12oysters in their shellsI prefer oysters that run on the meatier side such as Blue Points, Rappahannocks, Standish Shore, Happy Oysters, etc
Herb Butter
2tablespoonssalted butteradd a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
1clovegarlic finely minced
2sprigsparsleyleaves only, fined chopped
1teaspoonlemon zest
Srirachaoptional
Instructions
Cleaning Oysters (it’s easy):
Fill a medium-sized bowl with cold tap water and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Mix together.
Gently place the oysters into the bowl.
Let sit for 1/2 hour, gently stirring the oysters every 10 minutes to help agitate them which promotes the release of any sand or dirt inside the oyster.
After a 1/2 hour, remove the oysters from the water and place on a plate or cutting board. Dirt and sand will have gathered at the bottom of the bowl.
Discard the water.
Lastly, take a paper towel and wipe each oyster to remove any excess dirt or sand on the outside of the oyster.
Now the oysters are ready for grilling.
Herb Butter
While oysters are in the water soaking, prepare the Herb Butter Sauce. Place the garlic and butter in a small saucepan on medium heat until butter melts and is slightly bubbling. Then add a good pinch or two of the parsley and stir. Remove butter from the heat. (Butter will be quickly reheated once oysters have been grilled.)
Grilling the Oysters
Heat grill on high heat.
Once grill has preheated, gently place oysters onto the grill, flat side up, if possible. Close the lid of the grill and let cook for approximately 3-4 minutes, or until the shells have opened slightly. Open the lid after 3 minutes to see what’s doing. For the juiciest oysters, you’ll want to remove the oysters as close as possible to when the shell opens. As oysters open, transfer them to a large plate.
Opening the Oysters
Allow oysters to cool slightly so you can comfortably open the shells and remove the top, flat shell, keeping the oyster in the deeper part of the shell. Some of the shells will be easy to separate with your hands and others will require a wee-bit more grip so I suggest using a kitchen towel. The goal is to retain as much of the oyster liquid as possible so take your time with the process!
Please note: Some shells may not open at all (no worries, it’s normal!) and others may take more or less time to open. Generally speaking, you should always buy a few more oysters than you actually need in case a few don’t open.
Final Assembly
Once the oysters are cooked and open, reheat the butter.
To serve oysters, place them on a plate and spoon a bit of the herb butter onto each oyster, followed by a dot of sriracha and a pinch of lemon zest. And then slurp down your oysters.
Notes
Oysters shells should be tightly closed and when bought should be placed in an open bag which allows them to breath. You never ever want to seal the bag! Place oysters in the open bag in the refrigerator until ready to grill.If any shells are broken, discard the oyster.Want to keep it simple, just pair the oysters with plain melted butter. You can never go wrong with melted butter!