Oyster Po Boy
The story goes that the po-boy got its name during the transit strike in 1929. On July 1, of that year, the Amalgamated Association of Electric Street Railway Employees, Division 194, went on strike, sending 1,800 unionized streetcar drivers and motormen off the job and onto the picket line. The men spent months protesting with no pay, so the Martin brothers, like other sympathetic businesses, wanted to show solidarity with the strikers. At the time, the brothers charged just 15 cents for long loaves of French bread, with roast beef as a typical filling. When a striker came buy to get a sandwich, they would call out, “here comes another poor boy,” as the striker approached. That’s how this New Orleans classic became known as the “poor boy” and was abridged to “po-boy”.
Ingredients
For the coleslaw
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 cups bagged carrot and cabbage mixture
For the oysters
36 large oysters (about seven 6-ounce jars)
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon granulated onion
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon dried mustard
2 eggs, beaten
vegetable oil, for frying
To assemble
6 French bread or bolillo sandwich rolls
Directions
Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the carrot and cabbages law mix and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
Line a plate with paper towels, rinse the oysters, and let them drain on the lined plate.
Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, granulated garlic, oregano, basil, paprika, thyme, granulated onion, white pepper, and dried mustard in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl.
Transfer the oysters to the egg mixture to coat, letting the excess drip off, then coat them one at a time in the dry mixture. Set aside.
Line another plate with paper towels and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over high heat until very hot. (Sprinkle a little of the dry spice mix in the oil and if it sizzles, the oil is ready.) Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the skillet, fry the oysters about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Remove the oysters to the lined plate. While still hot, sprinkle them with salt.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Slice open the rolls and warm them in the oven for 3 minutes. Spread both sides of the bread with mayonnaise and ketchup. Place 6 oysters on the bottom of each sandwich and top with coleslaw. Top the sandwiches and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Thank you for trying this recipe. Please let me know how you liked it.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please take a look at other recipes on my fast, simple and good seafood page.
Oyster Po Boy