Recipe: Chargrilled Oysters
Ryan Trahan's quick and easy recipe for bone marrow herb butter chargrilled oysters
12 Oysters ×
3 Large Marrow Bones (Canoe Cut)
1 Stick Butter
3 Tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1 Tsp. Fresh Thyme, chopped
1 Tsp. Salt
12 Fresh Oysters (in the shell, preferably Gulf caught)
4 Tbsp. Butter
¾ Cup Bread Crumbs or Cornbread Crumbs
Fresh Parsley, chopped, for garnish
Pickled Red Onion, optional, for garnish
3 Lemon wedges, for serving
Chargrilled oysters are actually pretty simple, even though you’d typically have to go out to a restaurant to get them. We make these with leftover cornbread, which we make breadcrumbs out of, and then some bone marrow butter if I have some bones laying around. As far as sourcing our seafood, we get our oysters from a variety of different places, but I like Grand Isle oysters from the Sea Island Oyster Company, and Gulf oysters from Alabama. You can grill them over wood, but you can do it over a gas grill, too.
Directions for Bone Marrow Herb Butter
Heat oven to 425 degrees and roast marrow bones for 15 to 20 minutes until completely cooked through. Temper butter in the microwave in a small bowl on low setting in 30 second intervals until completely melted. Remove marrow from bones and add to butter along with any fat from the roasting pan. Fill a medium bowl with ice and place small bowl inside. Add remaining ingredients to the butter and whisk until butter has re-emulsified and solidified. Store cold until ready to use.
Directions for Baked Oysters:
Add a layer of rock salt to a rimmed baking sheet, or substitute dry, uncooked rice. This will keep the oyster shells from wobbling. Scrub the oyster shells with a stiff brush. Carefully shuck the oysters over a bowl (to catch any liquids that might spill out). [Learn how to shuck an oyster from the experts, here.] Run the knife along the bottom of the inside of the shell to loosen the oyster. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until the crumbs are lightly browned. Top each oyster with a heaping teaspoon of the marrow herb butter and then sprinkle each one with the buttered crumbs. Bake the oysters in the preheated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the oysters are cooked through and the topping is golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, top with pickled red onion and serve with lemon wedges.
Try more of Chef Trahan’s dishes at his new restaurant, Vestal, opening in Downtown Lafayette at 555 Jefferson later this spring. Visit Vestal Restaurant on Facebook for details.
