Kosher salt and finely ground black pepperto taste
24shucked, plump, meaty oysters
2large eggswell beaten
1cuppanko bread crumbs
1½lbsVegetable shorteningpreferably Crisco
For the Tartar Sauce:
1garlic clove
Kosher saltto taste
2small shallots
8cornichons
2tablespoonsvinegar from the cornichon jar
2tablespoonsplus 2 teaspoons capers and their brine
1shy cup mayonnaisepreferably Hellman’s or Real Foods
⅓cupsour cream
1½tablespoonslemon juicefrom about 1/2 lemon
1 ½tablespoonsfresh flat-leaf parsleychopped
Instructions
Prepare the Oysters:
Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge each oyster in the flour, then dip in the beaten egg, then coat evenly in the panko.
Set breaded oysters on a baking cooling rack, leaving a little room between the oysters so they can dry and set. Refrigerate until ready to fry and serve.
Make the Sauce:
Finely mince garlic with a pinch of salt until sticky and pasty. Mince shallots, cornichons and capers as finely as possible. Add all to a small bowl. Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, caper brine and cornichon vinegar, and stir well. Add chopped parsley, stir well and season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Fry the Oysters:
Melt enough shortening in a deep medium skillet (we love cast iron) over medium for 1 1/2 inches of liquified fat once hot. Increase heat to medium-high. It’s ready to fry in when a few crumbs of panko or the tip of a wooden chopstick sizzles actively in the fat.
Add the oysters cold from the refrigerator, working in batches of 6 to 8 or as you have room. Fry, making sure to turn them to get both sides, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes, depending on size. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider, and let rest on a clean rack while you fry the rest. Season each batch with a little salt while still piping hot, as soon as you pull them from the fat. Serve with tartar sauce.
Notes
If you don't want to deep fry the oysters, you can cook them in an air fryer for about 10 mins or so, depending on the size of the oysters.This recipe originally appeared in a New York Times Magazine article entitled, Fried Oysters Are Delicious. They're Even Better at Home, by Gabrielle Hamilton.Photo credit: Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food stylist: Sue Li. Prop stylist: Nicole Louie.