Smoked Oysters

[pescadero]

OK, have something to share with you.

SmokyOkie wrote asking about Oysters. I posted that I had a procedure I use. That resulted in several people contacting me wanting the procedure. But, no SmokyOkie. I couldn't understand why he wanted the information, in the first place, but never contacted me for it. I got e-mails and PM's from so many people, but no SmokyOkie.

Then, this guy named 'Tim' contacts me and educates me a little. Come to find out this IS SmokyOkie. So, go figure!!

Maybe some day I will make the connection between our stage names and our real names.

Probably not, but I can hope.

At any rate, it sounds like there is going to be a lot of canning going on.

Good luck everybody.

Cheers,

Skip

 

[smokyokie]

Hey Skip,
Read my signature.

 

[pescadero]

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Good Job!!

I hope you enjoy as much as I have.

Skip

 

[dionysus]

Tim,
this is a simple way to smoke the oysters:
Place shucked oysters on wire mesh bottom trays. Only one layer of oysters should be placed in a tray, spread so that the smoke can penetrate uniformly. Place the filled trays into the smoker and smoked at 225 to 250 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes. Oak wood is used mostly for smoking but Cherry and Apple work well also. When done the smoking should result in the oysters being tinged with a light chocolate color.

As for preserving them, Skip is right .... canning with a pressure cooker is the only REALLY safe way to go. BTW same goes for salmon and tuna. (ever notice that you never see salmon or tuna or shellfish in jars).
Personally I hate pressure cookers so I usually just smoke what is going to be eaten ....
Good luck

 

[smokyokie]

Hey Skip,
One last question: Once you've opened the jar do you need to refrigerate it? It's probably a moot question being as I can't imagine any being left after a good "snack".

 

[shellbellc]

I smoked some oysters this past summer, I got them out of a container at the fish stop at our local grocery store. I just rinsed them, did them in a rub, wrapped some bacon around with a tooth pick and then smoked them at about 200*. If I hadn't had the bacon on them, everything would have been fine, but it was taking too long for the bacon to get cooking so after 2 hours I pulled them and finished them under the broiler. They were a HUGE hit though, everyone loved them.

 

[pescadero]

You are actually right on both things. One of the advantages of using the smaller half pint jars is that you are working with a limited quantity, so frequently there is nothing left to store. But, when there is, they will refrigerate nicely for several days. Can even be vac packed and frozen, or zip locked and tossed into the freezer, as long as you get most of the air out. Wouldn't trust the zip locks for very long though.

ShellBell has a good one to try. It sounds yummy. But once again, she cooked the Oyster and then ate them. If I understood it, you weren't looking for recipes on how to do that. I thought you wanted to know how to smoke and preserve, not smoke/cook and eat. So that is the direction I went.

Also, many of the actual smoking methods, and all of the cook/smoke recipes that have been posted, will work great. They all sound very tasty and I know I will be trying several of them, myself. But, you referenced the tins of Oysters that you buy, which are in Cottonseed Oil. You said you wanted to emulate that, if I recall. That is another reason I went in the direction I did. I tried to address both smoking Oysters and their preservation in oil, which ties back to your actual questions. I think you can now do that.

Take Care,

Skip

 

[smokyokie]

You are correct Skip. That was my original question but the thread drifted in a different direction and now I have several different directions to channel my food A.D.D.. What a place, this SMF

 

[pescadero]

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Yup! Ain't it greate!!

Some good suggestions came in.

I started out intending to give you a hand, and ended up with a lot of new things to try myself.

Skip