Oysters On The Half-shell Recipe

Chill and prepare serving platter

Pile the crushed ice in a large shallow serving platter in an even layer about 1–1.5 inches deep. This will cradle the oyster shells and keep them cold.

Arrange oysters

Place each oyster on the half-shell on the bed of crushed ice with the deep side down so liquid (liquor) remains in the shell. Space them evenly to allow guests to pick them up without tipping.

Garnish and finish

Trim lemon wedges and place them around the platter. Spoon the prepared mignonette and cocktail sauce into small bowls and arrange them on the platter. Add a small mound of freshly grated horseradish and sprinkle chopped parsley over the ice for color. Serve immediately so the oysters remain very cold.

Combine the red wine vinegar, finely minced shallot, freshly ground black pepper, fine sea salt and caster sugar (if using) in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as needed. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to let flavors meld. Serve chilled alongside oysters.

In a small bowl whisk together the ketchup, prepared horseradish, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce if using, and a pinch of sea salt until smooth. Taste and adjust horseradish or lemon for heat/acidity. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you receive whole oysters and need to shuck them: hold the oyster in a towel or glove with the hinge facing you. Insert an oyster knife into the hinge and twist gently until it pops. Slide the knife along the top shell to cut the muscle, remove the top shell, then run the knife under the oyster to free the bottom muscle, taking care to preserve the liquor. Rinse any shell fragments away briefly and place oyster on half-shell on crushed ice. If your oysters arrived already shucked, skip this step.

Advise guests to squeeze a little lemon or liberally spoon mignonette or cocktail sauce onto the oyster, then tip the shell and slurp the oyster and its liquor. Provide small forks if desired. Keep extra ice on hand to maintain temperature during service; do not let oysters sit at room temperature for more than 30–40 minutes.