Char-Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Worcestershire Butter

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

New Orleans-style barbecued oysters: plump Gulf-style oysters on the half shell flooded with a garlicky, lemony Worcestershire butter, blanketed with Parmesan and Romano, then blasted over live fire or under the broiler until the shells bubble and the edges char. The butter that pools in the shell is the whole point — have bread ready. Shucking is the only real work, and we walk you through it (plus a heat-assist trick if the oysters fight back).

Ingredients

• 24 medium fresh oysters in the shell, scrubbed
• 4 cups coarse rock salt or crumpled foil, for steadying the shells

• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
• 8 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 dash hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco

• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 loaf crusty French bread, sliced and toasted

Instructions

1. Make the butter first so it has time to firm up slightly: in a bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, Worcestershire, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, oregano, kosher salt, and hot sauce until completely smooth and uniform. Scrape into a small saucepan and set aside at room temperature. Toss the Parmesan and Pecorino together in a separate bowl.
2. Scrub the oysters under cold running water with a stiff brush and keep them cold, cupped side down, until you shuck. Discard any with cracked shells or any that gape open and don't close when tapped.
3. Shuck the oysters: fold a kitchen towel into a thick pad, set an oyster cupped-side down on it, and cover it with the towel, leaving the hinge (the pointed end) exposed. Work the tip of an oyster knife into the hinge with steady pressure and a slight twist until you feel it pop. Slide the blade along the inside of the top shell to cut the adductor muscle, lift the top shell off, then run the knife under the oyster to free it from the bottom shell. Pick out any shell chips but leave the liquor in place.
4. If an oyster refuses to open, set it cupped-side down on a hot grill or in a 450°F oven for 60 to 90 seconds — just until the hinge relaxes — then shuck it as above. Don't go longer or you'll cook it.
5. Set up your heat. For a grill: build a hot fire, aiming for 500 to 550°F with the grate clean and directly over the coals or burners. For a broiler: position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches under the element, spread the rock salt in a 1/2-inch layer over a rimmed sheet pan, and preheat the broiler on high for 10 minutes.
6. Warm the butter mixture over low heat just until it is fully melted and loose — about 2 minutes. Do not let it simmer or the garlic will brown. Keep it warm and stir before each use so the garlic and spices stay suspended.
7. Nestle the shucked oysters cup-side down into the rock salt (or onto crumpled foil rings) so they sit level and no liquor spills. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter over each oyster, then shower each with about 1 tablespoon of the cheese blend.
8. Grill method: set the oysters directly on the grate over the fire. Cook 5 to 7 minutes with the lid open, until the butter is boiling hard, the edges of the oysters curl, and the cheese is browned and blistered in spots. Expect flare-ups — that char is the flavor. Move any oyster that flames excessively to a cooler zone for 30 seconds.
9. Broiler method: slide the sheet pan under the broiler and cook 4 to 6 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the butter bubbles vigorously and the cheese is golden with dark spots. The oysters should be just opaque and plumped at the edges; pull them before they shrink and tighten.
10. Transfer the oysters to a platter (a bed of rock salt keeps them upright), scatter with parsley, and spoon any butter left in the pan back over the tops. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and plenty of toasted bread for mopping the shells.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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