Grilled Oysters

Oysters can be boiled, steamed or eaten raw on the half shell. But grilled oysters are my favorite, if for nothing else but the ease of preparation.



Buying oysters by the dozen is alright, but if you want to get serious, by a bushel of them. This is commonly done in coastal areas, but away from the oceans, bushels of oysters are more difficult to find...and a lot more expensive!

To start you oyster grilling marathon, you need to first clean the oysters really well. If you're lucky your oysters will be very clean, needing just a little bit of scrubbing and rinsing. If today just isn't your day, you'll get a batch of dirty oysters, coated with mud and muck, and needing a good scrubbing to remove all of the gunk. As they are cleaned, check to make sure the shells are tightly closed. If the shells are open, or can be opened easily, the oyster isn't healthy and should be discarded. Once they're cleaned, keep them cold and fresh with a bag of ice on top.

Grilled Oysters

12 to 18 oysters per person
Melted butter
Hot sauce (Franks Louisiana Hot Sauce is my favorite)
Worcestershire sauce
Saltine crackers
Lots of cold beer

Place the oysters on the grill. You may want to put a layer of foil over the grate to prevent juices from dripping through. Close the lid, but watch the oysters closely. Check after 3 or 4 minutes. As soon as the shells begin to open, remove them from the grill.

Open the shells and loosen the meat. Using the shell half as a bowl, add your favorite ingredients and slurp those grilled oysters down. Or place an oyster on a cracker and top it with hot sauce, pop it in your mouth, and chase it with a swig of cold beer. Now that's livin'!

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