We are thrilled to have our friends Kelsey & Matt from Peconic Gold Oysters in Cutchogue as guest bloggers for this week! Kelsey and Matt were kind enough to share one of their favorite ways to prepare oysters and we couldn’t be more obsessed. Checkout their Grilled Peconic Gold Oysters with Herb Butter recipe below!

While I love raw oysters (and consume them regularly both at home and out at local restaurants) sometimes you are looking for something a little different, some way to dress them up other than slurping a classic briny, delicious oyster topped with the homemade mignonette that is a staple in my house, enter grilled oysters!

A few years ago on a family vacation to Cape Cod my aunt introduced me to grilled oysters, a concept I had never considered before, and boy was I glad she did! I’ll be honest, I was skeptical at first, not understanding why you would take a perfectly delicious raw oyster and cover it with butter. However once I tasted it I realized it’s appeal. By cooking an oyster with an herb butter you weren’t “covering up” its briny deliciousness but opening up a new range of flavors. A grilled oyster is rich and savory, decadent and delicious, and I was sold from the first bite!

Grilled oysters are a perfect way to dress-up a casual night at home in the backyard and a great way to wow and impress company when you whip out your shucking knife, grill pan, and get to work! No matter the occasion, oysters make any meal better in my opinion. Pair it with a glass of crisp, dry white wine and you can’t go wrong!

Grilled Peconic Gold Oysters with Herb Butter

This is a quick and easy recipe that will only take a few minutes to cook and prepare, however there are a few tools that you will need. Be sure you have an Oyster Shucking Knife (available at the Peconic Gold Oyster Stand) and an Oyster Cast Iron Pan. If you don’t yet have an Oyster Pan, you can use a baking sheet with crumpled tin foil to make “nests” for oysters on the half shell.

Ingredients:

• 12 Peconic Gold Oysters, freshly shucked
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• handful of parsley (or cilantro), stems removed & chopped
• zest of 1 lemon (or lime)
• juice of 1 lemon (or lime)
• 1 bottle of Lieb Estate Sauvignon Blanc

Directions:

1. Preheat your grill or oven to 400°
2. While your grill or oven is heating up, shuck 12 Peconic Gold Oysters—visit the Peconic Gold Oyster Blog to learn how to shuck by a pro
3. Once shucked, place the oysters on the half shell with the open side up in your oyster pan or tin foil nests.
4. Combine the garlic, shallot, herbs, and lemon (or lime) zest and juice in a bowl along with the melted butter and mix until well combined.
5. Spoon one tablespoon (or so) of the herb butter mixture on each oyster
6. Place pan on your grill or in the oven and bake at 400° for 10 – 15 minutes or until the herb butter mixture is bubbly.
7. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few moments until warm.
8. Pair a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (or another of your favorite wines), relax, and enjoy!

Stop by the Peconic Gold Oyster Stand at 21125 County Road 48 in Cutchogue to pick up oysters in the shell, shucking knives, and more!