Fried OKRA

[Marvin S]

I have the most trouble making good fried okra, some one help me out. My mom used to make it real good but she is long gone.

I really like the okra from the cracker barrel but just cant get a good coating to stick with out it comeing off or turning into a large snot ball.

[frankenfab]

Smaller okra is the best, alot of times you will see great big okry, which is tough and stringy. A little bigger is ok for gumbo, but you really want about 3" pods to cut up for frying. You don't have to batter. Just toss in self-rising flour and flash freeze on cookie sheet with wax paper, and repeat for thicker coating if you wish. Or better toss in ziplockwith flour and throw in freezer, take it out before it really freezes and toss it again and back to the freezer for a few min.

Alot of the perfectly battered foods you see (Tyson, etc) are battered in slurry and truly "flash" frozen. We have to improvise the best we can.

If you can get Stilwell brand frozen breaded okra at the store, it is pretty hard to beat. The other brands including big names always seem to contain pieces that were from okry that was too big.

Fried okry is one of my all time favorite foods, yum! Thanks for bringing it up!

[Marvin S]

I always grow my own and have more than I need, and have tried corn meal coating with putting the okra in milk first and just plain cornmeal. What do you add for spices with the self rising flour? What does the freezing part do for it make the coating stick better by freezing the snot?
We just got a Dickeys BBQ place and they have great okra, probalby the best I have had.

[frankenfab]

freezin the snot, [smilie=l:

yup, the okra has enough moisture already. I have learned that, freezing or not, if you flour and then let the batteree sit for a while, you will see areas that soak up all the flour and are all wet again. If you are patient and shake and let rest a couple times, you will get better battering. the freezer can help the batter cling better.

Most of the time I follow the advice of "experts" (like me) that alot of times it is better to season after cooking. For one thing, if you do multiple batches with seasoned batter/flour, the oil gets dirty/salty much faster, and I really do think the food tastes better if seasoned afterward. Some things are good with just salt and pepper, or nothing at all.

[TCLouis]

cut tender okra in 1/2 - 3/4" lengths into a bowl.

Let set a while.

Add egg beaten with a little milk and tumble/mix until the okra is thoroughly wetted with the egg/milk mixture.

Drop the wet okra into a bag of seasoned cornmeal and thoroughly coat with corn meal.

Drop into hot grease and cook till golden brown, remove and drain on a paper towel or wire rack.

Eat a few as you cook them just to be sure they are good enough for "family"

Just remember when ya get there if they are serving Fried Okra, you made it to Heaven.

Fried okra, corn on the cob, sliced ripe tomato, and cucumbers . . . The definition of summer

[EMC45]

My wife uses milk to coat then cornmeal, salt and pepper! Turns out great! I just started eating okra this year.....My kids eat it like candy! They will pester my wife all day long if they know she is gonna cook some up.

[scrapcan]

Umm breaded Okra! Now I am going to have to go to the store. It is also one of my favorites.

You can bake it also instead of frying if you must keep the fats/calories in check.

[Changeling]

freezin the snot, [smilie=l:

yup, the okra has enough moisture already. I have learned that, freezing or not, if you flour and then let the batteree sit for a while, you will see areas that soak up all the flour and are all wet again. If you are patient and shake and let rest a couple times, you will get better battering. the freezer can help the batter cling better.

Most of the time I follow the advice of "experts" (like me) that alot of times it is better to season after cooking. For one thing, if you do multiple batches with seasoned batter/flour, the oil gets dirty/salty much faster, and I really do think the food tastes better if seasoned afterward. Some things are good with just salt and pepper, or nothing at all.

I see you know okra frankfab. I like to use some cayenne, black pepper and a little salt in my seasoning.
A woman I was dating used to fry up some jalapeño with the okra, sliced like the okra, that was pretty good also (and hot).

[Tom-ADC]

Fried is the only way I like it, boiled it reminds me of wallpaper paste...

[jawjaboy]

Okry?

Somebody say okry? ;-)


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IMG_0498-1.jpg


Like EMC say. Dip in milk, dust it in seasoned cornmeal, fry it up. Eat it up.

[MT Gianni]

If it is like the taste I had at Golden Corral I don't see the fuss in it.

[oneokie]

Try dredging the okry in the fish batter mix. PDG

[Changeling]

If it is like the taste I had at Golden Corral I don't see the fuss in it.


Now when did you see anything cooked at a restaurant that wasn't better cooked at home?

There is a world of difference, especially when fresh and spiced the way one likes it.

However maybe you just don't like it, LOL.


As for the "Golden Corral", they do have great mashed potatoes and green beans, witch I dearly love, but thats about it!

[Changeling]

Okry?

Somebody say okry? ;-)


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IMG_0498-1.jpg


Like EMC say. Dip in milk, dust it in seasoned cornmeal, fry it up. Eat it up.


jawjaboy, AWESOME. Now I know you are going to freeze some of that somehow.

What is the best method you have found?

I know that "Bunch" was a pile of work also!!

[Marvin S]

I have tried the milk and egg thing with corn meal and ended up with a big ball of goop. Don't know what my problem is. If it makes any difference my okra is super fresh, like 15min from garden to cut up. Maybe I need to put it on a cookie sheet and keep it from touching each other before coating.

[frankenfab]

I see you know okra frankfab. I like to use some cayenne, black pepper and a little salt in my seasoning.
A woman I was dating used to fry up some jalapeño with the okra, sliced like the okra, that was pretty good also (and hot).

Well, I had to weed a football field size garden when I was a kid. I hated weeding the asparagus the worst, and picking the okra. It was my dad that taught me the samller stuff is much better. You will see lots of over ripened or too large veggies at the store. Cucumbers and squash are a good example of that.

I just had to work so hard in that ole garden that I don't care to grow one. So I have stumbled across the Stilwell frozen batterd okra, and if I can't find that I just won't have any. BTW I like to have ketchup or hot ketchup on my fried okra. The pickled okra from Sam's is also a great deal at 3 something a jar. It's so cheap you can just throw the big one's away, but there aren't many. Never cared for boiled.

We need a Corn thread! It is corn season, but the stuff is starting to show up over ripe now. There is only one way to have corn on the cob---steamed---for 15 min after the water in the big steamer starts to boil. (or maybe grilled). I am ruined and cannot eat those little frozen short mushy ears. That's another thing that came from my childhood garden experience.


jawjaboy---good lookin' okry!!

[Changeling]

Well, I had to weed a football field size garden when I was a kid. I hated weeding the asparagus the worst, and picking the okra. It was my dad that taught me the samller stuff is much better. You will see lots of over ripened or too large veggies at the store. Cucumbers and squash are a good example of that.

I just had to work so hard in that ole garden that I don't care to grow one. So I have stumbled across the Stilwell frozen batterd okra, and if I can't find that I just won't have any. BTW I like to have ketchup or hot ketchup on my fried okra. The pickled okra from Sam's is also a great deal at 3 something a jar. It's so cheap you can just throw the big one's away, but there aren't many. Never cared for boiled.

We need a Corn thread! It is corn season, but the stuff is starting to show up over ripe now. There is only one way to have corn on the cob---steamed---for 15 min after the water in the big steamer starts to boil. (or maybe grilled). I am ruined and cannot eat those little frozen short mushy ears. That's another thing that came from my childhood garden experience.


jawjaboy---good lookin' okry!!

I'm going to try that Sam's okra if they have it. I don't remember seeing it.

Picking/cutting okra, you soon learn to use a long sleeve shirt, LOL

Here is something that I have found invaluable when cutting okra, a pair of "Poultry Shears", try it once, and you will never use anything else, trust me!!!
Fastest thing I have ever used for cutting up the okra to length also!
Heck they are even great for disjointing chicken, especially chicken wings, LOL!

Just don't buy a cheap pair (you will be sorry), get a name brand like Henchkels or whoever has the cheaper price in the BIG name brands, you will never be sorry!.


Jawjaboy- I went up to SAM's today, unfortunately they didn't carry it. I was told at the service desk it was an "Area" type thing. Meaning you can get it but people a little further north can't. That company has to be run by Northerners, LOL.

[Rick N Bama]

Here is something that I have found invaluable when cutting okra, a pair of "Poultry Shears", try it once, and you will never use anything else, trust me!!!

I use a pair of Pruning Shears to cut my Okra. While I'm cutting it, I also cut back a lot of the leaves.

I got a late start this year & my Okra hasn't started blooming yet, can't wait! Fresh Okra & Crookneck Squash are my favorite vegtables.

Rick

[Changeling]

I use a pair of Pruning Shears to cut my Okra. While I'm cutting it, I also cut back a lot of the leaves.

I got a late start this year & my Okra hasn't started blooming yet, can't wait! Fresh Okra & Crookneck Squash are my favorite vegtables.

Rick

Really know how to hurt a guy don't you Rick, LOL! I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm the only one around here that grew it. Now I just don't have a garden anymore, 1 person makes it sorta bad.:shock:

PS. What does cutting back the leaves do, never heard of that?

[Rick N Bama]

PS. What does cutting back the leaves do, never heard of that?

Makes it easier to spot the pods to be cut & also I believe that a lot of the limbs/leaves are just dead weight drawing nuterients from the pods.

Rick

[Marvin S]

When I was a kid we grew about an acre of it as it sold well. My mom picked all of it and said if it did not snap off it was too tough to eat. I use the game shears to cut mine despite this.

[mtgrs737]

Thanks for the info, My first planting died out in a cold snap, the replacement crop is just now coming up. Fried and pickled orky is a favorite here.

[Marvin S]

Pickled okra and a ice cold PBR, now thats tasty.

[Freebore]

Are you picking any Okra yet? Mine isn't doing too good this season for some reason.

[Marvin S]

Got some that is just about ready, but it looks like rain again.

[Changeling]

I went to all the farmers markets/ road stands/ you name it , not one place in Frederick Maryland has it! But get this, those places all said yea people keep asking, but we don't think they will buy it! Try reading that again!!
Somewhere in there minds you would think the wheels would start turning, OH well!!!!

[Marvin S]

Sounds like they talked themselves right out of it. Maybe a left/right brain type thing.

[Old Ironsights]

cut tender okra in 1/2 - 3/4" lengths into a bowl.

Let set a while.

Add egg beaten with a little milk and tumble/mix until the okra is thoroughly wetted with the egg/milk mixture.

Drop the wet okra into a bag of seasoned cornmeal and thoroughly coat with corn meal.

Drop into hot grease and cook till golden brown, remove and drain on a paper towel or wire rack.

Eat a few as you cook them just to be sure they are good enough for "family"

Just remember when ya get there if they are serving Fried Okra, you made it to Heaven.

Fried okra, corn on the cob, sliced tomato, and cucumbers . . . The definition of summer
That's the way my Ma & Grandma (from Oklahome) used to do it...

only the hot grease MUST be BACON GREASE. :holysheep

No substitute. ;)

[Changeling]

Actually I cut it up to 4 inches or so, you can tell when it is tender, I never have any problem I cant stop chewing on.