Rolled Oysters

My grandparents enjoyed these oysters at Mazzoni's in Louisville, Kentucky many, many decades ago. The restaurant is no longer there, but my grandparents were fortunate enough to charm this recipe out of the owners. Ever since, these little treasures have become a New Year's Eve tradition in my family. Memaw always formed extra "Mock Oysters" out of the cracker crumbs and batter for the kids who didn't like oysters (me!).

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  cups oatmeal
• 5  cups water
• 1⁄2 cup light corn syrup
• 2  pints  oysters, drained, reserve the liquid
• 1⁄4 cup evaporated milk
• 1⁄2 cup self-rising flour
• 4  teaspoons baking powder
• 3  eggs, separated
• 32  ounces  saltine crumbs, 2 boxes

Directions

1. Cook the oatmeal in the 5 cups of water.
2. Add the corn syrup to the oatmeal and remove from heat.
3. Set the oatmeal mixture aside to cool and then add the evaporated milk and the reserved liquid from oysters.
4. Add the baking powder and flour, beat thoroughly, and then add the egg yolks into the oatmeal mixture.
5. Beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold the egg whites into the oat mixture.
6. Add a little more self-rising flour if the oat batter is too watery (it should have the consistency of wet mud).
7. Roll each oyster in cracker crumbs, dip it into the oat batter and then roll in the cracker crumbs a second time.
8. (At this point, the oysters can be placed on wax paper and stored in the freezer until you are ready to fry them, or fried immediately.) To prepare, deep fry until they turn a dark brown color.
9. They may also be pan fried.