Fried Green Tomato Burgers That’ll Make Any Southerner Swoon

Put a little south in your mouth with our delicious fried green tomato burgers with comeback sauce.

At the beginning of each tomato season, I find myself anxiously awaiting the fruits of my gardening labor. Firm and green, these tomatoes aren’t the traditional juicy, red orbs. Here in the south, however, they are transformed into one of my favorite side dishes: fried green tomatoes.

Sliced a quarter inch thick, coated in panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), then deep fried, these green tomatoes taste great on their own, but they are even better as a topping for our latest “Burger of the Month.” The juicy reverse seared burger patty and crunchy, slightly tart, fried green tomatoes get doused with another southern classic – comeback sauce.

For the uninitiated, Southern Living explains here that “comeback sauce is often referred to as the kissing cousin of remoulade, and this versatile spiced sauce got its original kick in the 1930s, in Jackson, Mississippi. And as one of the South’s most beloved condiments, comeback sauce is a delicacy native to the Deep South.” In short, this creamy, slightly spicy, mayo-based sauce will keep you coming back for more, especially when paired with fried green tomatoes in this southern burger recipe. 

Fried Green Tomato Burger with Comeback Sauce Recipe

3.64 from 38 votes

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Put a little south in your mouth thanks to this burger recipe featuring fried green tomatoes and comeback sauce.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

 

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Comeback Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons jarred chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce such as Louisiana or Crystal
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Fried Green Tomatoes

• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 2 large green tomatoes
• Canola oil

The Burger

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
• 2 hamburger buns

Method

 

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1. Prep. To make the comeback sauce, combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, and paprika in a small bowl and blend well. Cover and refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.
2. For the fried green tomatoes, cut each tomato into 1/4-inch (6.4-mm) slices. Combine the flour and salt in a shallow bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs in a second shallow bowl and add the panko breadcrumbs to a third shallow bowl.
3. Cook. Add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of canola oil to a skillet then place over medium-high heat.
4. Dredge the green tomato slices in the flour, then the beaten egg, and finally in the panko breadcrumbs. Working in small batches, fry the coated green tomato slices, flipping once until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the fried green tomatoes from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain.
5. Prep again. Divide the meat into two 8-ounce (226.8-g) portions. Gently form the meat into patties that are approximately 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) wider than the bun to allow for shrinkage during the cooking process. Season both sides of the patties with kosher salt.
6. Fire up. Prepare a grill for indirect cooking by placing a chimney full of pre-heated charcoal briquets on one side of the grill’s charcoal grate in order to create direct and indirect cooking zones. Adjust the grill vents to bring the temperature to about 225°F (107.2°C) on the indirect side. Add 2 to 3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for flavor. On a gas grill, adjust the temperature knobs so that one half of the grill is off and the other half is heated enough to maintain a temperature of approximately 225°F (107.2°C) on the indirect side.
7. Cook again. Place the hamburger patties on the indirect side of the grill, positioning the vent directly above the burgers in order to force the smoke over and around the meat. Cook the patties for about 10 minutes.
8. Push the tip of a rapid-read thermometer such as the Thermapen into the side of both burgers. When the temperature reaches 105°F (40.6°C), flip the burgers and cook for approximately 10 more minutes. Because they are not over direct heat, you do not need to flip them often.
9. When the burgers are about 20°F (-6.7°C) below the final doneness temp you want (see AmazingRibs.com’s award winning Food Temperature Guide), get ready to move them to the direct-heat zone. If you are on a gas grill, crank it up to high. On a charcoal grill, you may want to add more pre-lit coals. If necessary, take the meat off of the grill and close the lid while the hot side heats up.
10. Put the burgers on the direct heat side to brown them. Leave the lid up so the heat is concentrated on one side of each burger. If the fire flares up, move the burger to another spot. Flip the meat every minute to form a nice crust on both sides.
11. Serve. To assemble the burgers, place each patty on a bottom bun and top with a fried green tomato. Spread comeback sauce on the top buns before placing on the burgers. Serve immediately with additional fried green tomatoes and comeback sauce.

Notes

About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.

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