Robb Walsh’s Grilled Oysters Are Perfect Cool Weather Coastal Fare
When cool weather strikes, grilled Gulf oysters hit the spot. Photo by Laurie Smith
Award-winning author and food historian Robb Walsh shared with us a Gulf oyster recipe that is especially satisfying during the cool months in Texas when the harvesting season is in full swing. Imagine standing around a flaming barbecue pit on a cool evening watching oysters on the half shell sizzle in butter. A scattering of grated Parmesan and parsley on top is a savory finishing touch.
As the recipe from Walsh’s book Texas Eats: The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook shows, making these sizzling delights is easily accomplished at home. So, there’s no reason to not grab a sack full from a local seafood purveyor and get to shucking. (By the way: don’t miss the special trick to that in the recipe. When grilling oysters, it’s easier than you think.)
Grilled Oysters on the Half Shell
You’ll want to spill a bit of butter into the flames of your grill to get the fire to flare up and char the oyster shells a little.
1 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 dozen oysters in the shell, fresh or frozen
Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Prepare a hot fire for direct-heat grilling in a charcoal or gas grill.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, being careful not to let it brown. Stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper, then remove from the heat. (This can be done on the grill.)
You can shuck the oysters, leaving them on the half shell. Or, you can put the unshucked oysters on the grill grate, and when the shells pop open, remove the top shell from each oyster. Spoon the butter mixture evenly over the oyster meats and grill for 3 – 5 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer to platters and sprinkle with a little Parmesan and parsley. Serve at once.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Texas Eats: The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook, with More than 200 Recipes by Robb Walsh, © 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House Inc.
Phaedra Cook has written about Houston’s restaurant and bar scene since 2010. She was a regular contributor to My Table magazine (now closed) and was the lead restaurant critic for the Houston Press for two years, eventually being promoted to food editor. Cook founded Houston Food Finder in November 2016 and has been its editor and publisher ever since.
This must be good. I’m looking forward to a run at it.
Let us know how they turn out!