Frying can be messy if you aren’t set up in an efficient fashion. Set up a frying center that lets you move easily from marinating the okra to coating it in the dry ingredients to placing it in the hot oil. Only dredge what you can fry at one time: don’t coat all of the okra and then start frying since the coating will become dense and gummy on the later batches. Lastly, don’t fry too much okra at once or the oil will cool down and the okra won’t cook properly.
1 pound okra, stem ends trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup buttermilk
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup medium-grind cornmeal (not self-rising)
3 cups peanut oil, plus more if needed
Line a plate with paper towels and set it next to the stovetop. Combine the okra and buttermilk in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the flour and cornmeal in a second bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove a large spoonful of okra from the liquid, letting the excess buttermilk run back into the bowl. Place the okra in the flour mixture and toss to coat.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350° on a deep-fat thermometer. (You can also test the heat by sprinkling a bit of flour into the hot oil to see whether it bubbles.) When the oil is hot, add the coated okra to the skillet.
Cook until brown and crisp, 3–5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked okra to the prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining okra. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.