- Dredge in cornmeal, shaking off excess.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, add 2 inches oil. Heat to 350º. Fry okra in batches, 2-3 minutes or until brown and crispy, turning once.
- Remove okra and drain on paper towels before serving.
For this recipe, I used Okra from The Chef’s Garden in Huron, Ohio. They are smaller in size which gives them a sweeter, grassy flavor with a crisp, juicy texture. They are out of season currently but be sure to check out The Chef’s Garden in the Spring and Summer for unique, restaurant-quality produce delivered right to your door. It’s a fantastic service to try unique vegetables and herbs grown right here in Ohio!
The secret to this recipe is to serve whole, this is where having smaller selections for The Chef’s Garden comes in handy! The second secret is to smash them with a meat mallet or rolling pin, this breaks down the fibers of the okra and allows to cook through! After smashing the okra, this recipe calls for it to be dipped in buttermilk.
Dredge in your favorite – we use cornmeal which also makes it gluten free.
Fry in a little oil and it is quickly ready to consume!
Enjoy with a little Ranch dipping sauce and kids will eat it up. This is a great recipe to enjoy while watching the game or even for holiday gatherings. I’m going to try it in my air fryer next, I think it’ll work real nicely and be easier for entertaining to just pop it in the air fryer and serve!
Order Farm to Doorstep Local Produce from Chef’s Garden
Now is your chance to order Farm to Doorstep Local Produce from Chef’s Garden that was once only available to chefs! Check out all the recipes I’ve created for Chef’s Garden here.
You can also purchase by item. Browse The Chef’s Garden website to find gourmet restaurant quality specialty produce for you and your family.