Oyster Fried In Beer Batter (Recipe)

Ingredients

24 fresh oyster in shell or 1 pint shucked oysters

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

1/3 to 1/2 cup beer

Shortening or cooking oil for deep fat frying

Cocktail sauce or tartar sauce (optional)

Lemon wedges (optional)

Steps

1. Shuck the oyster, if necessary.  Drain any excess liquid and pat dry with paper toweling.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, paprika, salt and pepper.  Gradually stir in 1/3 cup beer; stir until smooth.  Add additional beer if the mixture seems too thick.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

3. In a large heavy saucepan or deep-fat fryer, heat 2 inches of shortening or cooking oil to 375°.  Dip the oyster, few at a time, in the batter, allowing the excess batter to drip off into the bowl.  Fry the batter-covered oysters in the hot fat, 5 to 6 at a time, about 1 1/2 minutes or until golden brown.  Drain on paper toweling.  Repeat with the remaining oysters.  Serve immediately with cocktail sauce or tartar sauce and lemon wedges, if desired.

Tips:

When shopping, look for live oysters with shells that are tightly closed, moist and unbroken.  Ask when they arrived at the store and choose those that are not more than 2 days old.  Shucked oyster should be surrounded by clear-not cloudy-liquid.  Avoid oyster that have an off-odor.

Live oysters may be refrigerated up to 5 days if covered with a moist cloth in an open container.  Tap any shells that open during storage and discard any oysters that don't close quickly.  Shucked oysters that are covered with their own juice may be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen up to 3 months.

To shuck oysters: Put on a heavy oven mitt and hold the shell, flat side up, firmly against a cutting board.  Using a strong-bladed oyster knife with a hand guard, insert the tip between the shells near the hinge, being very careful not to let the knife blade slip.  Twist the blade and push it into the opening, prying the oyster open.  Move the blade along the inside of the upper shell to free the muscle; remove and discard the top shell.  Slide the knife under the oyster to cut the muscle from the bottom shell.