Frying Oysters
Jul 29th, 2008 | By Peter Minakis | Category: Appetizer, Down Home, Frying, Recipe, Sandwich, Sauce, Seafood
I do enjoy eating raw oysters on the half-shell but I admit, I’ll pay someone else to shuck them. However, one can enjoy oysters in other ways and frying them up has to be one of the tastier alternatives.
The neighborhood Asian market always sells tubs of shucked oyster meat and from reading the label, this batch came from Washington state and I was pleased to see a “best before” stamp on the tub.
What ya get here today are fried oysters as an appetizer and then in the form of a sandwich. My craving for fried oysters was ignited by a “caesar salad with spicy fried oysters” dish.
The origins of the dish are bounced around between Kincaid’s in Washington, DC, Louis’s in South Carolina or Magnolia in Durham, NC. All three eateries are owned/operated by James Beard Award winners so it appears even the top dogs in food-dom seem to borrow ideas from each other!
The recipe calls for some Casear salad dressing but my gut was telling me “tartar sauce…yeah-yeah, go make some tartar sauce”. I have a wonderful homemade tartar sauce from last year. It’s easy, contains usual pantry items and tastes great.
Both dishes are simple…you’ll need some hearts of Romaine lettuce, oyster meat, your favourite tartar sauce, a good toasted bun and some flour and spices.
My frying method uses the Greek taverna method of frying seafood by using a simple seasoned flour mix, then dunking in ice cold water and finally into the hot oil. The result is a thin breading where you actually see what you’re eating and the crispyness is akin to a tempura.
Fried Oysters
1lb. oyster meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup corn flour
1 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. smoked hot paprika
bowl of ice-cold water
sunflower oil for frying
- Rinse and pat dry your oyster meat and then cut them up into bite sized pieces (my oyster was huge).
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and seasonings with a fork and taste and adjust seasoning.
- Pre-heat your oil until you get an approx temp. of 360F or drop a small piece of oyster (when it floats and starts frying, you’re ready).
- Set up your frying station from left to right, starting from your oysters, flour mixture, ice water and frying oil.
- Dredge your oysters in the flour, then quickly dunk in the ice water and then carefully drop into the fryer.
- Fry in batches for 2-3 minutes and reserve on a paper-towel covered plate.
- Serve as an appetizer with some Romaine hearts of lettuce or in a toasted bun with some lettuce. Both dishes contain tartar sauce.
Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
© 2008 – 2009, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
first time i heard of this..i could imagine the paprika and garlic poder blend perfectly with this fried oyster! love the idea of sandwich style!! really kalofagas
Brings back happy memories for me of tempura-d oysters in Japan… But I like the sound of this twist on the theme – looks absolutely yum.
I love the fact you went for a simple serving option with these. Just lettuce and a bun. That would have highlighted the oysters so well!
I am a vegetarian but I can always eat with eyes first!! they look fabulous.
yum.yum.
gorgeous!!
I just had an oyster Po Boy last week. I love fried oysters, and baked with toppings like Oysters Rockerfeller. Hope you didnt eat to much with its aphordisiac properties. The women in Toronto need to be put on alert!:-)
Oh wow, those look excellent, Peter! Would you believe I’ve never tried fried oysters? The only way I’ve had them was my grandma’s oyster stew. Yummmm.
Okay, today is my day for “food confessions”. The one and only time I had oysters is when my Grandmama made me eat oyster stew at 5 years old … I have avoided them like the plague since….BUT these look wonderful and I will have to rethink my position.
Omg – fried oyster sarnie!!
Mouthwatering – and we’re in oyster season…
My fried stuff never looks that good! I really need to step up to the plate (or hob).
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
This a so morish and delicious that I can’t stop looking. Freakin’ hell, I hungry now…..
a favorite delicacy of ours when we owned a fish and chip shop in wellington
I ADORE fried oysters! I love this! This is a dream come true!
They look so nice and crispy! I will be doing some oyster experiments this week for a recipe contest. It has been challenging to get oysters around here but we have some Asian grocery stores and I’ll think I’ll try them. Thanks for the idea!
Fried oysters – there’s something wonderful about them even if they’re not hugely complicated. Ruth Reichl’s Tender at the Bone set me into such a fried oyster craving frenzy it was unreal…
that looks so fabulous!! I’m vegetarian, but this looks so good, wish I could grab some! lol! :)
Just the other day, I read about making fried chicken by dipping the floured pieced in water before frying, and now this! It’s been years since I had oysters, and they didn’t look nearly as delicious as these. Your tartar sauce sounds great too … I’m into capers these days!
WOW!!! Is all I can say!
Those pictures are sooooo fantastic Peter.
I neeeeeed a box/tub (whatever) of this ‘Old Bay Seasoning’ stuff but can’t find it in the UK.
Those oysters look amazing!
Peter, just one more of your perfect, delicious recipes.
As it is difficult for me to find oysters, can I try with mussels?? What do you think??
Tartar sauce sounds perfect:)
I don’t like raw oysters, but I love them fried! These look perfectly crisp!
Dhanngit, you’re really getting the term “kalofagas”….that’s the essence.
Forkful, this batter is light yet crispy..perfect for tasting the oysters.
Hi Tom and welcome…I always try to highlight the flavour of the seafood at hand.
Poonam, I think you should allow yourself to eat some seafood.
Mary, thanks!
Courtney, it’s too late and I’m wearing “the shirt”! lol
Nikki, really? Raw or fried, they are “da bomb”!
Ohiomom…take serious consideration…dang they’re good.
Kittie, ask the fishmonger to shuck ya some…delish.
Foody, new oil, right temperature and this flower/cold water method never fails me.
Nina, oysters for a midnight snack? lol
Maria, glad to bring back fond memories of NZ!
Jenn, I hope you guys can get oysters in FLA.
Lisa, indeed…your Asian stores are a good bet for finding them.
Annemarie, I believe the 1st time I had them was in Boston, yum.
Arundathi…I think seafood is worth it to bend the rules a bit.
Paula…that’s cool…try frying seafood like first to see if it works/you like it and move on to bigger things.
Jan, readily available here and there’s always mail-order.
Elena, this frying method is how how they do “midia tiganita” in Thessaloniki!
Pam, indeed they were, I was a happy boy!
Well Peter, you’ve done it again. That looks great. I’m not sure version I want to try first.
Peter, my husband would love to eat this as he is a seafood lover.
I’m a little selective in what type of seafood I eat and oysters are not one of my favs….but seeing this recipe I might just change my mind.
Beautiful and so simply prepared. Thank you for sharing the Greek taverna frying method. I have not tried frying that way and must do it next time. Not sure I can get oysters here, but other things would taste good fried this way too.
Wow, those look really good. I’d never had fried oysters before I met Do, but they are apparently a staple in his family. He’s been trying for ages to figure out how to cook them without his secret ingredient (aka his father leaning over his shoulder), so I’m forwarding this recipe to him. Don’t be surprised if you see this recipe reappear on our site in a few days!
You’ve managed to make me crave both oysters and New Orleans in one post. Compounded by the fact that I always miss Greece when I’m on your blog. The whole ice water dunk is wacky . . . I can’t wait to try it!
Looks like an oyster po’boy to me – one of the world’s best and most decadent sandwiches. Shrimp po’boys are also amazing, if you haven’t had them, they should be on your “must-try” list – I know you’d love them.
Peter this dish look amazing!!! and really yummyxxGloria
I see fried oysters, and I think of po’ boys, one of those great New Orleans food traditions.
Hi Peter, I too have a love for oyster burgers. They are fanastic. i crumb mine with fine bread crumbs and serve them on a bun with smoked bacon, garlic aioli, spanish onions and romaine. Your burger is making me drool.
Oh Peter…you just reminded me how much I love oysters fried!!! Yummmmmm!
Oh wow look at those oysters! Are they still alive when you fry them? My most vivid memories of oysters is when my dad and sister ate them while they were still alive and moving :-| LOL
Like Laurie said they look like an oyster po’ boy but better! The frying method has me intrigued as well! The bun and the sauce just add to the whole perfection!
Now there’s a sandwich that would make me extremely happy. Looks really incredible and what time is service?
oysters are one of my fave seafoods!!! :D Saw this on an empty tummy and now I can’t shake the beautiful imagery of your oyster burger out of my head ;)
Mr CC and I love, love, love oysters and eat them weekly throughout the summer months, usually grilled with a little garlic butter. I love your recipe and am saving it right now to try with our next batch.
I have never eaten oysters, but I could be tempted with these.
Looks super yummy! We see this oysters in the bottle all the time – time to whip out the fryer!
oooh, I should make these for the hubby. A bottle of wine, a few oysters on a caesar salad…sounds good to me!
I love fried oysters! I have to try this technique of dipping it in water first before frying.
The sandwich looks super-yummy! Fly some over here!
fried oyster sandwich! whoaaaa hello mayo and lemon! (ala japanese restaurant) peterrrr how creative! i love this idea!
hey petey…how about submitting this to michelle’s snackshot sandwich event? http://www.greedygourmet.com ^_^
i cant get over my love for this sandwich! yay yay yay
nice lettuce tree in your tartar sauce. oh, and the fried oysters are pretty impressive, too, but that should go without saying. :)
You know – you had me on the frying…but you lost me on the oysters! LOL.
Joanne, I’d say go for the sandwiches!
Sue, try fried oysters and you;ll think again about being selective.
Jen, try looking at an Asian market, that’s where I found mine.
Neen, I hope they like it and if they do, I know I did good.
Lia, lucky you’ve been to N’awlins…love the food of the area.
Laurie, Lydia and Peter, yeah…DUH…they are Po’Boys…silly me.
Christine…the light breading is wonderful…enjoy!
Jan, fried oysters could be your intro.
Tasty…aren’t they a great product?
Bridgett, hubs and you would luv it!
JS, it gives a light but crispy coating.
Rita, I hope you’ll try it, plenty of oysters in HK, no?
Thanks Grace…it was a delish afternoon of oysters.
Darius, that’s ok…more oysters for me!
Hi Peter!
Ah, I’ve missed reading your blog as I’ve been off on vacation this past month. I returned from the land of fried seafood… clams, scallops, shrimp and even lobster. I do love a good fried piece of seafood once in a while. I’ve never thought to fry oysters… as you said… you rarely find them already shucked. We have a multitude of Asian markets here so I’ll be curious to check out if they sell oyster meat as well. Great idea!
Mmm… fried and seafood! Although I usually prefer it if the frying happens in someone else’s home ;)
Hi Peter, very very original idea, I think I will try them before my moving from the french coast.Thanks for sharing
i could eat those in a sandwich everyday. yum.
That sandwich actually reminds me of New Orleans, yummy!
Peter – you are my hero. Fried oysters are one of my favs. Well, actually, any kind of oyster is my fav. Don’t mind shucking them either. We recently made some fried oyster tacos. YUM.
You are reminding me that I want to post about Hangtown Fry, gotta go, gotta get some of those oysters!
They look wonderful Peter, especially in that bun.
Ok, so there’s two things in this world that I have a major weakness for – oysters and tartar sauce. Oh my God. Oh yeah, there is a third, it’s sandwiches. I can’t believe you brought them together is such joyous harmony!!
Hola Peter! I don’t specially like oysters, but I always had them raw. Frying them would be a great way to eat them… but, I don’t know if I understood well, just before adding to the oil you place in ice water? Doesn’t that make the oil go mad and hurt your arms?
Ohhh an oyster po’ boy!! YUM!
YUM! I love po’boys!!!
What a great pic…can you tell I love a po’boy? LOLOL!!
Hi Lori and welcome back…I hope you had a restful holiday, now it’s my turn.
Dee, frying like in this instance is justified!
Francesca, fried oysters are wonderful…you’ll love’em.
Krysta, I could too…made a small batch, just in case!
Kat, this is found in N’awlins…a Po-boy!
Lori Lynn…lol @ hero…aren’t oysters awesome?
Helen, enjoy this food trio delite!
Nuria, they are wonderful fried too and no I don’t get burned, you quickly dip them in the cold water, then oil.
Dawn, do you by any chance like Po Boys? lol
Peter… u r killing meee!!!!! I looooooove fried oysters and this burger is to die for. I wish you would teach my husband to cook as half as good as you do. He can’t even boil an egg… :’(
Oysters are one of those things I’m a little afraid to prep at home. This recipe makes it look easy (and delicious!)
you must have been looking for love eating all of those Oysters!!!LOL! Thanks for you comment on my apple cake!
Question – you say sunflower oil for frying? We only have olive oil (sesame oil for seasoning) – is the burn temperature too low or is it the neutral flavour that makes you favour sunflower?
Lina, send me a ticket and I’ll cook for you…Greek week!
3Forks…they are easy.
Leslie…let’s just say I had my “mojo”!
Thanks Kevin!
Foody, sunflower oil is my prefered frying oil but you can use vegetable oil or a combo of vegetable oil and olive oil (to bring the smoke point up).
These look wonderful!! I know that frying is somewhat out of vogue, but fried oysters are one of my favorites- that crispy exterior with the moist, center…there is nothing better!
thanks for posting the recipe! i first had these when we were in VA a few mths ago and i was hooked! now i kno i can just make them myself. ;)
farina
p.s. i hope u dont mind me linking you to my blog. ;)
I must confess that I love raw oysters so much that I seldom if ever have them cooked. But I do have a weak spot for fried, crispy seafood… I agree that I will always pay for somebody else to shuck them. My marriage nearly ended in divorce last year in France when hubby bought 2 dozen oysters from a van outside a shoppign centre and I KNEW he had no equipment or knowledge to shuck them. I banned him from buying them, with visions of severed thumbs – he cheerfully ignored me. Lots of shouting ensued… My point was that if they sell chain mail gloves for shucking, it probably is not an activity that an amateur should be dabbling in!!
Wow those oysters look so yummy. Glad to be back to reading your recipes and seeing some great photos of tasty looking food.
Hope your summer has been great! Sounds like it has!
This is insanely tasty looking!! We have to try these one day…very very soon! Great blog !
[...] Fried Oysters [...]