# Oysters



## conrad74

I did some hot smoked oysters for x-mas appies last year, planning on repeating this year. I poached oysters until firm , brined for about an hour then hot smoked for about an hour with 1 pan of cherry chips in my little chief. before serving I wrapped in bacon and finished in the oven until bacon cooked.


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## salmonclubber

smoked oysters yummm


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## dwiens

I was just about to post today if anyone had recipes or how-to smoke oysters.  Any more of you east coast guys have recipes?


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## crewdawg52

The way we did them in the Islands was to just put them on a grill (alive and unopened).  They steam in their own juices, and when they open, eat them dipped in a little shoyu (soy sauce) with Thai peppers.


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## navionjim

I second Crewdawg on that. We used to do them that way i Newport Oregon at Rogue Ale, right next door to Skip. If you don't like the shoyu idea garlic butter poured in just as the shells open works well too.
Jimbo


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## pescadero

You're making me hungary, Jimbo.  We will have to give those babies a try next time you are in town.  Two gread "Gardens" growing here in the bay, so there is an unending supply.

Skip


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## kew_el_steve

Here in the land of Apalachicola Oysters, some people eat them raw (barf...), but I like to smoke them live in the shell and pour in a little hot sauce when they open. This method must be accompanied with ice-cold beer and repeated. Just because, that's why...


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## navionjim

To be sure Skip, but have you had the oysters from Willipa Bay? those were the best! Ask John at Rogue, he knows where to find them.
Jimbo


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## billybones

Must wipe mouth.....drool taking over.....must fight the urge......seafood market nearby........NO.......must work....


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## salmonclubber

i agree willapa bay oysters are the best oysters i just eat a half gallon of them last weekend check out there website www.ekoneoyster.com they are a short 2 1/2 hour drive from me i try and make it down there about 5-6 times a year i have yet to try smoking them we like them battered and fried 

huey


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## geek with fire

You don't get any smoke though. Right?  I guess that aint a bad thing as oysters can stand out on their own.  Any way to add smoke using this method?  Do you still continue to cook them when they open, or pull them?


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## bustedluckbarbq

hmmm....  just posted reply and it didn't show up.... retry....

I like em raw right out of the shell with a little hot sauce.... The Blue Points up at Gramason's were out of this world!!!
 Shuckin'

 Passin'

 Me... eatn em up!!!


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## cowgirl

Now ya did it! I'm going to have to find some of those!!


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## pescadero

Hey Jim and Huey, how ya doing.

Yes I have had Willipa's many times.  But it is an all day drive for me.  I have to "Pack my lunch", so to speak.  I only get them when I am passing through somewhere north.  Were talking three hours just to Astoria, then cross the bridge and on up into Hueys turf.  They do have people selling them out of their car trunks along Hwy 101, but I have never trusted that they were fresh.  I get them from the source or not at all.

Hey Huey, that reminds me.  I get them from Hamma Hamma, every time I am up on "The Hood".  Those Canal Oysters are pretty darn good too.  Last time I dove at Mike's, he let us pick some off his property.

Meanwhile Jim, don't think you know it, but there is a 'new game in town'.  A guy named Mike Marshall started a company called "Suspended Singles".  He raises Gormet Oysters for the European marketplace.  He signed a 'non-compete' with the other Oyster Farm, so he can't sell locally.  They farm them in the top 18 inches of the water column.  Cull them once a week.  If two or more Oysters stick together they are culls.  Guess who chows down on the culls.  Haa Haa!!   Call a quarter sized Oyster a 'cull'.  I dare you.  They are candy.  We eat his Oysters raw, after popping them open on the BBQ.  Or they go into 'shooters'.

And Geek, just for clarification,  most people I know don't like the large or supersize Oysters.  Too full of 'goosh' (scientific term) LOL.  If I have those big babies, which I try to avoid, I pan fry low and slow until the goosh goes away.  For popping open on the BBQ, I use nothing but medium's or smaller.  Here you have several choices.  Eat them as soon as they pop, either naked or with a sauce.  Or you can move them over to the smoker and run a pan of smoke against them.  Not trying to cook them any more, just trying to impart the smoke to them.  The Smalls, the Babys and the Petites are eaten raw.  They don't last long enough to get cooked, let alone smoked.  They go into a shot glass, topped with your favorite sauce and are slammed down, right in front of a nice cold brewski.

I buy them by the bushel.  4-5 dozen in a bushel, depending on size.  It is a great party idea.  Keeps guests busy and fascinated for hours.

I don't have any experience with East coast Oysters, but bet they are great too.

Skip


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## cman95

I too throw them on a grill until they pop open. We call them "grilled rocks!"
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 YUMMY!!!


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## flash

Dam Yankee 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Raw on a ritz cracker with some hot sauce 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Steamed....them rubbery little things 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Fried......


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## pescadero

I do steam them open some times and must admit I have had a rubber oyster, from time to time.  You cracked me up.  I hadn't thought of them in that way, but they can get rubbery if you over do it.  

Still, a small price to pay.  Pretty tasty little buggers and I love 'em.


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## flash

LOL, I did not mean it harshly. I have had some pretty good steamed oysters done over a charcoal fire. Personally, I would rather have dollar sized clams, but my little fishing village at Cedar Key has some very good oysters to dine on.


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## hawgheaven

I like my oysters one way... in my belly! Fried (yum!) or installed on a grill grate until open. I call them screamers (not to be confused with steamers). Awesome little critters they are!


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## pescadero

NP, Flash.  I know.  They can be a little touchy though and I have messed them up a time or two.

I agree with Hawg.  .  .  .  the way I like them best is "in my belly".  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Skip


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## ga_smoker

Like this? Notice the "bowls" of hotsauce for dipping. We steamed these on Christmas Eve and I ate way way too many. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Steve


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## kew_el_steve

That is exactly correct!!!

Went to a party last Friday night where we had to put two people on it full time to keep the supply going for about four hours. Do you have any idea how much beer it takes to do that???


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## zapper

I love oysters! Raw to just slightly steamed (Who am I kidding, I will even chew on a rubbery over cooked one!) Ice, ice cold raw is nice with a little horseradish heavy coctail sause. Or just a touch of steamed or grilled to crack open for just a bit of added texture. (sorry, sometimes when I am eating food I want to chew just a bit)

I am too far from the water to go get them on a whim. The ole lady wont touch them. Years ago a buddy got a bushel (half maybe? but everyone calls it a bushel) for like $30 at a local farmers market (I will have to check this out some time, I think the count was near 100) At any rate he invited a few guys over to slurp them down, but everyone that he invited was like an amature or scared. A few guys never even tried any, so that left me and my buddy, the host, to do away with all of the oysters ourselves. (not that I am complaining...) I would guess that I ate 40 and my buddy the same. The thing is though, my buddy weighs maybe 125 with his tool bag full of nails, and I was 250 ehhhh 280.


Now I have to go out and see if I can find any local markets that ship them in reasonably fresh.


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## richtee

I wonder if a hot smoke would do it Geek. maybe 275-300, then drop it fast to 150 or so once they open to get some smoke on 'em?


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## jdfire40

We won't have Apalach oysters much longer if AL & GA keep fighting over the water in the river! 

I don't know why you would want to ruin a perfectly good oyster by cooking it 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Although on the grill in the half shell with some fresh parmesan cheese grated over it & a jalapeno slice on it is pretty good also!


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