Oyster Recipe

Clean oysters

Rinse the oysters under cold running water and scrub shells with a stiff brush to remove dirt and barnacles. Discard any oysters with cracked shells or an off smell.

Shuck oysters

Place an oyster flat side up on a folded towel to steady it. Hold the oyster with the towel, insert an oyster knife into the hinge and twist gently until it pops. Run the knife along the top shell to cut the muscle, remove and discard the top shell. Slide the blade under the oyster to detach it from the bottom shell, keeping the oyster and its liquor in the shell. Repeat for remaining oysters.

Prepare serving bed

Spread the crushed ice across a large shallow platter or individual plates to create a stable bed for the oysters. This keeps them cold and level.

Make mignonette

In a small bowl combine red wine vinegar, minced shallot, freshly cracked black pepper, sea salt, and chopped parsley (if using). Stir and let rest for 5–10 minutes to soften the shallot and marry flavors. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar as desired.

Plate oysters

Nestle each shucked oyster, cup side down, into the crushed ice. Pour a few drops of the oyster liquor back over each oyster (if any was lost, do not add extra water). Place a lemon wedge on the platter.

Serve

Serve immediately with mignonette sauce on the side (spoon a small amount over each oyster just before eating) and lemon wedges. Add freshly ground pepper to taste. Eat oysters raw directly from the shell.

Preheat

Preheat the grill to medium-high or set the oven broiler on high and arrange rack about 6–8 inches from the heat source.

Prepare hot butter

In a small bowl mix softened butter with hot sauce, minced garlic, lemon zest, and salt until well combined.

Shuck for grilling

Shuck each oyster as above, leaving the oyster in the deeper bottom shell. Discard top shell.

Top oysters

Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the hot butter mixture onto each oyster, distributing evenly across the meat and liquor.

Grill or broil

Place oysters directly on the grill or on a baking sheet for the broiler. Grill or broil for 3–5 minutes until butter is bubbling and edges of the oyster begin to curl. Watch carefully to avoid overcooking.

Finish and serve

Remove oysters, arrange on a platter (on a bed of crushed ice only if serving immediately to cool others) and serve hot with lemon wedges. Offer additional hot sauce or mignonette alongside.