Food and Recipes Seafood Oysters Fried Oysters 5.0 (1) 1 Review Crispy fried oysters are a party food, appetizer, or a down-them-by-the bushel dinner. By Bill Smith Bill Smith Bill Smith was the head chef of Crook's Corner restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for 25 years until he retired in 2019. He has written for Southern Living, Our State magazine, Garden and Gun, Southern Cultures, and Gravy magazines; has been included in The Carolina Table, Cornbread Nation, 27 Views of Chapel Hill, and Edible North Carolina anthologies. He has two cookbooks: Seasoned in the South, Recipes from Crook's Corner and from Home (Algonquin Press 2005), and Crabs and Oysters (UNC Press 2015). Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on February 17, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 2 Servings Crispy, salty, juicy—is there a Southern seafood delicacy more coveted than fried oysters? In this recipe, Bill Smith combines self-rising flour and corn flour to create a dredge that fluffs and fries up exceptionally crispy, yielding golden, crunchy oysters you’ll finish eating before you even knew you started. Ingredients Peanut oil, for frying 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup corn flour (such as Maseca) 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/2 tsp. black pepper 2 dozen fresh shucked Select oysters in liquid, drained, divided Lemon wedges, for serving Cocktail sauce or mayonnaise mixed with Sriracha, for serving Directions Pour oil to a depth of 3/4 inch in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet; heat oil over medium-high to 370°F. Whisk together self-rising flour, corn flour, salt, and pepper in a wide, shallow baking dish. Shake off excess liquor from oysters. Working with 1 oyster at a time, dredge 12 oysters in flour mixture. Place on a large plate. Dredge oysters in flour mixture again, gently shaking off excess. Add dredged oysters to hot oil, and cook, turning occasionally using a slotted spoon or spider skimmer, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. (Immediately begin cooking them once they are breaded; the crust won’t be as crisp if breading sits and becomes soggy.) Drain oysters on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with additional salt to taste, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. Return oil to 370°F. Repeat dredging, cooking, and serving process with remaining oysters. Rate it Print