Even if you live in a colder climate way up north, you can have a taste of the south any time you want. And you can do it while enjoying one of everyone's classic favorites - grilled cheese sandwiches! As you'll see in the recipe below, these sandwiches get more southern with every bite from the fried green tomatoes to the pimento cheese!
The most work these sandwiches take is frying the green tomatoes. And yes, to get that full southern flavor, you really do have to use green tomatoes. While frying those slices, don't forget to make yourself a little extra - they're great for snacking on while you're frying up the sandwiches!
Fried green tomato and bacon grilled cheese
4 sandwiches
10 minutes
25 minutes
35 minutes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 green tomatoes, cut into 1/4" thick slices
1/2 cup bacon grease, save from cooking bacon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons butter, softened
8 slices white bread
8 slices bacon, cooked
2 cups pimento cheese
Whisk eggs, milk, paprika, and garlic powder in a bowl. In another bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Dip tomato slices into the egg mixture and then into the flour and cornmeal mixture. Set aside until all tomato slices are coated.
Place the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the tomato slices about 4 or 5 at a time for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are golden brown on one side. Then flip and fry for another 3 minutes. As the tomatoes finish cooking, drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and sugar.
Butter each slice of bread on one side. Lay as many pieces as will into a frying pan side by side, butter-side down. Top with 1/4 cup pimento cheese each, two or three slices of fried tomatoes, and two slices of bacon. Top with another buttered piece of bread, this time butter-side up. Turn heat to medium and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bread is golden brown. Then carefully flip and fry for another 3 minutes or so, until that side is also golden brown.
Slice and serve!
