When you don’t have time for slime.
It may be one of our region’s most iconic vegetables, butokrais a polarizing piece of produce.
It was likely poorly cooked and thus, slimy.
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Just follow these pro tips from our test kitchen toavoid common mistakeswhen cooking okra.
Choose Small, Fresh Pods
The smaller the pod, the less slime and seeds.
Larger pods can not only be slimy, but also woody and tough.
Look for small, tender pods that are bright green with no black spots.
Use High Heat
The longer okra cooks, the slimier it gets.
ensure yourcast iron skillet, grill, or fryer is hot before you kick off cooking okra.
The result will be perfectly crisp okra.
Really Dry Them
Once you wash your okra pods, ensure they are completely dry.
Wet pods will start to steam, which produces more slime.
A vinegar bath also does wonders to reduce the slimy consistency.
Before cooking,soak the pods in vinegarfor 30 minutes to help break up and dissolve the slime.
Pat the pods completely dry before cooking.
Cut Larger Pieces
Change your cutting game.
Lots of small cuts release more mucilage, or slime, in okra.
The bigger your pieces, the less slime you’ll have.
Consider cooking whole pods or larger chunks.
Instead of cutting your okra into rounds, try slicing your okra in half lengthwise.
This not only reduces slime, but it’s also a nice change from the standard okra discs.
you might also cut it lengthwise intoshoestring-style strips.
Halves are perfect to roast or fry, and the long strips make a great fried side dish.
Recipes to Try
With these tips, this Southern icon just may win you over.
Try itsimply roasted,pickled and zesty, orpan-fried tossed with cornmeal.
For a different presentation,smash okraand fry the resulting strands until crisp and golden.
There are so many ways to enjoy this inherently Southern dish.
Get out your frying pan and get cooking.
