Can I Interest You in Charbroiled Outer Banks Oysters?

Outer Banks Oysters & The Sizzle Finish

Wild Harvest Outer Banks Oysters

In the winter months oysters taste the best, so thats when we get them! Today, Outer Banks Oysters are both farmed and wild harvest. We prefer the wild harvest but the local farmed oysters are great too!

For this batch we got lucky to snag a bushel of just harvested ‘Oregon Inlet’ oysters. Characteristically, the exterior shells look a bit more ‘weathered’ than farmed counterparts and the shells themselves can be a bit more brittle, regardless they taste great, are good for you – and we can’t forget that some even say they are an aphrodisiac.

How many Outer Banks Oysters are in a bushel?

An oyster bushel contains about 250 oysters. Thats a lot for just a few folks, you may go for half if you are a smaller group. If you are looking to charbroil oysters, however, having a large load is a good option as they tend to go quicker than you may think.

Outer Banks Oysters Charbroiled

I’ve always enjoyed the oyster, both raw and cooked, but after a few visits to New Orleans I grew to love the charbroil style oysters the city is famous for. The cool thing about this recipe is you can do it whether you are visiting in the OBX, at home or at another oyster loving location.

How to Charbroil your Outer Banks Oysters:

STEP #1: Get the coals red hot on the grill

STEP #2: Add unopened oysters, directly over the coals. Try to place the oyster ‘cup side’ down. Wait 5-10 minutes for the oyster to begin to open. Try not to keep oysters on grill too long or they will overcook!

Outer Banks Oysters Opening On coals

STEP #3: Remove & Clean. With the shells slightly open it makes it easy to remove the ‘flatter’ shell of the oyster. Use an oyster knife to cut though the mussel to separate. After you have halved the oyster and discarded one shell make sure any remaining small shell pieces are pushed out. Now, place the cleaned oysters on a plate or pan for filling

OBX oysters opening

STEP #4: Fill the oysters with the secret sauce – a mixture of butter, garlic, shallot and cheeses. Be generous with the cheese, you will scoop the sauce in with a spoon. You can think of it like a small French Onion Soup, the cheese should be plenty and create a crust at the edges. CHECK OUT the simple process to make the secret sauce further in down.

STEP 5: Return the filled oysters directly over the coals for a 3-5 minute final broil aka The Sizzle Finish. You know the charbroiled oysters are about done when you start to see the boil of the butter in the shell. Remove the oysters, let cool for a few minutes (the shells can be very very hot!!) and EAT!

Outer Banks Oyster Sizzle Finish

Preparing the EASY OBX Oyster Butter-Garlic-Cheese Sauce

I typically cook and shuck the oysters, so my oyster helper, Maria can concentrate on the secret sauce. Here is the base of the recipe: Try it! You’ll love it. Next time make some adjustments or modifications to the sauce and concoct your own version of Outer Banks Oysters Charbroiled!

How to Make: Butter Garlic Cheese Sauce for Oysters

STEP #1: Chop or crush 1/4 cup garlic (can add a bit of chopped ginger for additional flavor or try some shallot)

STEP #2: Melt a full stick of butter in a medium saucepan

STEP #3: Add your favorite hot sauce, between 1-2 tablespoons, depending on your desired heat level. Our preferred choice Crystal, Louisiana Style.

STEP #4: Squeeze fresh Lemon Juice in to the sauce, about 1/2 to 1 whole lemon’s worth

STEP #5: Add cheese! Sometimes we use Monterrey Jack, other times we use a shredded parmesan or many time both. If your keen for a cheese crust effect, you’ll definitely want to finish the oysters with a parmesan or parmesan-romano.

Combine Sauce with Oyster: You will be ready to combine the sauce with the oyster once it has opened & been cleaned (Step#4 in the Grilling process). I usually take the oysters off the grill momentarilly to complete this process and I also add the cheese mix at this point, then I’ll load them back on the grill for the sizzle finish!

Enjoy Outer Banks Oysters!

Outer Banks Oysters Kids