East Coast Oysters Recipe

Inspect and Chill

Rinse the oyster shells under cold running water to remove grit. Discard any oysters with cracked or open shells that do not close when tapped. Keep oysters cold on ice until ready to shuck.

Prepare Serving Bed

Mound crushed ice on a large platter or individual serving trays to create a stable bed for the shucked oysters. Transfer the platter to a work surface near your shucking station.

Shuck Oysters

Wrap an oyster in the kitchen towel with the hinge exposed. Insert the oyster knife into the hinge, twist gently until it pops. Slide the knife along the top shell to sever the muscle and remove the top shell, keeping the oyster level to preserve the liquor. Run the knife under the oyster to free the bottom muscle, leaving the oyster in its bottom shell. Repeat with remaining oysters and transfer each shucked oyster to the crushed ice bed. Keep oysters cold while finishing.

Final Touch

Arrange lemon wedges around the ice bed. Place small bowls with sauces (mignonette and cocktail) on the platter. Provide cocktail forks or toothpicks for guests.

Combine minced shallot, red wine vinegar, blood orange juice, and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Add sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and blood orange zest. Stir thoroughly, then taste and adjust seasoning. The mignonette should be bright and slightly tangy; add up to 1 tsp more sugar if too sharp or 1 tsp more vinegar if too mild.

Fold in finely snipped chives. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (up to 2 hours) to allow the shallot to mellow and flavors to marry. Bring out of fridge 5 minutes before serving so it isn’t ice-cold.

In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, prepared horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using), and freshly ground black pepper until smooth and well combined.

Taste and adjust heat by adding more horseradish or hot sauce as desired. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Stir again briefly before plating.

Set the platter of oysters on the table with the two sauce bowls: blood orange mignonette and classic cocktail sauce. Provide lemon wedges for squeezing over oysters.

To eat: loosen the oyster with a fork if necessary, add a small spoonful of mignonette or a dab of cocktail sauce (or a squeeze of lemon) to the oyster, then slurp directly from the shell. Enjoy immediately.