Best Oyster Or Shrimp Po Boys Aka Poor Boys Cooks Illustrated Recipes

SHRIMP AND OYSTER PO' BOYS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, soak the oysters and shrimp in a mixture of buttermilk and hot sauce for 20 to 30 minutes. In a shallow dish, whisk, together the cornmeal, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne.
• In a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 375 degrees F.
• Drain the oysters and shrimp and toss them in the seasoned cornmeal. Working in batches, fry the oysters and shrimp until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt, to taste.
• Split the rolls and smear with Creole mayonnaise. Line with plenty of shredded lettuce and tomato slices. Top with fried oysters and shrimp. Cut each roll into 2 to 3 pieces. Serve with hot sauce and a wedge of lemon.
• Combine all the ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

FRIED OYSTER AND SHRIMP PO' BOYS

Steps:

• For the donkey sauce: Mix together the mayonnaise, roasted garlic, mustard, salt, Worcestershire, black pepper and lemon juice in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the wet soak: In a nonreactive bowl or gallon resealable bag, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, basil, granulated garlic, white pepper and beaten egg and mix well. Add the oysters (or shrimp) 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, 1 teaspoon of the sea salt, the black pepper, cayenne and paprika and mix well.
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F.
• Drain the oysters (or shrimp) from the wet soak and dredge through the breading mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Carefully add to the hot oil in batches (do 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 with the garlic butter and place on a baking sheet. Broil until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread Donkey Sauce on both halves of each roll. Layer on the oysters, cabbage, pickles and tomatoes and top with the other half of each roll. Serve immediately.

GULF COAST OYSTER PO' BOYS

Steps:

• Line a plate with paper towels and set by the cooktop.
• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, hot sauce, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until it reaches 375°F on a deep-fat thermometer.
• Meanwhile, combine the egg, milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Combine the cornmeal, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and pepper to taste in a second bowl.
• Working in batches, and being sure to return the oil to 375°F for each batch, add the oysters to the egg mixture, remove with a slotted spoon, letting any excess drip off, and transfer to the cornmeal mixture, tossing to coat well. Carefully transfer the oysters to the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the prepared plate to drain. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, spread the cut sides of the baguette with the seasoned mayonnaise and Creole mustard. Arrange the fried oysters, lettuce, and tomato on the bottom half of the bread and cover with the top half. Using a serrated knife, slice the sandwich into 4 to 6 portions and serve immediately.

SHRIMP AND OYSTER PO'BOYS

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons hot sauce in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and oysters and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the rémoulade: Combine the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, lemon juice, remaining 2 teaspoons hot sauce, the paprika and garlic powder in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350˚ F. Combine the flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish. Remove the shrimp and oysters from the buttermilk one at a time and add to the flour mixture, rolling to fully coat; remove to a plate. Working in 3 batches, add the shrimp and oysters to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes; return the oil to 350˚ F between batches. Remove to a rack set on a baking sheet. Season lightly with salt.
• Assemble the sandwiches: Spread about 2 tablespoons rémoulade inside the rolls, then add some tomato slices and a handful of shredded lettuce to each. Add the fried shrimp and oysters, then drizzle with more rémoulade. Serve with the lemon wedges.

OYSTER POOR BOY

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk and 2 teaspoons of hot sauce in a small bowl. Add the oysters and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
• While the oysters are soaking, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, the remaining tablespoon of hot sauce, pickle brine, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, parsley, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and sumac together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the iceberg lettuce and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat the peanut oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Then lower the heat to slowly bring the oil up to 375 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, panko, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
• Remove each oyster from the marinade and shake off the excess moisture. Dredge in the cornmeal mixture, then move to a cooling rack set over a half-sheet pan. Allow the oysters to sit for several minutes afterwards to allow the breading to set.
• Transfer 6 oysters at a time to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. (Watch your thermometer because the introduction of cold food will likely pull the temperature down a bit.)
• Carefully transport the fried oysters to a clean cooling rack. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Bring the oil back to 370 to 375 degrees F and repeat with the remaining oysters.
• Split the rolls in half lengthwise. Tear out a bit of bread from the center of each roll, creating a trough. (If you wish, lightly toast the rolls in a 375 degrees F oven for 3 minutes.)
• Line the bottom of your roll with slaw and top with 5 to 6 oysters.
• Consume. Notice how the slaw is kinda gooshy (in a good way) and how that contrasts with the crunch of the oysters. Pulling some of the bread out of the middle will help the sandwich stay together, but you're still going to need a roll of paper towels to eat this thing.