Grilled Oysters Three Ways
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 36 oysters
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 36 servings
- Calories
- 63
- Total Fat
- 3
- Saturated Fat
- 1
- Carbohydrates
- 4
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 1
- Protein
- 5
- Cholesterol
- 29
- Sodium
- 144
- Total: 55 min
- Active: 55 min
Ingredients
Mignonette:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar
1/2 medium shallot, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Bourbon BBQ Sauce:
1/4 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon bourbon
2 slices bacon (1 ounce), cooked and finely chopped
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
Scampi Butter:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons white wine
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium shallot, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oysters:
1 cup coarse sea salt
36 oysters in the shell, scrubbed
Directions
Special equipment:
a 9-by-13-inch foil roasting pan- For the mignonette: Stir together the red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, shallots and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For the bourbon BBQ sauce: Stir together the barbecue sauce and bourbon in a small bowl. Set aside.
- For the scampi butter: Mash to combine the butter, white wine, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Side aside.
- For the oysters: Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Add the coarse sea salt in mounds to a large 9-by-13-inch aluminum roasting pan.
- Cooking in batches if necessary, put the oysters with their cupped side down in the roasting pan, nestling them in the salt so the flat side is facing up and they do not tip. Put the roasting pan on the hottest part of the grill and close the lid. Cook until the shells open slightly (wide enough to slide a knife in), 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the oysters.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the grill. Insert the tip of an oyster knife or small sharp paring knife in the shell opening and run the knife along the inside of the top shell to release the oyster; remove the top shell. Run the knife under the oyster meat in the bottom shell to release the oyster, keeping the oyster and juices in the shell. Repeat with the remaining oysters, placing 12 of them on a platter and the remainder back in the pan. Serve the oysters on the platter immediately with the mignonette, or refrigerate until ready to serve. (See Cook's Note.)
- Spoon the bourbon BBQ sauce over 12 of the remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each). Top each with some of the bacon and chives.
- Put a dollop of the scampi butter over the 12 remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each).
- Return the roasting pan to the grill, close the lid and cook until the oyster fillings are just starting to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and transfer to a serving platter.
- Sprinkle the scampi butter oysters with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Cook’s Note
If you don't have a foil roasting pan, you can cook the oysters directly on the grill grates, cupped-side down. If desired, the oysters with mignonette can be served cooked. Return them to the grill after opening and cook until the juices bubble, about 5 minutes.