Shrimp Or Oysters Po-boy Recipe
Topped with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, house-made pickles, po-boy sauce, served on French bread.
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Ingredients
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Sandwich
Pickles (house-made quick pickles)
Breading / dredge
Garnish / finishing
Method
Pickles (house-made quick pickles)
Make brine
In a small bowl or jar combine white wine vinegar, water, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
Add aromatics and cucumber
Place sliced cucumbers, dill (or dill seeds), and smashed garlic clove into the jar or container. Pour the brine over the cucumbers, press down to submerge, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (best 1–2 hours).
Breading / dredge & protein prep
Prepare shrimp or oysters
If using shrimp: peel and devein medium shrimp (16–20 count) and pat dry. If using oysters: shuck and drain on paper towel, pat dry gently and remove any large bits of shell. Keep refrigerated until ready to dredge.
Make wet batter
In a shallow bowl whisk together buttermilk and egg until combined. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of cayenne if desired.
Make dry dredge
In another shallow dish combine all-purpose flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, remaining salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne. If using panko, stir it into the dry mix for extra crunch.
Dredge
Working in batches, dip each shrimp or oyster into the wet batter, allowing excess to drip off, then coat thoroughly in the dry dredge. Place on a tray and let rest 5 minutes so the coating adheres. Re-coat quickly if needed for thicker crust.
Frying & sauce
Heat oil
Pour vegetable oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1.5–2 inches and heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of dredge — it should sizzle immediately and brown in about 45–60 seconds.
Fry seafood
Fry the dredged shrimp or oysters in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry shrimp about 2–3 minutes until golden and cooked through; oysters take about 2–3 minutes until golden and edges are crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray to drain. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if needed while frying remaining batches.
Make po-boy sauce
While frying, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon, hot sauce, Worcestershire, minced garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more hot sauce or lemon for brightness. Refrigerate until assembling.
Assemble sandwich
Spread sauce
Spread a generous layer (about 1–2 tablespoons per side) of the po-boy sauce on both cut sides of the bread.
Layer vegetables and pickles
On the bottom half place shredded lettuce (about 1 cup per sandwich if making two), arrange tomato slices, and scatter the quick pickles evenly.
Add fried seafood
Pile the fried shrimp or oysters on top of the lettuce and tomatoes. For a 12–14" loaf, distribute about 1 lb shrimp/oysters across the length so each portion is generous.