**Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters: A Taste of Southern Delicacy**
Originating from the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia, fire-roasted lowcountry oysters are a culinary delight that captures the essence of Southern cuisine. These plump and juicy oysters are carefully roasted over an open fire, infusing them with a smoky and slightly charred flavor. Served with a luscious tarragon and red-hot sauce butter, these oysters offer a delightful balance of heat, acidity, and herbal notes. This article presents a collection of recipes that celebrate the versatility of fire-roasted lowcountry oysters. From classic preparations to innovative twists, these recipes will guide you in creating a memorable dining experience that showcases the unique charm of this Southern delicacy.
**Recipes:**
1. **Classic Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters with Tarragon and Red-Hot Sauce Butter:** This recipe takes you back to the roots of this iconic dish. Fresh oysters are fire-roasted to perfection and served with a simple yet flavorful butter sauce made with tarragon and red-hot sauce, creating a harmonious blend of smokiness, heat, and herbaceousness.
2. **Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters with Garlic Herb Butter:** For those who prefer a more savory and aromatic experience, this recipe introduces a garlic herb butter. Roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and a hint of lemon zest elevate the natural flavors of the oysters, resulting in a dish that is both satisfying and sophisticated.
3. **Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters Rockefeller:** Inspired by the classic Oysters Rockefeller, this recipe incorporates a rich and decadent spinach and cheese filling. The fire-roasted oysters are topped with a luscious mixture of sautéed spinach, garlic, shallots, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of Pernod, creating a luxurious and flavorful dish that is sure to impress.
4. **Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters with Bacon and Corn Maque Choux:** This recipe adds a Southern twist to the classic combination of oysters and bacon. Fire-roasted oysters are nestled in a flavorful corn maque choux, a creamy stew made with fresh corn, bell peppers, onions, and spices. The smokiness of the oysters complements the sweetness of the corn, while the bacon adds a savory touch.
5. **Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters with Chipotle Crema:** If you enjoy a bit of spice, this recipe is for you. Fire-roasted oysters are served with a spicy and tangy chipotle crema, made with chipotle peppers, sour cream, and fresh cilantro. The crema adds a smoky heat to the oysters, creating a dish that is both flavorful and satisfying.
6. **Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters with Fried Green Tomatoes:** This unique recipe combines the Southern charm of fried green tomatoes with the smoky goodness of fire-roasted oysters. Crispy fried green tomatoes are topped with roasted oysters and a drizzle of rémoulade sauce, creating a delightful combination of textures and flavors.
7. **Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters with Pickled Watermelon Rind:** For a refreshing and unexpected twist, this recipe pairs fire-roasted oysters with pickled watermelon rind. The tangy and sweet flavors of the pickled watermelon rind complement the briny oysters, resulting in a dish that is both light and flavorful.
8. **Fire-Roasted Lowcountry Oysters with Grilled Lemon and Herb Breadcrumbs:** This recipe adds a touch of elegance to the classic fire-roasted lowcountry oysters. The oysters are topped with a mixture of grilled lemon zest, fresh herbs, and crispy breadcrumbs, creating a flavorful crust that enhances the natural sweetness of the oysters.
FIRE BAKED OYSTERS
While the oyster purist might cringe at cooking them, I can assure you that this Fire Baked Oyster recipe does them justice.
Provided by Derek Wolf
Categories Appetizer
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat a grill or brick oven for high heat indirect cooking (around 450F).
- Add a cast iron sauce pan to preheat over the direct heat for 1 minute. Add the butter to the skillet to melt then add the chopped shallots. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the rest of the ingredients for the butter sauce. Let simmer for 20 seconds, then pull off heat to let cool for 1 minute.
- Mix together the ingredients for the crust. Add rock salt to the base of a cast iron skillet, and place the shucked oysters on top. Top each oyster for a spoonful of the butter sauce along with a dollop of the crust mixture. Do not worry if the crust mixture covers all the oyster.
- Place the cast iron on to your grill/oven on the cool indirect cooking side. Bake the oysters for 1-2 minutes until the crust on top is golden brown. Once done, pull them off and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Once cooled down, eat and enjoy!
GRILLED OYSTERS WITH HOT-SAUCE BUTTER
Oysters cook quickly on a hot grill, the meat poaching in a bubbling compound butter flavored with a vinegar-rich hot sauce, garlic and lemon zest. Ideally, you can assign someone else the job of shucking and focus on the grill, making sure the oysters don't stay on it much longer than 2 or 3 minutes, so the meat is still plump and juicy. If you're working on your own, open the oysters in advance and handle them carefully, so as not to spill the liquor inside the shells, which combines with the melted butter to create a delicious, briny flavor. To make a whole meal out of them, serve them with some grilled bread and a simple salad.
Provided by Tejal Rao
Time 30m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a food processor, combine butter, hot sauce, garlic, lemon zest and anchovy, and pulse until there are no streaks of hot sauce and the butter is a uniform shade of pale pink. (If you don't have a food processor, leave the butter out until it's very soft, then beat the ingredients together with a spoon.) Scrape the mixture into a small bowl, and set aside in the fridge.
- Put the oysters in a large bowl in the sink, and scrub off any sand or grit. Rinse well, drain and refrigerate until you're ready to shuck. To shuck: Grip an oyster with a folded dishtowel so the shell is cupped side down, hinge side facing toward you. Push the tip of the oyster knife into the hinge, and twist so it cracks open. Make sure the knife is clean of shell and grit, then use it to release the top shell, and slide it under the oyster meat to release it from the bottom shell. Repeat with remaining oysters, discarding any that are already open or that have a bad smell.
- Build a fire in your charcoal grill, or set a gas grill to high. Gently crumple a sheet of aluminum foil so its grooves can support the open oysters and keep them from spilling, and set it on the grate. Place 12 oysters on the foil, and top each with approximately ½ teaspoon of butter; use more for especially large oysters, but less for small ones. The idea is to cover the oyster with butter, but not to overfill the shell. Cover the grill, and cook until the butter and oyster juices are bubbling but the oyster is still plump, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Use tongs to transfer hot oysters to a platter lined with another piece of foil that will keep the shells upright, and serve immediately with a bottle of hot sauce and lemon wedges at the table. Repeat with remaining oysters.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 901, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 31 grams, Fat 60 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 58 grams, SaturatedFat 32 grams, Sodium 959 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 2 grams
FIRE-ROASTED GARLICKY OYSTERS
There's nothing like cooking over a charcoal fire, and it's essential for getting that fire-roasted flavor. When spooning the butter sauce over the oysters during grilling, some of it will hit the hot coals and cause it to flame up. Don't worry--you want that to happen. It'll give the oysters that charred taste you're aiming for.
Provided by Kardea Brown
Categories appetizer
Time 20m
Yield 3 dozen oysters
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat a grill to high heat.
- Combine the butter, garlic, the juice from the lemons and a few pinches of salt and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter melts. Stir together the parsley, Parmesan and Romano in a medium bowl.
- Arrange the oyster shells on the grill grate. Spoon the butter mixture over the oysters. Add the bread to the grill cut-side down and cook until grill marks appear, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the bread from the grill. Cover the grill with the lid and cook until the oysters begin to reduce in size, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Spoon the parsley mixture over each oyster, cover the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and the oysters are cooked to desired doneness, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Remove the oysters to a serving platter. Serve immediately with the bread.
FIRE ROASTED OYSTERS
Provided by Next Iron Chef All Star: Beau MacMillan
Categories appetizer
Time 40m
Yield 12 oysters
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- For the sesame aioli: Soak the hijiki in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain, chop and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and shallots to the oil and saute until they soften, about 45 seconds. Make sure you don't brown the ingredients. Next, add the soy sauce, mirin and rice wine vinegar. Turn the heat up to a boil, and reduce by half, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- In a bowl, add the mayonnaise, hijiki and the reduced soy sauce mixture. Stir until combined. Then, slowly add the sesame oil while stirring. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.
- For the oysters: Heat the lap cheong in a saute pan over medium heat until it is slightly rendered, about 1 minute. Remove the lap cheong from the pan and dice.
- Next, add the olive oil, garlic and shallots to the saute pan and cook over medium heat until they're nice and toasty, about 1 minute. Make sure you don't brown the garlic and shallots. Then add the spinach and cook until it is lightly wilted. Remove the spinach from the heat and allow to cool. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat a grill to medium heat.
- Wash, scrub and shuck your oysters. Remove the oysters from the shells and fill the shells with sauteed spinach. Place the oysters on top of the spinach. Then top each of the oysters with more sauteed spinach, some sesame aioli and lap cheong.
- Put the oysters on the grill, close the lid and within 5 minutes they will be ready to eat.
- To plate, place some salad on a platter, such as mizuna, a Chinese lettuce. Then, set the 12 oysters on top of the salad and garnish with lemon wedges.
Tips:
- Select the freshest oysters possible: Look for oysters that are tightly closed and have a briny, oceanic smell. Avoid any oysters that are open or have a foul odor.
- Roast the oysters over a hot fire: This will help to caramelize the edges of the oysters and give them a smoky flavor. If you don't have a grill, you can roast the oysters in a preheated oven at 450°F for 10-12 minutes.
- Use a flavorful butter: The butter that you use to baste the oysters will add a lot of flavor to the dish. Try using a compound butter made with herbs, spices, or citrus zest.
- Don't overcook the oysters: Oysters are best when they are cooked just until they are opaque and tender. Overcooking will make them tough and rubbery.
- Serve the oysters immediately: Roasted oysters are best enjoyed hot off the grill or out of the oven. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, such as cocktail sauce, mignonette sauce, or hot sauce butter.
Conclusion:
Fire-roasted low-country oysters with tarragon and red-hot sauce butter are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or main course. They are perfect for a casual gathering or a special occasion. With their smoky flavor, briny sweetness, and creamy texture, these oysters are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
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