These Grilled Oysters are just about the perfect little bite, each wonderful oyster floating in an amazing garlic herb butter.
There really is nothing like a perfectly grilled oyster! Some people say they are an acquired taste, but I think perhaps this is a recipe that everyone is going to love!
I have a love affair with seafood, all types of seafood, and oysters are no exception. Whether I shuck them and eat them raw with a little hot sauce or mignonette sauce, or like this, grilled with melted butter, oyster on the half shell are one of the best ways to enjoy them!
Ingredients
- Oysters
- Butter
- Garlic
- Fresh parsley
- Chives
- Lemon juice
- Fresh black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Hot sauce
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Morton Salt Kosher Salt, 3 lbs, Pack of 2
Corelle Livingware 12-1/4-Inch Serving Platter
Char-Broil Performance 4-Burner Cart Style Propane Gas Grill, Stainless Steel
How long does it take to grill oysters?
Quite honestly, it takes very little time to grill your oysters; most of the time spent is in the preparation. You have to shuck the oysters prior to putting them on the grill.
You can place the oysters directly on the grill unopened and they will open from the heat. But when you do this you run the risk of overcooking them if you then add the butter mixture and keep them on the grill.
Plus, only some kinds of oysters open when grilled. You would have to know if the ones you bought will open with heat.
The butter sauce is quick to mix together. In a small bowl combine the butter, garlic, parsley, chives, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. That is it; you are on to the next step…the shucking.
In order to shuck the oysters, you are going to need a good quality oyster knife. Holding the oyster in a folded tea towel, work the knife between the top and bottom shell of the oyster.
Once the knife penetrates the oyster, twist, and the shell will open. It does take a good amount of force to open one, but with a little practice, it does get easier. Two things to keep in mind, slide your knife under the oyster to release it from the shell. Second, remove any bits of shell from the oyster.
Move the shucked oysters to a platter; try to retain as much of the liquid or “liquor” of the oyster that is in the shell. It really enhances the flavor after they are grilled.
Place about a teaspoon of the butter mixture on the top of each of the oysters. Have your grill heated; once you have a hot grill, place the oysters directly on the grill grates. Grilling the oysters is really quick, just a few minutes.
What do grilled oysters taste like?
Well frankly, I may be a little, OK, a lot biased, but I think that these grilled oysters taste absolutely fantastic! The soft creamy taste of the butter with the touch of garlic.
The parsley and chives bring a fresh flavor and the lemon adds the perfect amount of tartness. The oyster itself does not have a strong taste, but it melds perfectly with everything else!
Which oysters are best for grilling?
There are numerous varieties of oysters that we get in our area, mostly we see the Pacific oyster, and we also get a number of oyster varieties from the Atlantic or east coast. There are fewer varieties of Pacific oysters, but they may be sweeter and plumper than the east coast varieties.
You will have to try a few different ones to see which you prefer. My personal preferences are Malpeque from Prince Edward Island or Beausoleil from New Brunswick.
Obviously, the environment has a huge impact on the oysters. For example, it may take up to 4 years for an oyster to reach maturity in Nova Scotia. Further south, an oyster from Virginia might be mature in less than a year due to the temperature of the water.
Raw Vs. Cooked
I have eaten a great many oysters over the years, both cooked and raw. My first memory of oysters is eating smoked oysters out of a small tin when we were camping. Obviously, my taste has improved, but I can say that I did enjoy them.
Oysters are pretty versatile either cooked or raw, one of the most famous oyster dishes is Oysters Rockafeller, and they are baked or broiled. When oysters are served raw they are often served with hot sauce, grated horseradish, lemon, or a mignonette sauce. This sauce usually contains minced shallots, pepper, and vinegar.
Any way you eat them is fine; make them any way you like. There aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to oysters. You just need to enjoy them!
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Grilled Oysters
Ingredients
- 12 fresh oysters scrubbed
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Dash of tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high.
- In a small bowl mix the butter, garlic, parsley, chive, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well combined
- Shuck the oysters leaving as much of the liquid or "Liquor" in the shell as possible. Run your knife under the oyster to make sure that the meat is released from the shell. Remove any bits of shell that may be inside the shell or on the oyster.
- Lay the oysters on a platter and add a tsp of the butter mixture to the top of each oyster.
- Carefully place the oysters on the grill and close the lid.
- Grill for 3-5 minutes or until the liquid in the oyster shell is just starting to bubble. Be careful not to overcook them as they will develop a rubbery texture.
- Remove them from the grill and serve with tabasco sauce if you like.
I started craving for more with just a little bite of this!