Crispy Fried Oysters

By Danielle Nieman

There’s NOTHING that compares to biting into a crispy fried oyster! They’re delicious, addicting, and coated with just the right amount of crunchy spice.

This post is all about how to make Crispy Fried Oysters.

If you want to experience an explosion of flavor in your mouth, you must try these crispy fried oysters! Not only is this an easy recipe to follow, but they can be made quickly and served in a variety of ways.

They are excellent with a spicy dip or over a bed of fries as a meal or appetizer. But better yet, place these crispy babies inside a sandwich with shaved iceberg lettuce and tartar sauce. Shucks, yes, you’ll be in seafood heaven.

So, what makes this crispy fried oyster recipe the best around? It’s the double-dipping process, and no worries, it’s not the cootie-catching, double-dipping you may have in mind. The oysters are first rolled in a spicy flour mixture, dipped in egg, and lastly in panko before they’re deep-fried to crispy perfection.

Now, suppose you’re wondering where to buy freshly shucked oysters, aka bivalves (the technical aquatic term). In that case, you can order them at a seafood store and ask them to shuck them for you, or check online, or see what’s available at your local grocery store. Let’s dive into this wildly delicious recipe so you, too, can taste these flavorful bombs of crunchy spice.

Crispy Fried Oysters

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe:

• Freshly shucked oysters, 1 pint, the medium size is best for frying. Check your local grocery store in the deli section or the meat and fish department for freshly shucked oysters.

• Peanut oil, 2 to 2.5 cups. This oil is popular for frying food because it has a high smoke point and has a neutral taste compared to vegetable oil.

• Lemon wedges, for squeezing on top of the fried oysters.

• Crack sea salt and ground pepper to taste on the fried oysters.

Egg Coating Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs

• Heavy Whipping Cream, 2 tablespoons.

Flour Coating Ingredients:

• Flour, 1 cup.

• Salt, 1/2 teaspoon.

• Ground Black Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon.

• Chili Powder, 1/2 tablespoon.

Panko Coating Ingredients:

• Panko Bread Crumbs, 1 cup.

• Chili Powder, 1/2 tablespoon.

Spicy Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• Mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons.

• Sour Cream, 2 tablespoons.

• Whipped Cream Cheese, 1 tablespoon.

• Fresh Chives, 2 teaspoons, diced.

• Dijon Mustard, 2 teaspoons.

• Red Wine Vinegar, 1 teaspoon.

• Cayenne Pepper, 1/2 teaspoon.

• Tapatio hot sauce, 1 teaspoon.

• A quarter of a lime, squeezed.

• Red onion, 2 tablespoons, finely diced.

• Salt and pepper to taste.

Equipment You’ll Need To Make These Classic Fried Oysters:

• Oyster Shucking Set, OPTIONAL – This would only be needed if the oysters haven’t been shucked. Most fresh oysters have already been shucked.

• Measuring Spoons and cups

• Three Mixing Bowls – one bowl for the egg coating, one for the flour coating, and one for the panko coating.

• Deep Frying Pan

• Strainer Slotted Spoon for draining and frying.

• Deep Fry Thermometer or candy thermometer – This thermometer is highly recommended. Getting the oil to the right temperature is everything when frying food. It’s important the temperature is 375 degrees F when deep-frying oysters. If the temperature of the oil is too low, the oil will seep into the oysters, and they will taste greasy. If the temperature is too high, the oysters will become dried out.

• Cooling Rack – Place the fried oysters on a cooling rack lined with paper towels to drain the oil.

• Parchment Paper – After coating each oyster, you can place them onto parchment paper before placing them in the frying pan. The parchment paper is a safe holding area that won’t absorb the egg and bread coating.

• Colander Bowl – Optional but helpful when gently rinsing off the oysters.

How To Make These Easy Deep Fried Oysters, Step-By-Step

Step 1: Gently rinse the oysters off in cool water. You can use a colander bowl. Gently pat them dry using paper towels.

Step 2: Prepare three bowls. One bowl with the egg-coating ingredients mixed. The second bowl with the flour-coating ingredients mixed. And lastly, the third bowl with the panko coating ingredients mixed.

Step 3: Next, prepare the spicy dip by adding all ingredients to a bowl, mixing thoroughly. Set this bowl in the refrigerator until the fried oysters are ready to serve. You can also use tartar sauce as the side dip if you prefer.

Step 4: Dredge each oyster in the flour coating and then dip each one into the egg mixture. Lastly, gently roll the oysters in the panko coating. Use your hands to make sure each oyster gets a thick layer of panko. You can place the breaded oysters on top of parchment paper while you wait for the oil to heat up.

Step 5: Add about 2 to 2.5 cups of peanut oil to the deep frying pan. The oil should be about 1.5 inches high in the pan. Begin heating the oil until it reaches 375 degrees F. Be sure to check this temperature using a thermometer.

Step 6: Have the cooling racks ready and lined with paper towels.

Step 7: Carefully submerge the breaded oysters into the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes until they look golden and crispy. Only place 5 to 6 oysters in the frying pan at once.

Step 8: Use the strainer spoon to transfer the fried oysters to the paper towel-lined cooling rack to drain.

(Repeat the above steps until all oysters have been fried and transferred to the cooling rack.)

Step 9: Crack sea salt and ground black pepper on the fried oysters to taste.

Step 10: Serve them immediately with lemon wedges, Sriracha sauce, and the spicy dip or tartar sauce.

Tips and Questions For Making This Best Fried Oysters Recipe:

What Is The Best Oil To Fry Oysters?

It’s best to use peanut oil or vegetable oil. Peanut oil is preferred because of its neutral flavor.

Do You Rinse Oysters Before Frying?

Yes! It’s a good idea to gently rinse the oysters with cool water to remove any small shells that may still be present. Use a colander bowl to drain the oysters and dry them gently with paper towels before dredging them in flour.

Best Temperature For Frying Oysters?

375 degrees is the magic temperature! Be sure to use a thermometer to check the temp of the oil to be on the safe side.

What’s The Best Way To Cook Oysters?

This is up to you! You can fry them, or make oven-roasted oysters, pan-fried, or grilled oysters.

Are Fried Oysters A New Orleans Dish?

While there is no evidence that New Orleans was the first to create fried oysters, they are certainly a famous staple dish. Check out 15 of the best places to eat fried oysters in New Orleans.

Storage?

FYI, fried oysters taste best when eaten immediately; however, leftover oysters can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two days in an airtight container. You can also freeze leftover oysters.

How Do I Fry Oysters In An Air Fryer?

Frying oysters in an air fryer would take away the whole point of a deep-fried oyster. You can deep fry the oyster first, and if you’re storing the leftovers in the fridge or freezer, you could use the air fryer to crisp and warm the leftover oysters.

What Do You Eat With Fried Oysters?

You can eat them alone with a spicy dipping sauce or tartar sauce. You could also enjoy them with a bed of crispy fries, in a sandwich, or folded into an omelet.

Do Fried Oysters Really Taste Good?

Heck, yes. They’re unbelievably delicious!!

What Are Southern Fried Oysters?

This oyster recipe often calls for cornmeal instead of panko and buttermilk instead of heavy cream.

Can You Make Fried Canned Oysters?

While canned oysters aren’t nearly as good as fresh oysters, they can be used for this recipe. Gently rinse off the canned oysters in cool water and continue to follow the rest of the step-by-step instructions.

Can You Make Fried Oysters Without Batter?

You could, but it wouldn’t be very delicious. Because oysters are delicate, they need the bread coating to ensure they do not become overcooked. Also, the bread coating adds a ton of flavor.

How Many Calories Are In Fried Oysters?

There are about 30 calories in one deep-fried oyster.

Variation Recipes:

• Southern Fried Oysters – Use cornmeal instead of panko and buttermilk instead of heavy cream.

• Fried Oysters With Cornmeal – Substitute the panko with cornmeal.

• Fried Oysters Without Buttermilk – Just follow this recipe if you don’t want to use buttermilk.

• Panko Fried Oysters – Follow this recipe for a panko coating.

Final Thoughts on Crispy Fried Oysters

I hope you enjoyed reading about what it takes to make the BEST Crispy Fried Oysters! It’s a delicious treat you can serve in so many ways. Once you try these flavorful crunch bombs, you’ll be hooked forever. Leave a comment below if you enjoyed this recipe.

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