Wash your tomatoes and slice them into 1/8 in to1/4-inch-thick slices. Thinner slices will be more crunchy and thicker slices will be juicier. I like to do a variety of thicknesses. Arrange them on a plate or your cutting board so that you can put a bit of salt on each slice. This will help to draw out the juices and help the corn meal stick. If yours are already very juicy, you can choose to skip the salt step.
While the salted tomatoes are sitting, prepare your workspace. You will need a plate with about 2 cups of cornmeal spread on it, a dry spot to lay your coated slices, a plate lined with paper towels, your salt, and oil heated to 350 degrees.
Take each tomato slice and set it in the middle of the pile of corn meal. Scoop cornmeal on top of the slice and then press down on top of the cornmeal with your hand to press cornmeal on to both sides of the slice. Remove the slice and shake it gently to remove excess cornmeal. You can do 4-5 slices and then drop them into the oil together.
Monitor the slices in the frying oil while you prepare 4-5 more slices. You will be watching for golden brown slices, and you will want to turn them with your tongs after a few minutes. After they are golden brown on both sides, remove them from the oil and place them on the paper towel lined plate and put a little salt on them while they are still super-hot. Don’t overdo it with the salt.
Repeat this process until all the slices are fried. Do not coat the slices with cornmeal too far in advance, as they will get soggy. Refill the cornmeal on your plate as needed.
Eat them as soon as they are cooled enough to put in your mouth! They are best straight out of the oil, so do not prepare them too far in advance. Typically, these are the last thing I prepare if we are having them at dinner, or I prepare them while the rest of our meal is cooking, and we eat them as an appetizer.