Southern Fried Squash (A Southern Staple)

Fried squash is a classic southern side dish that uses garden-fresh yellow and zucchini squash.

Yellow and zucchini squash are a staple in most any southern garden. They're also the one vegetable that's easy to grow, thrives well and is abundant during summer! Usually
by mid -late summer, our garden is over-flowing with all those green and yellow beauties. 

Squash is also very versatile! You can eat it fried, grilled, stuffed, baked. roasted, sauteed or even pickled. I love to add zucchini to quick breads, muffins and cakes or to use as a replacement for pasta. When it comes to southern fried squash yellow straight neck squash is my favorite (less seeds than crook neck), but I do fry zucchini squash as well. It just depends on what's ready to be picked in the garden.  

The key to great fried squash is having a good, flavorful breading that sticks and yields a crisp, outer crust. To achieve this I use equal parts of self-rising flour and cornmeal! I also use buttermilk instead of milk. 

I love the tangy flavor of buttermilk and it's also thicker than regular milk, which helps the breading stick really well. This is the time of year that you probably have more squash than you know what to do with, so if you're looking for a simple squash side dish, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. 

Yield: 4 - 6

Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen

Southern Fried Summer Squash

Fried squash is a classic southern side dish that uses garden-fresh yellow and zucchini squash.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 4 MinTotal time: 19 Min

Ingredients

• vegetable or canola oil for frying
• 4 to 5 medium yellow or zucchini squash, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• garlic and onion powder, to taste
• creole seasoning, to taste (optional, but so good)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk or milk (I prefer buttermilk)
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat a 1/2 inch oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until hot.
2. Slice the squash as the oil heats up. Slice into 1/4 inch slices and set aside.
3. Combine the eggs, buttermilk or milk and hot sauce (if using) in a small bowl, mix well.
4. In a second bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, garlic, onion powder, creole seasoning (if using) and salt and pepper (to taste).
5. Dip each squash slice into the egg batter then dredge into the flour mixture (shaking off any excess flour).
6. Fry the squash slices in batches until tender and golden brown on each side (about 3-4 minutes per side).
7. Don't let the oil get too hot, keep it at med-high heat.
8. Let the squash brown on each side before flipping.
9. Remove the squash with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
10. Season fried squash with additional salt and pepper, creole seasoning and hot sauce before serving.

https://www.mommyskitchen.net/2017/07/southern-fried-squash-southern-staple.html

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How to Freeze & Preserve Breaded Summer Squash for Frying:

After dipping each squash slice into the egg batter then dredge into the flour mixture (shaking off any excess flour).

Lay each slice of breaded squash onto a large baking sheet that has been lined with waxed paper or foil. 

Flash Freeze the breaded squash. When completely frozen place the pieces of breaded squash into a large Ziplock Freezer Bag. Store for up to 12 months for best results. 

To Fry Squash:  When you want to fry the breaded squash, remove from freezer and take the squash out of the bag and immediately place into a deep fryer or fry in a skillet with at least 3/4 cups of oil. Fry until golden brown. The key to having the best quality of frozen breaded squash is not to let the squash thaw out after removing from the freezer or it will be mushy.

The quality of frozen summer squash is maintained best in a very cold freezer, such as a deep freeze and one that keeps the squash frozen completely with no thawing. Make sure to release any air from inside the bags which can lead to freezer burn.  Using a vacuum sealer is best, but freezer bags will also work. 

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