How to Make the Ultimate Po'Boy
The po'boy sandwich, much like the muffaletta, is a fixture of New Orleans cuisine. And, like the muffaletta, it has many variations - some might argue, even more. That's because the po'boy has undergone a bit of a renaissance in New Orleans, with new kids on the block making reimagined versions with liver cheese, grilled shrimp, and roasted duck, to name a few examples. And now there's even a "Vietnamese po'boy" that's become popular, otherwise known as a banh mi, whose endearing nickname points to a growing affinity among locals for the "new" sandwich.
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But even the traditional po'boys come in many variations. Walking into a typical po'boy shop in the Big Easy means confronting a nearly paralyzing array of choices, including juicy fried oysters, perfectly fried shrimp, flaky fried catfish, crunchy soft-shell crab (fried, of course), ham and cheese, sausage, or even meatballs. And let's not forget about roast beef and gravy, topped with french fries. So in figuring out how to make the ultimate po'boy, we first had to pick one.
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Which one did we go with? While the first "poor boy" sandwich created in 1929 during a streetcar strike featured potatoes and beef gravy, we decided to go with the fried oyster po'boy for its fame throughout the country. So we tapped chef Brian Jupiter, New Orleans native and executive chef for Pioneer Tavern Group, for some tips on how to make the ultimate po'boy and his childhood recipe. His simple advice rests on having the right ingredients and taking the time to prepare them with loving care.
Use Cornmeal
Cornmeal and oysters go together like salt and pepper, at least when you're frying them. Cornmeal lends a distinct flavor and a nice crunch to the oysters, and is the traditional way of preparing fried oysters for po'boys. Jupiter uses a 2:1 ratio of all-purpose flour to cornmeal in his recipe.
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Season, Season, Season
Just as important as seasoning after frying is seasoning before frying. Jupiter seasons his flour-cornmeal mixture with a generous amount of Cajun spice, salt, and pepper.
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Get Dressed
Jupiter says to always get the po'boys dressed, which in po'boy-ordering vernacular means, "Always top with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mayo." Don't get tempted to cut corners here - it's important to cut the shredded lettuce from a whole head of lettuce instead of using pre-shredded bags, and we think it's folly to bother with the tomato if it's out of season.
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Even Better
Mayonnaise is a must, but if you really want to turn up the flavor factor, make remoulade sauce. Jupiter's version adds some heat with a good dose of Louisiana hot sauce.
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-Will Budiaman, The Daily Meal
