Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (2024)

FAQs

What makes okra taste better? ›

Methods like grilling, sauteing, and frying that use high heat for a short amount of time work well. Make sure your cast iron skillet, grill, or fryer is hot before you start cooking okra. Getting a good sear on the outside will not only make the outside taste great, but it will also reduce the slime inside.

Should I boil okra before frying? No, that is one step you can skip! Raw okra is best for frying. Since it's cut into small pieces, the okra gets perfectly cooked even though it is only fried for a few minutes.

One popular way to reduce okra's sliminess is to "soak it in vinegar for 30 minutes [before cooking with it], which helps to break up and dissolve the slime," says food scientist, food industry consultant, and author Bryan Le.

Viscosity peaks at neutral to alkaline pH, Preston said, which is why exposing okra to acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or tomatoes, tones it down. Some African cooks, she said, go in the other direction, adding baking soda (which raises pH to a more alkaline level) to okra soup to augment its thickening effect.

It is also said to be an antidote to the venom of some snakes. It has use as an insecticide. It is also applied as a treatment for intense itching on the skin. It is used in aromatherapy for the treatment of depression and anxiety.

I love the taste of fried okra! The vegetable itself is mild, fresh, and slightly earthy tasting - sort of like a green bean - and the crunchy cornmeal coating on the outside is such a great compliment to the taste and texture of the okra.

Okra is low in calories but packed full of nutrients. The vitamin C in okra helps support healthy immune function. Okra is also rich in vitamin K, which helps your body clot blood. Antioxidants are natural compounds that help your body fight off molecules called free radicals that can damage cells.

You'll just need to thaw it completely first. This particular recipe makes some of the best fried okra I've ever had. Using a box of Zatarain's Seasoned Fish-Fri Southern Style is the trick. It saves you a ton of time and expense being that all the spices and flavor is right in the mix.

The best side dishes to serve with fried okra are cauliflower mac and cheese, Korean corn dogs, crispy green beans, Asian pork chops, jambalaya, grilled Cajun shrimp, tzatziki sauce, chicken feta burgers, cornbread, fried chicken, collard greens, coleslaw, pulled pork sandwich, hush puppies, and Southern baked beans.

Be careful to not overcook the okra, as this will make it slimy and mushy.

How to know if okra is bad? ›

Check to make sure the okra has firm green pods. The okra has spoiled if they've become soft, mushy, or brown. If it's spoiled, they lose its vibrant color and crunch. They may also have more slime by the bud.

Love it or hate it, there's no denying that okra can get slimy. The so-called slime is mucilage, which comes from sugar residue and is great for, say, thickening gumbo, but not great when you're biting into a piece of sautéed okra and averse to that viscous texture.

However, okra can get slimy if you overcook, so it's important to stop boiling it as soon as it's fork-tender. Adding cider vinegar to the boiling water also helps reduce the sliminess. Once you add a little salt, pepper, and butter to the finished okra, you'll have a delicious side for your next meal.

Okra water is an infused beverage made by soaking okra pods in water overnight. The drink is thought to offer health benefits like reducing blood sugar levels, supporting weight loss, and improving digestion.

The short answer is no, you don't have to soak it before cooking, but some recipes suggest soaking the okra in a vinegar mixture to reduce sliminess. To soak okra, pour 125ml (1/2 cup) vinegar into a bowl. Add 500g okra (the ratio of vinegar to okra is 125ml vinegar to every 500g okra). Turn the okra to coat.

Slowly cook your overlarge okra into a gumbo or stew to soften their pod structure. The key here is to cut the okra into bite-size pieces, so the fruit (yes, okra technically is a fruit) is tender.