Charbroiled Oysters [3] Recipe

Clean and shuck

Rinse the oysters under cold running water and scrub shells to remove debris. Keep oysters chilled on ice while working. Using an oyster knife and a thick glove or towel, insert the tip at the hinge, twist to pop, slide the blade along the top shell to sever the muscle, and remove the top shell. Preserve as much liquor as possible. If you prefer, shuck fully and set oysters in half shells on a tray of ice to keep cold.

Check each oyster for shell fragments and discard any that smell off. Keep oysters refrigerated until ready to build and charbroil.

Combine ingredients

In a medium bowl, add the softened unsalted butter, minced garlic, minced shallot, chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly with a spatula or spoon until fully combined and smooth.

Adjust seasoning

Taste a small smear of the butter and adjust salt, pepper, lemon, or hot sauce to preference. Chill briefly if the butter becomes too soft to handle.

Portion

Spoon or pipe roughly 1 teaspoon of compound butter onto each oyster (about 18 tsp total). Leave some butter for additional basting if desired.

Preheat grill

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat (500–550°F / 260–290°C) with the grates very clean. If using a broiler, preheat oven broiler on high and position rack 4–6 inches from heat source. To stabilize shells on the grill, you can use a cast-iron pan with rock salt or a grill-safe baking tray to hold them flat.

Assemble oysters

Place each shucked oyster (in its half shell) on the grill or tray. Spoon the compound butter over the oyster meat, distributing about 1 teaspoon per oyster so the butter covers the meat and the shell's edge. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan over every 3 oysters (or evenly across them) and dust lightly with smoked paprika if using.

Charbroil

Close the grill lid and cook until the butter is bubbling, the cheese melts, and the oyster edges just begin to curl, about 3–6 minutes depending on heat and oyster size. If using the oven broiler, broil 3–5 minutes watching closely to avoid burning. Oysters are done when they are hot and edges are just firm—do not overcook.

If you like extra char, open the lid for the last 30–60 seconds or move oysters briefly to the hottest part of the grill to develop slight charring on the butter topping.

Garnish

Remove oysters from the grill with tongs and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle chopped chives or extra parsley over the top and add additional grated cheese if desired. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Safety and presentation

Serve immediately while hot. Discard any oysters that did not open during cooking if they were raw-shucked. Provide small forks for eating and a bowl for discarded shells.