Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 pint Select oysters
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Tabasco
lemon wedges and hot sauce
1. Fill a large high sided, heavy bottomed pot 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up with peanut (or other vegetable) oil. Bring the heat to medium high and insert a thermometer into the oil. Check the thermometer frequently to monitor the oil temperature while preparing the recipe.
2. Open the oysters and drain off the oyster liquor. Reserve oysters. In a medium sized bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Stir to blend. In a second medium sized bowl, add the buttermilk, egg and Tabasco. Stir to blend.
3. Dip one oyster into the flour cornmeal mixture. Lightly shake off the excess breading. Put oyster onto a baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining oysters. Dip one dusted oyster into the buttermilk mixture. Put the oyster back into the cornmeal mixture and dredge to cover. Lightly shake the excess breading off the oyster. Put the breaded oyster onto the baking sheet. Repeat the process until all the oysters are breaded.
4. Line the second baking sheet with paper bags or paper towels. When the oil has reached 360 degrees you may begin to fry the oysters. Gently drop 4 or 5 oysters into the hot oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until the oysters are golden brown on all sides. Remove the oysters and drain on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining oysters. Serve oysters immediately with lemon wedges and hot sauce if desired.
Recipe ©Sally James Mathis
Photography ©Taylor Mathis
Taylor and Sally these recipes look delicious and I love the contrast of Blood Orange Sangria and Fried Oysters together.
Taylor I cannot tell you (and probably do not need to!) how much I appreciate any of your tutelage on the shots you take. I always love it when you ‘open the curtain’ shedding insight on your approach, tools and settings! Thank you.