Fried Oysters

5 from 1 vote

Virginia is known for its fresh Chesapeake Bay oysters, and this crispy deep fried oysters recipe is the best way to prepare them!

Course Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine Southern

Keyword deep fried oysters, fried oysters, fried oysters recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 208kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

For the Tartar Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350°F, in a deep cast iron skillet, or in a Dutch oven over medium heat to a depth of about 2-3 inches, until it reaches 350°F. If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, sprinkle a few drops of water on the hot oil. If it sizzles, the oil is hot enough.
Drain the oysters in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Use a toothpick to poke a small hole in the large round part of each oyster. Put the buttermilk in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, Old Bay seasoning and pepper.
Add the oysters to the buttermilk and soak for a few minutes.
Remove the oysters from the buttermilk, gently shake off excess liquid, and dredge in cornmeal mixture to coat on all sides. Shake off excess breading and transfer to a wire rack.
Working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, fry oysters until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, season with additional salt and pepper (if necessary) while they’re still warm, and serve hot with tartar sauce or other dipping sauce.

This recipe serves about 2-3 people as an entrée, or 4-6 people as an appetizer or snack. You can adjust the quantity of oysters and other ingredients (doubling or tripling), as necessary, to feed a larger crowd.
When I was a child, my dad and his friend were deep-frying oysters. The oysters exploded in the fryer, splattering hot oil all over the ceiling and walls. As a result, I always use a toothpick to poke a small hole in the large round part of each oyster before breading. This releases the liquid and any pressure that might build inside the oyster that could cause it to explode when it hits the hot oil. It's similar to poking holes in potatoes before baking -- maybe not necessary, but certainly doesn't hurt!