Southern Fried Okra

Step 1

Rinse the okra under cold water and pat it completely dry with paper towels — moisture is the enemy of crispiness.

Step 2

Trim the stem end of each okra pod by cutting off the very top, about 1/4 inch, with a paring knife in one straight cut.

Step 3

Pour the cornmeal and flour into a medium bowl and stir them together with a fork until well combined and uniform.

Step 4

Add 1 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper to the cornmeal mixture and stir with the fork until the seasoning is evenly distributed.

Step 5

Pour 2 cups vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and a single okra pod sizzles immediately when dropped in, about 3–4 minutes.

Step 6

Add about one-third of the okra to the cornmeal mixture and shake the bowl gently to coat each piece on all sides with an even layer of cornmeal.

Step 7

Carefully slide the coated okra from the bowl into the hot oil, using a slotted spoon or fork so excess cornmeal stays in the bowl.

Step 8

Fry, stirring gently with a slotted spoon once every 30 seconds, until the okra is golden brown all over and the coating looks crispy, about 3–4 minutes total.

Step 9

Use the slotted spoon to scoop the fried okra out of the oil and onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Step 10

Repeat steps 6–9 with the remaining two batches of okra, allowing the oil temperature to recover between batches, about 1 minute each time.

Step 11

Once all the okra is fried and drained, taste a piece and add extra salt and pepper to the pile if you prefer — serve hot.