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

FAQs

What makes okra taste better? ›

Cooking okra over high heat is absolutely the best way to prepare it. And when it comes to heat, deep-frying is definitely hot! A deep fryer is ideal for frying okra because it allows you to set and regulate an exact frying temperature.

Okra is a nutritious vegetable that can be cooked by boiling or frying. Regardless of your cooking method, wash and slice your okra first. You can boil okra in slightly salted water. You can coat okra in cornmeal and then fry it in a frying pan.

Okra is a staple of the cuisine of the Southern United States, with fried okra being the most popular method of preparation. Okra was first transported to the Americas by slave ships during the Atlantic slave trade.

🤩 Okra is Rich in Nutrients: Okra is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, and folate. By soaking okra in water, many of these nutrients leach out into the liquid, making them easily absorbable when you drink it.

Lemon juice, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, or a splash of wine will not only add depth to your recipe, but it will also lower your slime quotient. A vinegar bath also does wonders to reduce the slimy consistency. Before cooking, soak the pods in vinegar for 30 minutes to help break up and dissolve the slime.

Pro tip: add a little baking soda to your okra if you want it to “draw” more.

In a small bowl, soak okra in egg for 5 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge okra in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly.

Bigger is not better. The larger okra pods have tough husks and are too chewy. Growing up, fried okra was always a real treat.

But since it's often fried in bacon drippings, frying oil and Crisco, fried okra definitely isn't healthy. It's loaded with saturated fats and trans fats, which raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels.

Gastrointestinal problems: Okra contains fructans, which is a type of carbohydrate. Fructans can cause diarrhea, gas, cramping, and bloating in people with existing bowel problems. Kidney stones: Okra is high in oxalates. The most common type of kidney stone consists of calcium oxalate.

Why do Southerners eat okra? ›

Because of its slimy nature, okra was first used by white slave owners in the South to thicken soups. Thus, Créole gumbo, which itself is another name for okra, developed in Louisiana. Okra is also absolutely delicious fried— the crisp, battered exterior balances out the sliminess.

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.

Eating too much okra can adversely affect some people. Gastrointestinal problems: Okra contains fructans, which is a type of carbohydrate. Fructans can cause diarrhea, gas, cramping, and bloating in people with existing bowel problems. Kidney stones: Okra is high in oxalates.