When my husband is away, it’s oyster time. I savor oysters—especially lightly breaded and fried—when I can cook them the way I enjoy most. My husband prefers them raw on the half shell, but I grew up loving cooked oysters after one memorable teenage experience in Acapulco convinced me raw wasn’t for me.

I still adore oysters. My earliest memory is of a smoked oyster my grandfather gave me when I was about four or five, and that taste stuck. For everyday cooking I like them lightly breaded and fried in a mix of vegetable oil and butter—vegetable oil for heat tolerance and butter for flavor and color. The frying is quick: about three minutes total so the oysters stay tender and golden.

You can start with fresh raw oysters or use canned oysters with excellent results. For this version I used canned oysters since it was a solo meal, and the result was just as satisfying.

I like to serve fried oysters in a classic po’ boy style: toasted hoagie rolls, shredded lettuce, sliced roma tomatoes, and crisp bacon. While many versions use mayo, tartar, or remoulade, I prefer a creamy cocktail sauce—homemade with chili sauce, horseradish, lemon, Worcestershire, minced onion, salt, pepper and a touch of mayo for richness. It adds a bright, slightly spicy counterpoint to the fried oysters.

For the bread, I brush the insides of hoagie rolls with butter mixed with a little garlic and toast them briefly under the broiler. The garlic-butter toast adds a welcome aroma and texture to the sandwich.

Layer the toasted roll with the creamy cocktail sauce, a bed of shredded lettuce, tomato slices, a pile of hot fried oysters, and top with two slices of crisp bacon. Close the sandwich and slice on the bias if you like.

This combination was outstanding—crispy, creamy, and full of flavor. If you don’t care for oysters, try the same method with shrimp for a delicious alternative.

Background note: fried oyster sandwiches on French bread date back to the late 1800s in New Orleans and San Francisco as “oyster loaves.” The name “po’ boy” is associated with Louisiana and is said to originate during a streetcar strike when local restaurant owners served sandwiches to striking workers they affectionately called “poor boys,” which with the local accent became “po’ boy.”

Hope you enjoy — see you soon! ~Kelly

Yield: 2 servings

Oyster Po’ Boys with Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Creamy Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) can whole fancy oysters, drained and lightly patted dry with paper towel
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 cup “Chicken in a Biskit” crackers, crushed to fine crumbs (measure after crushing)
1/8 tsp. Creole seasoning
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
4 slices crisp-cooked bacon
2 (6–7″) hoagie rolls, split
4 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. finely minced or grated garlic

For Creamy Cocktail Sauce:

1/2 cup chili sauce or ketchup
2 Tbsp. hot horseradish
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried minced onions
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
2 tsp. mayonnaise

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the cocktail sauce ingredients, mix well, cover and set aside.
Drain the can of oysters and pat them dry with paper towels.
Beat the egg in a small bowl.
Grind the crackers to fine crumbs in a food processor. Add the Creole seasoning and pulse to combine.
Dip each oyster into the beaten egg, then coat well with the cracker crumbs.
In a large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts and blends with the oil.
Add the oysters and fry until deep golden brown, about 2–3 minutes total for medium-sized oysters. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Mix the remaining 4 tablespoons butter with the minced garlic and brush the inside of the hoagie rolls. Toast under the broiler if desired.
Spread each roll with the creamy cocktail sauce, add shredded lettuce and tomato slices, then pile on the fried oysters.
Top each sandwich with two slices of crisp-cooked bacon and place the top buns on.
Slice on the bias if desired and serve hot.