Oyster Po'Boys

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Watch how to make this recipe.

Oyster Po'Boys

Name: Oyster Po'Boys
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H5M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H40M0.000S
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 cup buttermilk; 1 egg, beaten; 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (recommended: Crystal); 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon granulated garlic; 1 teaspoon ground white pepper; 16 medium-size oysters, shucked, liquid reserved; 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1/4 cup cornmeal; 1/4 cup flour; 2 tablespoons dried basil; 2 tablespoons granulated garlic; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 to 3 teaspoons sea salt, divided; 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika; 1 1/2 cups canola oil; 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt; 4 soft French or hoagie rolls, split; 3 tablespoons butter, softened; Miss Dixie's Remoulade, recipe follows; 1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce, loosely pack, dark green ends discarded; 2 to 3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick; 1/2 cup thin sliced dill deli-style pickles; 2/3 cup mayonnaise; 1/3 cup loosely packed Italian flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoons Memphis-style BBQ sauce; 2 tablespoons Creole-style mustard; 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Getting reviews...

For those who don't like their oysters raw, there's the classic po'-boy sandwich. New Orleans's first po'boy makers settled on a roll that is light and mild, so that it doesn't overpower the tender oysters inside, yet is substantial enough to keep its shape when the sweet juices are released from their cornmeal crust. We discovered that a soft-crusted French, Italian, Portuguese, or Cuban loaf works well. Hot pepper sauce is the traditional condiment, but we've improvised a little, using chipotle mayonnaise to add a layer of smokiness instead of pure heat.

Level: Easy
Total: 40 min

Prep: 5 min
Inactive: 20 min
Cook: 15 min

Yield: 2 sandwiches

Level: Easy
Total: 40 min

Prep: 5 min
Inactive: 20 min
Cook: 15 min

Yield: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

Wet Soak:

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (recommended: Crystal)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

16 medium-size oysters, shucked, liquid reserved

Breading and Frying:

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 to 3 teaspoons sea salt, divided

1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon hot paprika

1 1/2 cups canola oil

1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt

Sandwiches:

4 soft French or hoagie rolls, split

3 tablespoons butter, softened

Miss Dixie's Remoulade, recipe follows

1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce, loosely pack, dark green ends discarded

2 to 3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1/2 cup thin sliced dill deli-style pickles

Miss Dixie's Remoulade:

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup loosely packed Italian flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons Memphis-style BBQ sauce

2 tablespoons Creole-style mustard

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

2 green onions, ends trimmed, roughly chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1 medium Anaheim pepper, roughly chopped

1/3 large red bell pepper, seeds removed

1/2 stalk celery

Directions

Special equipment:

a deep-fat thermometer

Sandwiches:
For the wet soak: In a nonreactive bowl or gallon re-sealable bag, combine the buttermilk, beaten egg, hot sauce, basil, granulated garlic and white pepper and mix well. Add the oysters and any liquid from shucking. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.
For the breading and frying: In a shallow bowl, combine the panko, cornmeal, flour, dried basil, granulated garlic, cayenne, 1 teaspoons salt, pepper and paprika and mix well.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large cast-iron skillet.
Drain the oysters from the brine and dredge through the breading mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Carefully add to the hot oil in batches, to not crowd, and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season with the remaining 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt while hot.
For the sandwiches: Preheat the oven to a low broil. Butter the rolls and place on a baking sheet. Broil until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, and remove from oven.
Spread Miss Dixie's Remoulade on both sides of the rolls. Layer on the oysters, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. Top with other half of bread and serve immediately.

Miss Dixie's Remoulade:

In a food processor, add all ingredients and process until smooth, 25 to 35 seconds depending on blender speed. Scrape down sides as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.