Fried Oysters With Cornmeal Batter

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 06/1/24
Tested by
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Tested by Spruce Eats Test Kitchen
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Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Fried oysters are a flavorful treat that can be easily made at home. Use them as an appetizer or add them to salads or simple pasta or rice dishes. Split a baguette and use the fried oysters to make a fabulous New Orleans po'boy sandwich, or wrap them in a soft tortilla spread with a Louisiana rémoulade sauce.

Crispy fried oysters with cornmeal batter on a plate with lemon wedge

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

There is no science involved in the making of a crispy and decadent fried oyster. The main trick is to drain the oysters really well to help the cornmeal breading stick better, remain on the oyster, and not float and burn all over your fryer. Drain the oysters well and pat them dry thoroughly; the less moisture on the oyster, the better the breading will stick to them.

The second thing you have to take into consideration is maintaining a steady temperature in the frying oil—an instant-read thermometer is always a great tool to have at hand. Choose an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, peanut, or canola oil.

Our recipe with a cornmeal coating makes these fried oysters super crispy, and the recipe is a great template for you to add to and experiment with other seasonings. Serve these crispy fried oysters with the tartar sauce included in the recipe or with cocktail sauce. Add some lime wedges, fresh coleslaw, or perhaps some fries to complete a wonderful meal.

Tips for Making Fried Oysters Recipe

To serve many hot fried oysters all at once:

  • Preheat the oven to 200 F before you begin to prepare the oysters.
  • Drain the hot-fried oysters as directed.
  • Place them on a baking sheet as soon as they come out of the fryer and place them in the hot oven.
  • Fry all oysters and keep adding them to the baking sheet until you're finished frying.


What You'll Need to Make This Fried Oyster Recipe
Nordicware_MixingBowls_04
A Nice Big Mixing Bowl
Best Frying Pans
A Sturdy Frying Pan
Taylor Precision Products Taylor Candy And Jelly Deep Fry Thermometer
An Accurate Deep Fry Thermometer

"These oysters tasted great, and that's coming from a person who is not a fan of oysters. The coating is very crisp with a great texture from the cornmeal. The oysters are tender, with a mellow, briney flavor, which pairs well with the slightly tangy, creamy tartar sauce." —Jasmine Smith

Crispy Fried Oysters with Cornmeal Batter/Tester Image
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Ingredients

For the Tartar Sauce:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/3 cup dill relish, or finely chopped dill pickle

  • 2 teaspoons capers, drained and finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion, optional

For the Fried Oysters:

  • 2 cups shucked fresh oysters, drained

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons fine salt, more as needed

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Steps to Make It

Make the Tartar Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Tartar sauce ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup dill relish (or finely chopped dill pickle), 2 teaspoons capers (drained and finely chopped), 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

    Mayonnaise combined with dill relish, capers, lemon juice, black pepper, and Dijon mustard in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. If using, add the 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion to the sauce and stir it into the mixture, or reserve to garnish the finished oysters. Stir to blend thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

    Green onion added to the tartar sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Fry the Oysters

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Crispy fried oysters with cornmeal batter ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Pat the 2 cups oysters dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

    Oysters draining on a paper towel on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Beat the 2 large eggs in a medium bowl.

    Beaten eggs in a medium bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the oysters to the eggs and set aside for 10 minutes.

    Drained oysters in a bowl with beaten eggs

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Meanwhile, heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy, deep saucepan over medium-high heat until it registers 370 F on a kitchen thermometer.

    Vegetable oil for deep frying in heavy saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. In another medium bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.

    Cornmeal, sugar, pepper, salt, and flour in a medium bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Lift each oyster out of the egg mixture and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Roll an oyster in the cornmeal mixture to evenly coat and transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat with all oysters.

    Oyster from egg mixture dipped in cornmeal mix

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Carefully add the oysters to the hot oil, frying in batches of 6 to 8 to not overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden, 2 to 4 minutes per batch.

    Add cornmeal battered oysters to hot oil

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Use a metal slotted spoon to remove the oysters to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Salt lightly.

    Fried oysters draining on paper towels

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Serve with the tartar sauce and enjoy.

    A plate of fried oysters served with tartar sauce in an oyster shell

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

The dry mixture is the perfect place to experiment with new flavors. Here are our favorites:

  • Cajun seasoning: Replace 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 teaspoon of a Cajun or Creole seasoning blend.
  • Spicy oysters: Add 1 tablespoon of hot sauce to the egg mixture. Add 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper to the cornmeal mixture.
  • Herby seasoning: Add 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder into the cornmeal.
  • No eggs, no problem! - If you can't eat eggs because of a dietary restriction or allergy, use 1 /2 cup of buttermilk instead.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
629 Calories
46g Fat
35g Carbs
20g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 629
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g 59%
Saturated Fat 7g 33%
Cholesterol 153mg 51%
Sodium 1285mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 10mg 51%
Calcium 38mg 3%
Iron 9mg 48%
Potassium 374mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)