Deep-fried oysters, popular dish using cultured pacific oysters

Deep-fried food with wheat flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs on oysters. Although it is considered a Western-style dish in Japan, it is one of the Japanese dishes. We use oysters grown in aquaculture called pacific oysters. The food season is from November to April, and it is frozen except during this season.

What is deep-fried oysters and can I eat it?

Materials of deep-fried oysters

Oyster (pacific oyster), wheat flour, eggs, bread crumbs, vegetable oil

Gluten-free Low-gluten Wheat-free Low FODMAPs High FODMAPs
with Beef with Pork with Daily with Egg for Vegetarian
Restaurant Fast food Food supermarket Convenience store Drug store

The most common way to eat oysters in Japan

Oysters have been eaten in Japan for 10,000 years, but deep-fried oysters first appeared 120 years ago. Like tonkatsu, it is treated as a Western food menu. Many Japanese still think that deep-fried oysters are Western food. In Europe and the United States, oysters are eaten raw, but in Japan, deep-fried oyster are more common than eating raw.

Deep-fried oysters are made in the same way as Tonkatsu (pork cutlet), with flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs on the surface of the ingredients and fried in vegetable oil. The resulting product is placed on a plate with chopped cabbage and served with comb-shaped lemon. When eating, squeeze the lemon, and then sprinkle with tartar sauce. It is often eaten mainly as a side dish of rice.

We can make deep-fried oysters at home, and we can buy deep-fried oysters at the delicatessen section of a food supermarket during the season.

Try to eat deep-fried oysters!

How much ?

  • $ 2~4.5, 3 pieces of deep-fried oysters
  • $ 7~14, Deep-fried oysters set meal

Where can I eat deep-fried oysters ?

Deep-fried oysters can be eaten at restaurants that serve deep-fried foods such as pork cutlet and fried shrimp from October to April.

Precautions when eating deep-fried oysters

For people who are gluten-free except for celiac disease

Deep-fried oysters uses wheat flour and bread crumbs but not in large quantities. If you are gluten-free for your health, don’t overeat.

Japanese writer’s comment for deep-fried oysters

In Japan, we can buy refrigerated raw oysters at food supermarkets.

However, please note that there are two types of raw oysters, one for cooking and one for eating raw. In Europe and the United States, it is common to eat raw, but in Japan it is common to heat it.

In addition to deep-fried oysters introduced here, we often eat stir-fried oysters, oysters’ stews, and rice cooked with oysters. If you eat it raw, be sure to buy one that is “for eating raw”.

Oysters for eating raw are harvested in clean sea areas designated by the health authorities and washed in sterilized seawater for 2 to 3 days. During this time, the oysters are fasting. Although there are few bacteria, it is said that the body is thin.