Baked Oysters

These easy baked oysters are made with a lemon garlic butter to create a delicious recipe!

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings oysters

Calories 47kcal

Author Ashley C.

Ingredients

3 pounds rock salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 medium lemon zested and juiced
2 teaspoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 to 16 unshucked oysters left in the fridge until you're ready to use them
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and pour the rock salt on a large baking pan evenly. Set aside for later.
Whip the butter in a medium bowl until it becomes light and fluffy then add the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper and whip again until combined. Set aside for later.
Take the oysters out of the fridge and scrub them clean then place a cutting board on a countertop and rollup a kitchen towel to protect your hands. You can use a stiff brush for cleaning.
Place the towel around the thumb of your non-dominant hand and place an oyster upside down between the folds of the towel.
Carefully but firmly push the tip of an oyster knife at an angle into the hinge (the point of the oyster) until you hear a light crack, and it starts to leak a little at the edges. (Be very careful, oyster knives can be sharp and can easily slip while shucking oysters.)
Work the knife under the shell and sever the muscle that’s attached to the shell until the top is loosened completely.
Remove the top shell and cut the muscle that is connected to the bottom side then flip the oyster over in the shell to make sure it’s loose.
Pour out a little bit of the liquid from the oyster, leaving about ½ - 1 teaspoon.
Place the oyster on the salt in the pan then repeat the shucking process with the remaining oysters.
When all the oysters have been prepared, add even dollops of the butter mixture on top of each oyster followed by a light sprinkling of parmesan on each oyster.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they are lightly browned and cooked through.
Serve with lemon wedges and freshly chopped parsley for garnish if desired.

Notes

Storing: Baked oysters can be stored in the fridge for a day or two when placed in an airtight container.

Freezing: If you want to freeze baked oysters, wait until they are completely cool then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, transfer the oysters to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Cooked baked oysters can be frozen for up to 1 month.

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