These southern fried oysters are crispy and a little spicy on the outside and moist on the inside. They’re perfect for snacking on by themselves or for tossing on a po’boy!
Fried oysters are one of those Southern classics that bring us right back to our favorite surfside restaurant or po’boy shop. You won’t believe how easy they are to make yourself!
Do you rinse oysters before frying?
Whether you are shucking your oysters yourself or buying them pre-shucked, it’s always a good idea to drain and rinse your oysters and get any traces of shell or sand out of there.
How to make easy fried oysters:
Next, you’ll want to pat them dry before putting them in the buttermilk mixture for a few minutes. We mix our buttermilk with egg and hot sauce to give them a little kick.
When you pull them out of the mixture, you’ll want to use your fingers to “pull” all the excess off the oysters. This will make sure that your breading doesn’t fall off after they’re fried!
Next, you’re going to dip them in a mixture of cornmeal, flour, and Creole seasoning. The wet and dry ingredients on our fried oysters are the same ones we use for our fried green tomatoes and fried pickles, so we swear by this combo!
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When you’re ready to fry them up there are some different methods you could use:
First, if you have a deep fryer (you can click the link to grab one) it’s super easy to regulate the temp. Don’t have/want a deep fryer? No worries…
You could also fry them in a dutch oven (we recommend this to prevent splatter) using a candy thermometer to regulate the temperature.
No candy thermometer handy and want to do it the old fashioned way? Toss a little water on the oil. If it’s hot enough to sizzle, it’s hot enough to fry. Just be sure to only put a few oysters in the oil at a time (6-8, depending on their size), and take a little break between batches to let the oil get back up to temperature again.
What kind of oil is best for frying oysters?
You can certainly use vegetable oil, but we recommend peanut oil because it has a high smoke point and doesn’t leave any taste behind.
What do you serve with your oysters?
- A good dipping sauce like tartar, cocktail, or remoulade
- Make it a po’boy!
- Cornbread
- French Fries
- Biscuits
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Southern Succotash
Fried Oysters
Ingredients
- 1 lb oysters shucked and rinsed
- 4 cups peanut oil
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp Tony Chachere or other Cajun seasoning
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Heat oil to 360 degrees in a deep fryer or a dutch oven.
- Rinse oysters and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce. Submerge the oysters in the mixture.
- In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, and cajun seasoning.
- Remove oysters from the buttermilk mixture and use your fingers to "pull" off the excess. Then, coat with cornmeal mixture.
- Drop oysters into oil 6-8 at a time, being careful not to crowd. Give the oil time to heat back up between batches
- Let oysters cook 2-3 minutes (depending on size) and pull out when golden brown. Put on paper towels to drain.
Nutrition
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Suja md says
Absolutely delicious dish; thank you for this fantastic recipe! I will make it again!!
Pam says
Yay! Happy to hear that.
Mairead says
Oysters are very popular in Ireland. We even have an Oyster Festival each year. These fried oysters are delicious. Thanks for all the wonderful cooking tips.
Wanda says
My mom use to fry oysters when I was younger. I never ate them then, but now I love them! These look so perfect!
Heidy says
These southern fried oysters were so juicy yet crisp! I loved them and wished I had made more. Husband approved.
Pam says
Thanks, Heidy!
Shadi+Hasanzadenemati says
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing!