Knoxville, TN fried OKRA

Our okra patch is beginning to produce fruit. I realize that many folks do not appreciate okra, but it has been a staple in our family for many years. About 60 as I can count. There are many ways to use okra, but my favorite way is the way my mother has done it. She coats it in oil, dips it in cornmeal and fry's it on the pan. She adds spices such as pepper, salt and a little hot sauce. It sure is good.

Occasionally she adds the okra with some tomatos and lets it cook on the stove. I like it that way particular with some Tennessee fried cornbread.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

While fried okra is good (enjoyed some yesterday), my favorite way to eat okra came, too, from my mom's cooking - good old boiled okra (the slimy kind) with butter melted over it and vinegar poured on it. Eat it with all those good summer vegetables Mayhaw Man was having this weekend. Another good way to eat it is boiled in with a big mess of peas.

Fried is the only way to go if you ask me. Add some Black Eyed Peas, Greens, Corn Bread, Sliced Tamaters, Sliced Onions Or Green Onions and a bottle of Pepper Sauce. Ice Tea and leave me alone for hour. Thats All I need! Thank You Very Much.

We like to have some Okra along one edge of the small veggie garden. We grow the Burgundy variety because it has beautiful foliage and flowers that add to the appearance of the garden. It cooks up a dark green and has all the qualities (or lack of them) as the regular variety.

We have had bad luck with our Okra this year. Our first planting did not germinate and the second only came up sparsely. I talked with other neighboring gardners and they had a similar experience. The okra Gods were against us this year. We have about six plants now working in the garden. Fortunately they provide enough for Sunday dinner each week.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Personally without a garden this year (have just a few tomato plants), but have heard others here in
Arkansas as well as friends in southern Missiouri say the same things about their okra crops as you report,
Sundancer, so maybe its a pretty common situation across the south this season. Wonder if the unusually wet and cool spring could be the or at least part of the reason.

Okra is not the easiest thing to germinate. I thought water usually helps the process. The plants we do have up are not healthy. Leaves are yellowing.

I also have heard of others having problems with their Okra.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I've yet to find a way I don't like okra! My wife, however, disagrees and eats it only if fried () and, as we don't fry it at home (dunno why), I get it only when we eat out. We have a tacit agreement: I bring okra into the house only when fried, she brings liver into the house only in paté or dirty rice. I may have to renege after reading these posts, though!

Okra fan here. I don't complain how it is cooked , and enjoy the different ways it can be prepared.

Wish I had some fresh okra!

I like to have what we have always called "okra gumbo"- I soften some onions in a little butter, add a package of frozen sliced okra and stewed tomatoes with a little water, salt and pepper, and Tony Zacharies and let it simmer covered.

If I can get fresh okra and tomatoes that makes it all the better.

Aaah! Just home after a day in the trenches of Central Louisana. Went to Rotary (no Babbit comments, please! ). On the menu were (eat your hearts out!):
Okra w/ tomatoes, onions, and seasonings I will find out about!
Red beans
Rice
Smoked Sausage
Cabbage
Water corn bread, which is slightly reminiscent of what my great-grandmother from Crockett County, TN, called corn pone, but not as good.

Live in Louisiana is gooood.

Sundancer, was just talking with friends down near Dothan, AL, who were bemoaning the poor okra crops they and everyone in that area are experiencing this year; said sick looking plants, few pods, and the few they have start curling up about the time they start growing with most winding up as small, curled up, not at all good pods. So, for whatever reason, this must just be a bad okra year everywhere.

Alright you guys, what do you roll your okra in to fry them? Is cornmeal batter the only way, and what is the best batter?

Oh c'mon Rick...I'll bet you are a booster for "Zenith, City of the Future!" aren' you?

Sounds like a wonderful lunch!

I do not like my okra heavily battered like a lot of appetizer menus serve them. I like the okra oiled and rolled in some cornmeal, seasoned and fried in a light oil until the okra and cornmeal begins to brown. I don't like it rock hard.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I agree with Sundancer -- don't batter it, just slice it, add some cornmeal & salt and fry it up. It's better if it's not completely coated. Too many places try to turn it into some god-forsakened chicken nugget-looking creation. Those people have no sense at all -- but it does make it easy to identify who is using frozen okra...

quote:

Originally posted by EliseT

Alright you guys, what do you roll your okra in to fry them? Is cornmeal batter the only way, and what is the best batter?

The best batter is Barry Bonds.

quote:

Originally posted by Lone Star

Oh c'mon Rick...I'll bet you are a booster for "Zenith, City of the Future!" aren' you?

Sounds like a wonderful lunch!

A: Think "Elmer Gantry"! I am a cleric, I'll have you know!

B: It was indeed wonderful. I had to adjust seatbelt, braces, and car seat before leaving the parking lot.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick F.

quote:

Originally posted by EliseT

Alright you guys, what do you roll your okra in to fry them? Is cornmeal batter the only way, and what is the best batter?

The best batter is Barry Bonds.

OK, I walked right into that one, didn't I?

quote:

Originally posted by pogophiles

-- don't batter it, just slice it, add some cornmeal & salt and fry it up. It's better if it's not completely coated.

That's the way we cook it too, and I have to admit that I like it almost burnt to a crisp !! The crispier the better !

I agree the okra plants are a little behind this year. Last year my plants were up to about six feet tall. This year they are slow growing, I think due to the wet conditions. I have about 30 or so plants, red velvet, green velvet, clemson spineless. I like it with tomatoes and onions, fried, as an ingredient in stir fry, in soups and stews, every way except...um raw. Shepherd's Garden Seeds (part of White Flower Farms) used to carry a burgundy variety but alas no more as they have cut their vegetable seed collection to almost nothing. Seeds of Change makes a red variety though.

If I have enough I would like to pickle some, anyone else do that?

quote:

Originally posted by jdg68Shepherd's Garden Seeds (part of White Flower Farms) used to carry a burgundy variety but alas no more as they have cut their vegetable seed collection to almost nothing.

I found http://www.mainstreetseedandsupply.com/vsokra1.htm. Is this what you were looking for?

We replanted our Okra a few weeks ago and it seems to be coming along OK. The other plants are very weak and not doing well. I have talked with others who are having the same problems. It must be a a common problem in the USA this year as others have reported sickly plants this year.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

I haven't found it in the markets here, but a Cajun restaurant I go to has some killer pickled okra. They are delicious! I wish I could find some out here on the Left Coast.

I bought a Bloody Mary at Uglesich's in New Orleans and it is the best one I have ever had in the USA and I have had a lot.

The reason I mention this is one of the ingredients Mrs. Uglesich puts in the bloody mary's is pickled Okra. I pulled it out and ate it. It was wonderful and I wished I had found out what she uses.

I bought some at Knoxville at Walmart, but it was not the same. If you have been there and had one, please advise the brand so I can buy.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by EdSails

I haven't found it in the markets here, but a Cajun restaurant I go to has some killer pickled okra. They are delicious! I wish I could find some out here on the Left Coast.

If you can't find it out West, here's a link to McIlhenny's where you can order it. I use a variety of McIlhenny's products, and love their okra in Bloody Marys. (Of course, if you drink too many and eat the spicy okra, they become "Blooey Marys.")

http://countrystore.tabasco.com/index_category_more.cfm?tlcatid=2&catid=3&moreid=C68

Rick F., thanks for the link to the site. I've bookmarked it.
I'm definitely going to pickle some okra this year, probably using
the same method I use for pickled jalapenos and serranos.

The first time I ever had okra I was 9 years old , visiting my uncle's family in Florida. They took me to their friend's house for dinner and she served boiled okra. It was slimy and I couldn't swallow it but I couldn't spit it out. That would've been impolite. So I sat there a long time until it slid down. I didn't have it again until I moved to Texas and somebody served me fried okra and I was immediately converted into an okra fan. I love fried okra! seasoned cornmeal is the best coating, fried until moderately crisp. I could also eat pickled okra until I bust. Hmmm, I think I have some in the cupboard now...

I like to roll my sliced okra in self-rising flour. It makes a nice light crispy crust & is not gritty like cornmeal. It's not a heavy coating like the frozen stuff you buy either.

Though I pretty much grew up in Tennessee, the only Okra I have ever had came from the school cafeteria and that was abysmal!! I have been afraid of it ever since! Somehow you guys make it sound so good! Maybe I will try some of the fried! I don't think I could stomach any of the slimey ones!

My Mom and I just bought a 1/2 bushel yesterday. I am going to fry some, stew some and freeze the rest. You can slice it onto a cookie sheet and put into the freezer for an hour or so and then pour into your freezer bags and it doesn't stick together. Then when you need some for soup or whatever, it is ready

Just cut some okra yesterday to fry up tonight -- YUM!!

Fried Okra is wonderful. Most of the time I cut the Okra, roll it in a mixture of egg and oil, move it over to some flour and cornmeal with some pepper and salt and then fry it in some oil until pretty brown.

Okra is one of the Sundacer's finer parts of the meal.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Fried okra was a staple in my house as a kid. But it was never on my plate. I tried it once and that was enough. Whether this is good or bad, I had parents that never forced me to eat things I didn't like. They didn't make me special meals or anything so sometimes I ate light. There's lots of food I never touched as a child that I now love, but okra has never made it.

My daughter who will soon be 6 loves fried okra. A small restaurant here in Smithville, TN called Neo's serves it during lunch quite often and she can't eat enough. It really pleased my mother this summer when she got to cook fresh fried okra for her granddaughter.

quote:

Originally posted by emsmom

You can slice it onto a cookie sheet and put into the freezer for an hour or so and then pour into your freezer bags and it doesn't stick together. Then when you need some for soup or whatever, it is ready

I hadn't thought of doing that. Do I need to parboil it before slicing?

I love fried okra, pickled okra, boiled okra, chocolate covered okra.....just kidding about the chocolate.

I only use fresh stone ground cornmeal from the Mennonites. That gives the okra a popcorn-y taste when fried.

Here is a recipe you might enjoy.

3 cups sliced okra
2 cups sliced yellow squash
1 cup diced fresh tomatos
1 lb Wamplers pork sausage (you can use whatever brand you like)
1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese
9 inch iron skillet and cover
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
Fry the sausage to where some of it is still pink. Chop it up in the pan and spread evenly over bottom. Add all vegetables then spoon soup over the top.
Put in 350* oven for 25 minutes and then take out and add cheese. Put back in oven for 10 more minutes and then it is ready.

This sounds like a really weird combination.... But D*&N! It's good!!!!

You know, you can do Okra many ways. You can boil it, fry it, microwave it, bake it but the best way the Sundancer has found is to roll it in corn meal with some salt and pepper and fry it in oil till it is brown and enjoy it.

In the Sundancer's opinion, it is wonderful and enjoy with your libation.

Paul E. Smith

We grew the standard "Clemson Spineless" variety this year. Jan uses it in lots of dishes. A little Okra goes a long way with me, but it does add a lot to the things she prepares.
Next year I will find some of the Burgandy variety. It grows into a beautiful purple/burgandy flower and pod that cooks up green much like the same varieties of beans do.

I'm not a big fan of fried okra. I tolerate it at best. But I really love it in gumbo or jumbalaya. It's just awesome then, IMO.

carl reitz

No, you don't need to cook it at all. Just slice the raw okra on a cookie sheet and freeze it. Sorry, I didn't answer sooner. We left on Vacation they day you posted this question and I must have missed it when I returned

quote:

Originally posted by Rick F.

quote:

Originally posted by emsmom

You can slice it onto a cookie sheet and put into the freezer for an hour or so and then pour into your freezer bags and it doesn't stick together. Then when you need some for soup or whatever, it is ready

I hadn't thought of doing that. Do I need to parboil it before slicing?

quote:

Originally posted by carlton pierre

I'm not a big fan of fried okra. I tolerate it at best. But I really love it in gumbo or jumbalaya. It's just awesome then, IMO.

carl reitz

Carlton, you have been in Tennessee now for several years and you should have become acclimated by now. You really have to become better friends with fried okra. This is not the heavily breaded version that you get at restaurants. It is simply oiled, rolled in cornmeal and browned.

Great by itself, with libation or with dinner.

I hope you enjoy grits and collards.

You cannot live in Tennessee without enjoying fried Okra

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Fried okra is one of my favorite veggies, My mom uses cornmeal, salt and pepper and a fairly small amount of oil. I tend to not like the type that has more of a crust. Fried okra, fried squash, green beans, new potatoes, peas with chow chow, turnip greens with pepper sauce and cornbread......one of my all time favorite meals.

I love fried okra. it's almost a snack around our house.

and speechpeach, you just described one of my favorite summertime meals. all fresh veggies. whatever's in your garden or at the produce market. you just left out a couple of things -- tomatoes and cantelope. something about those juices mixing with the cornmeal on your plate at the end. oh, and some hamsteak for my son. he refers to this meal as Sunday Dinner -regardless of the day of the week.

quote:

Originally posted by speechpeach

Fried okra is one of my favorite veggies, My mom uses cornmeal, salt and pepper and a fairly small amount of oil. I tend to not like the type that has more of a crust. Fried okra, fried squash, green beans, new potatoes, peas with chow chow, turnip greens with pepper sauce and cornbread......one of my all time favorite meals.

I live on an island off the coast of Honduras and fresh veggies are often limited; things like okra and turnip green are extremely rare. Surprisingly, I just picked up a bag of very fresh and very young mixed collard and mustard greens at a market here. I've only had limited experience cooking greens and that was with mature stuff that required long cooking. I'm guessing that these very young greens will cook up a lot quicker. True? I have in mind steaming them before finishing them in a fry pan with a little bacon and sauteed onion.

You also mentioned "chow-chow." We have something here that the islanders (many of whom have connections with folks in the southern US) call "cho-cho." If "Hulk" made a fist just as someone lopped his hand off at the wrist, well, that's kinda what it looks like. I think they're called merlitons in the Louisiana area. Do these all sound like the same thing and, if so, I'd like to know about any particularly interesting ways of preparing it. We usually just steam it, often mixed with carrots, and serve it with a bit of butter -- or boil it in water with some orange added. -Tom

Cunamara: The Sundancer cooks greens very frequently and we have winter greeens growing in the garden at this very moment. I personally like to cook them in water adding onions, garlic and ham hocks. I cook them several hours until they are tender and I serve them with Tennessee fried cornbread. That is a meal within itself.

Incidentally, Tennessee fried cornbread is the most delicious bread I have ever had.

Mamaw Smith who is my neighbor cooks greens every spring as a spring tonic. I personally do not need them that way but they sure are good.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

Cunamara: The Sundancer cooks greens very frequently and we have winter greeens growing in the garden at this very moment. I personally like to cook them in water adding onions, garlic and ham hocks. I cook them several hours until they are tender and I serve them with Tennessee fried cornbread. That is a meal within itself.

Incidentally, Tennessee fried cornbread is the most delicious bread I have ever had.

Mamaw Smith who is my neighbor cooks greens every spring as a spring tonic. I personally do not need them that way but they sure are good.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul, so how 'bout these very young greens I got. They look a bit like those "baby" greens the supermarkets now have for salads. Do you think they're going to cook up a lot quicker? Given these scarcity of this stuff here, this is a bit of a one shot thing and I don't want to see them ready 1-1/2 hours before the smoked pork chops and corn bread I'll be fixing. -Tom

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

quote:

Originally posted by carlton pierre

I'm not a big fan of fried okra. I tolerate it at best. But I really love it in gumbo or jumbalaya. It's just awesome then, IMO.

carl reitz

Carlton, you have been in Tennessee now for several years and you should have become acclimated by now. You really have to become better friends with fried okra. This is not the heavily breaded version that you get at restaurants. It is simply oiled, rolled in cornmeal and browned.

Great by itself, with libation or with dinner.

I hope you enjoy grits and collards.

You cannot live in Tennessee without enjoying fried Okra

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I aplologize for not responding sooner, I just now saw this. You're right, I've lived here long enough, 12 years, to have become a fried okra fan. It took me 10 years to get into grits and I love them. Best collards I ever had was at an Ethiopian restaurant. MY wife has 2 pans of okra ready to fry, just havew not gotten around to it.
This is interesting because I'm trying to thinkof the foods that define Tennessee. Any thoughts?

Carlton:, I grew up on East Tennessee food. Besides fresh stuff out of the garden, we had East Tennessee fried cornbread several times a week, pinto beans flavored with pork, real country ham cured by grandpa Smith. Tomatoes every day during the summer, okra and green beans out of the garden, early potatoes, small potatoes and huge potatoes and potatoes every other way particularly fried. Grandpa Smith also cured his bacon and we had free range egg that were definately organic. They had the run of their farm and grandma had to keep a contant watch for where their nest was. Guinea eggs and canned pork chops.

Grandpa Smith supplied us with real stone meal that was ground slow, flour from the mill for baking needs from their own corn and wheat.

On and On and On.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by cunamara

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

Cunamara: The Sundancer cooks greens very frequently and we have winter greeens growing in the garden at this very moment. I personally like to cook them in water adding onions, garlic and ham hocks. I cook them several hours until they are tender and I serve them with Tennessee fried cornbread. That is a meal within itself.

Incidentally, Tennessee fried cornbread is the most delicious bread I have ever had.

Mamaw Smith who is my neighbor cooks greens every spring as a spring tonic. I personally do not need them that way but they sure are good.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul, so how 'bout these very young greens I got. They look a bit like those "baby" greens the supermarkets now have for salads. Do you think they're going to cook up a lot quicker? Given these scarcity of this stuff here, this is a bit of a one shot thing and I don't want to see them ready 1-1/2 hours before the smoked pork chops and corn bread I'll be fixing. -Tom

My advice is shooting from the hip but I would think the cooking time would bedefined by how tender they get. Probably around a hour and a half. My cornbread takes about 45 minutes to bake. You will have to use your own judgement.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I love fried okra. And okra gumbo as someone else mentioned earlier. I went to a private college in FL and we had a lot of students from all over the country. I worked in the cafeteria. Try to explain to someone who has never even heard of it what okra is. The best I could up with "It's a southern vegetable, you gotta try it."

Love, love, love okra (and I'm a Northerner!) I actually bake it rather than fry it here at home. Slice it, shake it up in a bag with seasoned cornmeal, put on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam, AND I spray the okra as well so that it gets crispy. I think this tastes great -- maybe not as great as deep-fried -- and it's fairly healthy, too. I could happily eat it every day!

Luby's makes relly good friend okra. I was in line once and the guy next to me had them pour cheeswe sauce that was for the broccoli all over his fried okra. I tried it and it was wonderful!

If you really want to fry okra with some zest, add a little white pepper to the pan.

We planted Okra in the garden today and it will be at least 60 days before we can begin harvesting. We enjoy cutting them off when they are small. About 3-4 inches. We cut them into small slices and fry them coated with cornmeal in canola with a little of bacon grease added. Salt and pepper and settle down and enjoy.

Okra is a appetizer within itself. Delicious.


Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN