Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and arrange bacon on top in a single layer.

Step 2

Bake bacon until browned and crunchy, about 25 minutes, turning slices over halfway through cooking.

Step 3

Meanwhile, pour buttermilk into a shallow dish and stir in beaten egg and hot sauce. Add flour to a second shallow dish or a plate. Add cornmeal and seasonings to another shallow dish or plate and stir to combine.

Step 4

Begin heating 1 inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or 3-inch-deep cast-iron skillet until it reaches 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Set a cooling rack in a sheet pan and put it near the stove.

Step 5

While oil heats, dip 1 tomato slice at a time in buttermilk mixture, then in flour. Turn flour-coated tomatoes in buttermilk again, then add them to the cornmeal mixture and turn to coat evenly on both sides. Set tomatoes aside on plates.

Step 6

Fry tomatoes in batches without crowding until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per batch, turning once if needed. As they’re done, transfer fried tomatoes to the cooling rack set in the sheet pan.

Step 7

Toast bread and spread on one side with mayonnaise. Place a layer of lettuce, 3 slices of bacon, and 3-4 fried green tomato slices each on half of the bread. Top with remaining bread and serve.