Oysters on the Grill Bring the Beach to Your Backyard
As we spend more time in our backyard than the beach this summer, we're loving the recipes in Gulf Coast Oysters: Classic & Modern Recipes of a Southern Renaissance, from award-winning chef Irv Miller.
Keep the 4th of July spirit going by keeping the barbecue lit. The next time you’re outside grilling, give Oysters on Fire a try. This recipe from Irv Miller, the founder of Jackson’s in Pensacola, FL, is designed for the hot blooded and needs only a handful of ingredients. These butter-doused, flame-kissed beauties are a real treat.
Oysters on Fire
— Makes about 2 dozen oysters —
My primal instinct draws me to cooking over fire, and to the oysters of my ancient past. I have become kind of obsessed with this bivalve, as have many of my friends. Oyster purists and enthusiasts alike celebrate the simplicity of savoring cooked oysters in this manner. I often ponder: When and who threw the first oyster into the fire? Thankful, and with a smile on my face, I can honestly say I will never know. This recipe is designed for the hot blooded, and with only a handful of ingredients! Check it and see. Most of the recipes in this chapter [Gulf Coast Oysters] are based off this one.
INGREDIENTS
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 tablespoons sriracha
3 fresh Thai chilies or 1 habanero pepper, minced
Pinch kosher salt
24 Gulf Coast oysters in their shells, scrubbed and shucked
“Grilling oysters is a surprisingly delicious experience if you haven’t tried it yet.”
DIRECTIONS
Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces, place into a small mixing bowl, and put in a warm area (about 80°F) for 30 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro, garlic, sriracha, salt, and chilies. Stir and mash with a fork until well blended. Follow directions for completing compound butter below.
Shuck your oysters now, or if you need help, you can follow directions for shucking oysters on page 30 of Gulf Coast Oysters. Place one slice of butter over each oyster. Follow directions for handling and grilling oysters from the tips below.
Tips for
Grilling Oysters
Grilling oysters is a surprisingly delicious experience if you haven’t tried it yet. These butter-doused, flame-kissed beauties are a real treat. There are a few tips and tricks you’ll need in most of the recipes for this chapter.
Compound Butter: Mix the compound butter according to the recipe’s directions. Transfer butter mixture to a sheet of parchment paper, deli paper, or plastic wrap, placing on edge closest to you. Fold paper over and roll into a cylinder, twisting the ends in opposite directions to seal. Place in refrigerator to chill solid for a minimum of 2 hours or several days in advance. Unwrap the compound butter and cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a plate and keep chilled.
Handling: Handling the oysters one by one over an open fire can be trying. It’s optional, but in large quantities I suggest using a stainless-steel wire grilling basket or a 10 by 18-inch footed wire cooling rack (available at any commercial restaurant supply store). To get started, shuck the oysters and position each upright in its shell on the rack. At this point, most recipes call for adding a compound butter slice to each oyster. Preheat gas grill or prepare and light a charcoal grill for medium-high heat. Use metal tongs and a kitchen towel. In one move, transfer the oyster-loaded rack directly to the grill and increase the heat to medium high. Let the oysters cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Finishing: A spray bottle filled with water is good for taming the flames caused by dripping butter should the flames get too high. Feel free to add a bit of additional compound butter over the oysters as they flame and brown a bit on the edges. Let them cook in their own juices until the edges curl, the butter is bubbly, and the shell edges begin to look slightly charred. Remove oysters from the grill and serve right away.
You can take a look inside or purchase your own copy of Gulf Coast Oysters from our shop or find it at your favorite retailer.