Oysters, along with clams and lobsters, have been harvested and relished by Native Americans along the Atlantic coast from very early times. When the English colonists arrived on the shores of North America, they recognized the richness of the sea in the abundance of the excellent, large oysters. It’s thought that the Indians taught the settlers how to tong or secure the bivalves with leather, and to dry them for winter food. Oysters were the most popular seafood along the Eastern seaboard during the nineteenth century, with oyster saloons serving raw and roasted oysters. Timeworn cookbooks have recipes for oyster stew, oyster soup, oyster pie, and oyster stuffing.–Diane Morgan
LC Make Ahead—Or Not? Note
We know, we know. Nothing makes a holiday dinner lovelier than the ability to make some of the menu ahead of time. But with such a straightforward stew, it’s best to leave it to the last minute. In the words of the author, “Although it can be gently reheated successfully, oyster stew is best when made right before serving. Have everything measured and ready to cook—the stew is super simple to put together.”
Oyster Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pint (about 30) extra-small shucked oysters in their liquor
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
Instructions
- Drain the oysters through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a small bowl to catch the oyster liquor. Set the oysters aside. Reserve the liquor.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and celery salt. Add the oysters and bring to a simmer. Cook just until the edges of the oysters curl.
- Add the oyster liquor to the pan and return to a simmer. Add the milk, cream, and nutmeg and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, but do not let the oyster stew boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle the oyster stew into a warmed tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the parsley, and serve hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is a very simple recipe to prepare and, the best part is, it can be served as a starter for an elegant dinner party. The dish has only a limited number of ingredients, which makes for easy and quick preparation. By having all the ingredients out in front of you at the onset, this dish is literally put together in a matter of minutes. The coloring imparted from the paprika provided a nice yellow effect to the broth that, coupled with the vibrant green of the flat-leaf Italian parsley, offered eye-pleasing contrast. I used square Japanese porcelain bowls and purposely mounded the oysters up in the middle of each bowl. I then topped the oysters with the parsley. The only word of caution is to not scald the milk and be sure and turn down the heat to simmer as you watch for the oyster edges to curl. Enjoy.
This recipe is super simple and delicious! I added a little cayenne pepper and some fresh crushed garlic! Definitely a go to recipe! Thank you
Thanks, Keith! We’re delighted that you loved it and so appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
I made this stew tonight and I have only one suggestion. Adding the oyster liquor should be Step 3 of 5. In my haste, left it out until it was too late and since I didn’t want my oysters to be overcooked, I deleted the liquor and served the stew without. It was still good, but now I have to make it again with the broth so I can experience the real thing. Oh well, at least I have oyster liquor in the freezer to use for another dish.
Carmen, I added it as step 3 in the recipe above so that others don’t miss it. Sorry it wasn’t the full-fledged stew it should have been. Next time, though!
This was part of our Christmas lunch, and it was fantastic. The best thing about this, besides being sweet and oceanic with just a hint of spice from the paprika and nutmeg, was I put it together in 20 minutes. Really. Twenty minutes. We always have oyster stew on Christmas, it’s a tradition The One and I have kept for years, and moving forward this will be our go-to recipe.