Why This Recipe Works

Fried green tomatoes sound good in theory, but in practice, the tomatoes themselves are often a letdown, with soggy, grainy, chewy breading and bland, steamy tomatoes. But like all good Southern-style fried food, they ought to be crunchy, and well seasoned with a kick of spice. To that end, we began by sprinkling salt and sugar on the sliced tomatoes, drawing out their moisture and intensifying their flavor. We ditched the all-too-often gritty cornmeal in favor of unfailingly crunchy panko bread crumbs and dredged the tomatoes twice in a boldly seasoned breading enhanced by Old Bay seasoning. Shallow frying the tomatoes reduced the amount of wasted oil and made easy work of getting them golden and crispy. Then we mixed together a tangy, spicy mayo; slathered it on a big, soft brioche roll; and piled on the bacon, shredded lettuce, and crispy fried tomatoes.

Before You Begin

Look for green tomatoes that are about 3 inches in diameter. It's best to slice the tomatoes closer to ⅛ inch thick if possible, but as long as they're less than ¼ inch thick they will work well in this sandwich.

Instructions

Core tomatoes and cut off rounded top and bottom. Slice tomatoes into twelve ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick slices (you may have some left over). Line rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Place tomatoes on prepared sheet and sprinkle both sides with sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover tomatoes with triple layer of paper towels and let sit for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise and Tabasco together in bowl; set aside.

Whisk flour, panko, Old Bay, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Beat eggs together in shallow dish. Remove top layer of paper towels from tomatoes. Transfer tomatoes to flour mixture and toss to coat.

Remove remaining paper towels from sheet and wipe sheet dry. Return tomatoes to now-empty sheet. Working with 1 slice at a time, dip tomatoes in egg, allowing excess to drip off, and return to flour mixture, pressing firmly so coating adheres. Return tomatoes to sheet.

Line large plate with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Fry half of tomatoes until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side, reducing heat as needed if oil gets too hot. Using tongs, transfer fried tomatoes to prepared plate. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining tomatoes.

Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on each roll bottom, then follow with 6 half-slices bacon and 3 fried tomatoes, overlapping slightly in center. Toss lettuce with remaining ¼ cup mayonnaise mixture in bowl and divide evenly among sandwiches. Cover with roll tops and serve.