I really love it. My mom makes the VERY BEST fried okra. She uses cornmeal, salt and pepper then fries it to crispy perfection. My mom made okra a lot in the summertime and I really thought it couldn't get any better until I had her okra salad.
Okra salad is summertime perfection. It's chilled, it's crispy, it's savory and sweet. It's wonderful.
This recipe came from my mom's Aunt Genise who lives in a tiny little town in the Texas panhandle on a cattle ranch which has been in the family for over 100 years. Whenever I eat this okra salad I think of that tiny little town, then I thank God for Aunt Genise who gave us this wonderful recipe. Thank you Great Aunt Genise!
I did some searching on Pinterest and there was only one other semi-similar version of this, which is a real shame because it's delicious.
You may already have your recipes laid out for your 4th of July festivities, but if I could convince you of one thing it's that you need to add this to your table ASAP. It's easy and can be made and stored in the fridge.
Ingredients
• 2 bags frozen sliced okra OR 6 cups fresh sliced okra
• 2 cups cornmeal, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 tomatoes, quartered (campari work well)
• 5 slices of bacon
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 3 - 4 cups vegetable oil
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, add okra and 1 cup of the cornmeal. Stir until the okra is thoroughly
coated. Add more cornmeal to coat the okra, but make sure you don't have excess cornmeal in
the bottom of the bowl.
2. Sprinkle okra mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly.
3. In a deep skillet, add your vegetable oil. Heat until very hot, almost sizzling.
4. When the oil is very hot, carefully add your okra one scoop at a time. Reduce heat slightly, and
cook undisturbed until the first side of the okra is dark and crispy. Flip, and cook the same way
on the other side.
5. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy and prepare tomatoes and onions.
6. Line a large mixing bowl with a paper towel. Transfer your cooked okra to the bowl and allow
excess oil to drain on the paper towel.
7. Crumble bacon and add to the okra. Stir until combined.
8. Add the onions to the okra, stir. Finally, add the tomatoes and stir carefully until combined.
9. Place okra salad in the fridge to chill for at least one hour before serving. Enjoy!
1. In a large mixing bowl, add okra and 1 cup of the cornmeal. Stir until the okra is thoroughly
coated. Add more cornmeal to coat the okra, but make sure you don't have excess cornmeal in
the bottom of the bowl.
2. Sprinkle okra mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly.
3. In a deep skillet, add your vegetable oil. Heat until very hot, almost sizzling.
4. When the oil is very hot, carefully add your okra one scoop at a time. Reduce heat slightly, and
cook undisturbed until the first side of the okra is dark and crispy. Flip, and cook the same way
on the other side.
5. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy and prepare tomatoes and onions.
6. Line a large mixing bowl with a paper towel. Transfer your cooked okra to the bowl and allow
excess oil to drain on the paper towel.
7. Crumble bacon and add to the okra. Stir until combined.
8. Add the onions to the okra, stir. Finally, add the tomatoes and stir carefully until combined.
9. Place okra salad in the fridge to chill for at least one hour before serving. Enjoy!
Did you make it? Do you love it? Let me know how your salad turns out!
Happy Homemaking!
Sallie
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