Crispy Oyster Croquettes (Iron-Rich)
thenutritiondad on Instagram ↗Some amounts estimated
Shucked oysters are chopped with fresh parsley, shaped into small patties and fried in a flour and egg coating, with no breadcrumbs and no binder in the mix. What you get is a crisp, thin shell around a soft, briny centre that tastes strongly of oyster. It suits an easy starter or snack, though the loose mixture needs a gentle hand. The source gives no amounts, so the quantities, yield and times here are our estimates.
Ingredients
- ~3 tbsp parsley
- ~12 oysters
- ~2.08 cup cooking oil
- ~2 eggs
- ~2.12 oz all-purpose flour
- ~1/4 tsp salt
- ~1 pinch black pepper
~ Nourishible estimate; the source did not state this amount.
Equipment
- Oyster knife and a cloth or glove
- Small heavy saucepan or deep frying pan
- Cooking thermometer
- Slotted spoon
- Two shallow plates for flour and egg
Steps
If it goes wrong
If shell fragments are in the bowl, strain the liquor through a fine sieve, then return the oysters to it.
If it goes wrong
If the mixture is very wet and loose, drain it in a sieve for a few minutes. Sloppy mixture won't hold a shape or take a coating.
If it goes wrong
If it won't hold together, stir in 1 tbsp flour. The mix will be a little less pure oyster, but it will shape.
If it goes wrong
If a croquette starts to come apart, put it back on the plate and press it together with floured fingers before coating.
If it goes wrong
If the coating is pale and greasy, the oil is too cool; wait for it to come back to 180°C before the next batch. If the outside is dark but the croquette is still soft in the middle, lower the heat and cook the rest a little longer.
Notes from Nourishible editors
Written by our recipe team from the video and the method above.
- Technique · Step 5: Flour goes on before the egg because it dries the surface, giving the egg something to cling to so the coating stays on in the oil.
- Technique · Step 6: Let the oil get properly hot before the first croquette goes in. In cooler oil the coating soaks up fat and turns greasy instead of crisp.
- Scaling · Step 6: For a bigger batch, fry in rounds. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and the croquettes steam rather than crisp.
- Swap · Step 2: No fresh parsley? Chives fill the same fresh-herb role, with a milder, oniony edge.
Variations
Lemon zest. Stir the finely grated zest of half a lemon into the chopped oysters with the parsley. It lifts the briny flavour without adding any liquid.
Shallow-fried. In a wide frying pan with 1 cm of oil over medium-high heat, fry for about 2 minutes on each side. They brown a little less evenly than deep-fried ones, but you use less oil.
Storing and reheating
Eat them straight away, while the coating is crisp. Cooled leftovers keep in the fridge for 1 day: reheat on a tray in a 200°C / 400°F oven for 8–10 minutes until steaming hot all the way through. We don't recommend freezing them, as the coating turns soggy.
How we adapted this recipe
The ingredients and the order of steps (chop with parsley, season, shape, flour then egg, fry) come from the creator's recipe.
No ingredient amounts, oil temperature or shape size were given. The oyster count, 55 minute total (the source's 40 leaves no room for the chill), 180°C / 350°F oil, 2–3 minute fry, 15 minute chill and all ingredient amounts are our estimates, marked ~. We also added the chilling step and the fixes.
This recipe has not been cooked in our kitchen.
Questions about this recipe
Can I use tinned or jarred oysters?
You can, but drain them well and pat them dry first, as they are wetter and softer than fresh ones. Expect a milder flavour and a softer mix, so you will likely need the extra flour.
Why do I flour them before the egg?
The flour dries the surface so the egg has something to cling to. Without it, the coating can slide off in the oil.
How do I know when they're cooked through?
Look for a deep golden crust and no raw, translucent patches when you break the first one open. Oysters cook in minutes, so extra time just makes them rubbery.
What should I serve them with?
A squeeze of lemon, or a little plain yoghurt or mayonnaise thinned with lemon juice. Something sharp cuts through the richness.