Baked Oysters Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C). Spread the crushed rock salt or coarse salt in an even layer across a rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan, creating a stable bed so oyster shells will sit level while baking.

Rinse each oyster under cold running water and scrub the shells with a brush to remove debris. Discard any oysters with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. Keep the oysters cold until ready to shuck/bake.

In a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, minced garlic, minced shallot, chopped parsley, lemon zest, hot sauce (or cayenne), salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a touch more lemon zest or salt if desired.

If you prefer a smoother, pipeable topping, transfer the compound butter to a small resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny corner; otherwise use a small spoon to portion butter onto oysters.

Place oysters on the prepared salt bed on the baking sheet, cupped side down so each rests level. If your oysters are already shucked, place the oyster meat and liquor into the deeper half of the shell. If not shucked, carefully shuck each oyster: insert an oyster knife at the hinge, twist to pop the shell, run the knife under the top shell to release, discard the top shell, and free the meat from the bottom shell while keeping the liquor in the shell.

Using a teaspoon or the piped compound butter, place about 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste) of the compound butter mixture on top of each oyster. For added texture, sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of toasted panko and a light dusting (about 1/4 teaspoon) of grated Parmesan over each oyster. Repeat until all oysters are topped.

Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake oysters for 8–10 minutes, or until the butter is bubbly, the edges of the oyster curl slightly, and the topping is golden. If you prefer a more browned topping, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and let rest 1–2 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or extra parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Serve hot and consume the same day. Discard any oysters that do not open during cooking (if baking unshucked) or oysters that smell off. Keep oysters chilled before cooking and handle with clean hands/utensils to reduce food-safety risk.